Paris (AFP)
Different ball games for each player, latex gloves for pickers and opposite side changes: the International Tennis Federation (ITF) presented its health guidelines on Friday with a view to returning to competition when national governments will allow it.
"These guidelines only help mitigate the risk of Covid-19 infection: they cannot eliminate it," warns the ITF, noting that national measures will "prevail" in all cases.
Among the "minimum standards" defined by the international federation logically include the removal of "handshakes and other forms of physical contact" but the ITF also requests that the players "change (s) from side to side each on the opposite side of the net. "
"Each player must use his own series of balls", also orders the body to limit the risks of transmission by proposing to "identify and mark different balls for each player".
Still to avoid contamination via bullets, the ITF enjoins the pickers to "wear latex gloves on the court" and masks outside of it.
In contrast, the "outdoor" and "singles only" games are part of a series of "recommended standards" and not "minimum", just like the daily tests.
Similarly, behind closed doors is not systematic, but the body calls for "separating spectators (when they are authorized) by at least 2 meters".
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