Family members allowed to be a part of IPL 2020 as per BCCI’s SOP

There’s respite for the family members of players going into the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). As per the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP), released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), families will be allowed to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, they will also be required to follow the guidelines in the bio-secure environment.

The world’s largest cricket board, in it’s 16-page SOP document for the upcoming domestic season, gave an overview of the health and safety protocols, bearing in mind the situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The IPL was scheduled to start on March 29, but it had to be postponed for an indefinite time period due to the grave global situation all across the world.

India is currently third in the list of coronavirus positive cases after Brazil and the United States of America (USA). Hence, the IPL had to be taken out of the country. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah will play hosts to the 53-day tournament. The final of the event will be played on November 10.

As far as the SOP is concerned, it has clarified that team owners, families of players, support staff and Dope Control Testing Officers will be allowed in the bio-secure environment along with match officials, team doctors and the players.

Here are the guidelines that the families will have to follow in the bio-secure environment for IPL 2020: –  

• Testing protocols.
• Social distancing protocols with other players, other families and team support staff.
• Wear a facemask while interacting with other players, other families and team support staff.
• Hand hygiene.
• Respiratory etiquettes.
• Not permitted to meet anyone outside the Bio-Secure Environment.
• Sharing of food & drinks to be avoided.
• Families are not permitted to travel on the same vehicle carrying players and team support staff to the venues for training and matches.
• Families are not permitted to enter the Players and Match Official Area and field of play at any time during training and matches.
• Any family member who breaches the Bio-Secure protocols will have to quarantine for 7 days and return two negative PCR tests on Day 6 and Day 7, to be allowed to re-enter the Bio-Secure Environment.