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All indoor sport halls to close on Sunday after COVID-19 case found amid large badminton group

Jurong East Indoor Sports Hall, with its badminton courts separated by meshes for safe distancing. (PHOTO: Chia Han Keong/Yahoo News Singapore)
Jurong East Indoor Sport Hall, with its badminton courts separated by meshes for safe distancing. (PHOTO: Chia Han Keong/Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE — Sport Singapore (SportSG) will close all ActiveSG indoor sport halls on Sunday (28 June), after it was alerted to a positive COVID-19 case who played badminton at the Jurong East Indoor Sport Hall on Monday.

In a media release on Saturday (27 June), the sports governing body of Singapore also said that the Jurong East Indoor Sport Hall is closed on Saturday and Sunday for thorough disinfection and cleaning, and a review of its safe management measures.

To ensure that all users understand the rules and spirit of the measures, SportSG will be implementing a “time-out” by closing all ActiveSG indoor sport halls on Sunday.

“We hope that all users of our facilities will take this time to reflect on the importance of exercising individual responsibility for the collective good, so that we can overcome COVID-19, together,” it said in its media release.

Cross-mixing players across multiple courts

SportSG said that preliminary investigations found that the positive case, as well as a large badminton social group that he played with, had booked up to six badminton courts from 9am to 12pm.

During the badminton sessions, there was cross-mixing of players across multiple courts, despite the physical partitions and clear rules that badminton is restricted to four players to a court, and that mingling with players on other courts is not allowed.

SportSG will take strong action against the individual and the other players who have infringed the regulations, including barring them from the use of ActiveSG facilities henceforth.

Coloured wrist bands to be issued

In addition, SportSG will implement new measures to reinforce adherence to the rules at all its indoor sport facilities.

Coloured wrist bands will be issued and worn by players to identify different groups for each indoor badminton court.

Individuals involved with large groups, as well as those who play and mix across different courts, will have their bookings cancelled and/or ejected from the indoor sport hall. They will also be barred from the future use of ActiveSG facilities.

“It is very disappointing that some members of the public had not adhered to the rules and circumvented the measures that were put in place by SportSG,” said SportSG chief executive officer Lim Teck Yin.

“SportSG will enhance its measures and enforcement to stop such irresponsible behaviour. We hope that this ‘time-out’ helps all of us to reflect on how we should work together.

“As much as we are excited to catch up with our friends and to keep active, we must do the right thing and abide by the rules and the spirit behind them.”

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