Corona Virus / Covid-19 guidance for BJJ practitioners

OFFICIAL STATEMENT from the United Kingdom Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Association (UKBJJA) on the Corona Virus / Covid-19 epidemic. This will be regularly updated as the situation develops.

LATEST UPDATE: 14 March 2020

The UKBJJA is currently following guidance from the NHS and UK Government with regards to the Corona Virus / Covid-19 outbreak. With BJJ being such a close contact sport, it is inevitable that people will be concerned. We recognise that the situation is fluid and will update our advice in line with government and NHS advice.

Our current position is that there is no official requirement to curtail BJJ activity. However, it now looks likely that large public gatherings will be banned in the near future and tournaments are likely to be affected by any ban. We now also recommend that coaches consider a temporary closure of their gyms/academies, if they are able to.

We recognise that for many people BJJ is their livelihood and we will be doing whatever we can to provide members with resources that may help them get through the outbreak. More news will be provided as we get it.

If athletes, coaches, parents and other stakeholders continue to train or attend BJJ events, please take all reasonable precautions to minimise the risk of infection.

Here are things that you should do to help:

1. DO NOT TRAIN IF YOU ARE FEELING UNWELL or showing cold or flu like symptoms, stay away for at least 14 days
2. DO NOT TRAIN with open cuts, skin abrasions or skin infections
3. MAKE SURE ALL YOUR TRAINING KIT is thoroughly washed before and after every session (gis & belts, rashguards & shorts, gumshields and any proteective wear)
4. WASH YOUR HANDS (and the rest of you!) thoroughly with soap and water before and after training. Hand sanitiser may be used in an emergency but is not a substitute for washing.
5. Alert your coach / gym owner if you become symptomatic
6. Do not be afraid to tell training partners not to train if you believe they might be at risk
7. If you have recently travelled from any high-risk area (including Italy, Iran or Hubei Province, China) you should NOT train for at least 14 days 
8. If you develop symptoms or believe you may have come into contact with Covid-19, CALL 111 FOR ADVICE.

PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES FOR UP TO DATE ADVICE:

Government guidelines: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

Public Health England - https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/01/23/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/

NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

For gym owners / coaches, we recommend following government advice and guidelines for educational settings, which can be found HERE, along with is a useful fact sheet / poster that can be printed off and displayed in your academy.

TOURNAMENTS / RANKING TOURNAMENTS

PLEASE NOTE: THE SPRING UNIVERSITY LEAGUE WILL NOT BE GOING AHEAD.

Ranking Tournaments will be run at the discretion of the individual tournament organisers - please check with them directly before registering. Please note that we will not award ranking points for any tournament that goes ahead against official government guidelines.

WHAT IF MY GYM CLOSES - WHAT WILL I DO?

First of all, please keep paying your gym membership - many instructors operate on a shoestring and put everything they have into running an academy. For many it is their livelihood. So if you want somewhere to train when the epidemic is over, you need to support your local gym.

Online learning - no it's not a substitute for rolling, but it might be a good way for you to continue your BJJ if your club closes down and can be a good way to stay in touch with your coaches and teammates. For a short time, you may need to get your BJJ lessons via Skype or become one of those YouTube warriors!

Podcasts - there are tons of great jiu jitsu podcasts out there, including the very latest from UNSTOPPABLE GIRL! Created by the UKBJJA's Women's Committee, this is a great listen for anybody interested in women's jiu jitsu. Listen now on Spotify!

Support for member clubs

We will be taking advice on whether any support can be offered to clubs that have to close due to Covid-19 will be and monitoring government and Sport England announcements.

UKBJJA member club Kernow BJJ has launched a Facebook page, BJJ - Viral Support Network (BJJ–VSN) announcing a global BJJ support initiative which will start in around 2 weeks’ time.

The BJJ–VSN aims to support our clubs who close and members who do not have somewhere to train during the COVID-19 outbreak. They will provide professional and insured advice to club owners about the outbreak, as well as training resources such as brand new video tutorials from coaches worldwide and live streamed lessons through the week. Please check it out and get involved.