Further to the communication from Phumelela, Nelson Mandela Bay Racing and Cape Racing that was shared with stakeholders and spectators on Wednesday regarding on-course vacination requirements, further clarification is continued in a media release on 12 November 2021.
With covid restrictions being lifted race tracks and associated buildings are classified as sports stadiums, and as such anyone in those spaces is classified as a spectator.
Horseracing is purely strictly complying with a government directive with regards to spectators as it falls under the new government legislation specific to sports and events, which requires us to submit planning in order to get the required event licencing for all meetings
According to government gazette no one is permitted to sport (and sports stadiums) without being fully vaccinated
By adopting the given legal requirements the sport will be in a position to open up to larger crowds of people within a shorter time period, based on government opening up legal numbers on course. Should we not abide by their rulings, we will be forced to race with completely empty stadiums moving forward
All of the above is being done to ensure that commercial elements and targets required can be achieved, thereby ensuring the sustainability of the sport of thoroughbred racing in an extremely challenging economic environment.
Vee Moodley, NHRA CEO commented,” The NHRA were instrumental in the resumption and continuation of the sport of horse racing “ behind closed doors” during hard lockdown under its certificate in terms of Section 8(7)(a)(I) of the Animal Improvement Act,1998 (act 62 of 1998) and as a Breeder’s Society (Registration No.62/98/B-56) dated 01 March 2004.
Vee Moodley
With the world opening up, and the government releasing gazetted legislation around sports stadiums and events, we now need to fall in line with the procedures that all the other sporting codes are abiding by. The NHRA is in full support of the operators who are following the gazetted directives and the required compliance of all people attending racing being vaccinated.”
The Operators would like to thank all stakeholders for their continued support as we navigate our way through these unchartered waters.
We will be sure to communicate as often as possible to keep you abreast with any changes and systems that we are working on to improve processes.
Know that the operators are following these new gazetted procedures and processes to ensure a long term prosperous future for horseracing.
- Should anyone have any questions or queries, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]
