The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), the governing body for the sport in the Emirates, has announced the resumption of training for adult athletes at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena, in Abu Dhabi, coinciding with the UAE Flag Day.
In line with the highest health and safety standards as part of Abu Dhabi’s collaborative and coordinated response to COVID-19, the first week of training is restricted to adult members of jiu-jitsu clubs, after which it will be open to all jiu-jitsu practitioners in the adult category.
The resumption of the training is the result of close collaboration between the UAEJJF, Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Committee for the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA).
H.E. Youssef Al Batran, UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation Board Member, welcomed the resumption with the implementation of health and safety protocols for athletes, coaches and all the participants.
“With the resumption of training in a safe and secure environment, participants have a great opportunity to work hand in hand with officials on their technical ability and share in the responsibility of adhering to the precautionary measures,” he said.
In line with its efforts to continue challenging athletes, the UAEJJF is hosting the Jiu-Jitsu Refresher Championship in conjunction with the UAE’s Commemoration Day on November 27.
“The UAEJJF is always seeking to find means to help jiu-jitsu athletes stay fit and remain in competition condition. The tournament will play a great role in assessing the players’ levels and their readiness for the upcoming events.” added Al Batran.
The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation will apply a multi-stage plan for the resumption of training, including regular sterilising of all public areas, especially playing surfaces and points of contact, and the implementation of social distancing at all times, as well as regulating entry and exit to and from training. Moreover, all dressing rooms will be closed, while face masks will be mandatory. A sterilisation station and thermal temperature scanner will be in place at the entrance to the training centre.
All players, coaches and teams participating involved in the training will undergo an PCR test 48 hours before the start of the training sessions. Training will not start before the negative test results issued, and athletes will be tested every two weeks. All participants are required to download the Alhosn UAE App and take their body temperature at home before a training session.
Trainers are also obligated to set schedules that allow time to sterilise all mats between sessions. Attendees should register in advance in addition to avoiding rapid weight loss plans that can negatively affect the immune system. The guidelines urge coaches to prioritise individual exercises as much as possible and recommend pairing athletes from the same family or those who they have been in contact with outside the training centre for joint training sessions. Partners can only be switched after receiving negative results from a bi-weekly PCR test.
