Government gives green light for non-contact professional sport in Level 3

Non-contact professional sport will be allowed to resume in South Africa when the country moves into Level 3 of its national lockdown next month, it was confirmed on Thursday. 

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, announced that non-contact sport would take place behind closed doors. 

It is particularly good news for Cricket South Africa (CSA), with the Proteas set to host India in three T20s in August in a series that is expected to net the organisation hundreds of millions of rands. 

Rugby and soccer, meanwhile, are contact sports and are expected to remain suspended. 

Dlamini-Zuma added that Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa would provide clarity on the return to non-contact sport on Saturday. 

According to the regulations for Level 3 of the national lockdown as the fight against the coronavirus continues, any match would only include "players, match officials, journalists and medical and television crew."

Horseracing, meanwhile, is also expected to return behind closed doors on Monday.

Minister of Cooperative Governance Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has announced that non contact sport in South Africa can return behind closed doors.

— Philasande Sixaba (@psixaba) May 28, 2020