We have written to British Orienteering to seek clarification of their 2nd club rule following last week’s question and answer session on our latest guidance. Scottish Orienteering understand the challenges imposed on some clubs/members by the restrictions of travel within local authority boundaries currently in place.

Following consultation, Scottish Orienteering can confirm that as of the 5th April when the ‘Stay At Home’ guidance is removed and we move to Level 4 restrictions (assuming National guidance reflects this) then the SOA can permit essential mapping, planning and controlling activity to resume. Mappers and volunteers will be permitted to travel outwith their local authority boundary to conduct these areas of work under ‘workplace guidance’ on behalf of SOA and Scottish 6 Days. All individuals must complete a risk assessment and ensure it is approved by either Richard Oxlade or Tim O’Donoghue.

We wish to share a research request from Mairi Eades who is conducting research in the area of adults participation in orienteering and their motivations. Please take 15minutes to complete the online questionnaire.

Today SOA have published their guidance on permitted activities and events for orienteering in Scotland with immediate effect. Following the First Minister’s statement on Tuesday we are delighted to see the easing of our ‘Stay At Home’ restrictions to permit the return of organised sport. It gives us great pleasure to announce that club activities and coaching can resume for both adults and young people, within the guidelines outlined here. There is further good news that club member only events will be allowed to resume but strict adherence to local authority boundary limits for travel and participation in events must be respected. As always our clear message is to stick to the guidance published but also to always to act as ambassadors of our sport and ensure we all stick to the ethos of the guidelines as well. We welcome the opportunity to restart our sport and very much look forward to clubs re-engaging with their members in person.

We welcome yesterday’s update from Scottish Government with some optimism on the resumption of Orienteering. We await further clarification on guidance from our partners, sportscotland on permitted activities & travel restrictions which are vital to us publishing meaningful guidance to clubs and members. We promise to communicate SOA guidelines as soon as these become available.

The SOA would like to extend it’s congratulations to FVO & Masterplan Adventure’s Graham Gristwood on his appointment to the IOF Foot Orienteering Commission recently. It has fantastic to see representation on an International body from a Scottish athlete.

With International Women’s Day on the 8th March embracing the theme of challenging gender equality and highlighting bias, we have chosen to kick off our new monthly series of ‘Community Conversations’ with the first topic of Gender Equality in orienteering.

Yesterday our Chief Operating Officer, Fiona Keir, joined 34 other CEOs of Scottish Sports Governing Bodies to connect with the Minister for Public Health and Sport, Mairi Gougeon, and Chief Executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, at the virtual meeting.