'Managed environment' in place for Women's World Cup, no strict bubbles or daily Covid tests

“There are some general guidelines that are required, but we’re asking players and teams to just be sensible,” says Geoff Allardice

Strict bio-bubbles and daily Covid tests have been done away with for the 2022 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, with the ICC planning to stage the tournament in a “managed environment” instead. The rules have been put in place after considering the fact that all teams and officials in the host country would have undergone Mandatory Isolation Quarantine (MIQ) upon arrival.

“There are some general guidelines that are required, but we’re asking players and teams to just be sensible, stay away from areas that are likely to create transmission. The other thing is, we found out in last few tournaments – like at the Under-19 World Cup [in the Caribbean in January-February] – is even though we had number of positive tests, the number of people displaying symptoms were very low. We want to focus on keeping people safe and healthy. It’s a bit of a change from where we may have been six months ago.”

Allardice stressed on how tough the logistics of ensuring all teams reach New Zealand – whose borders are only partially open – first and then facilitating adequate preparation time following MIQs have been.

“In November, the New Zealand government increased quarantine period to ten days, so we added extra time for teams to prepare. Then it went back to seven days. So, logistically, it has been challenging with dates and timings,” Allardice said. “They are now restrictions on number of people who can attend matches. We’re hopeful as the situation unfolds, we might be able to get a higher capacity at venues during the second half of the tournament.”

“We needed to have some contingency plans. I know they have attracted a bit of attention, but in terms of having to think these things through, how you give teams the best chance to prepare knowing what might happen, that’s the reason we came up with that protocol”

Geoff Allardice on the tweaked playing conditions

Allardice said learnings from staging the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe last November, and the men’s Under-19 World Cup this year, had been taken into consideration while formulating regulations for this tournament.

“I hope it doesn’t apply,” he said. “It was something we had to do over the last few months since the Omicron outbreak. In almost all of our tournaments, we have been challenged with number of players being unavailable due to isolation for positive Covid tests. We had quite a close call in the West Indies with the men’s Under-19 World Cup, where a number of teams had outbreaks.

“We needed to have some contingency plans. I know they have attracted a bit of attention, but in terms of having to think these things through, how you give teams the best chance to prepare knowing what might happen, that’s the reason we came up with that protocol. The bottom line is, we want 11 vs 11. We have squads of 15, all teams are travelling with reserve players as a contingency.