COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) Updates and Recommendations for WFTDA Leagues

WFTDA Publishes Updated COVID-19 Guidelines

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided unique and pressing challenges for WFTDA roller derby and our 2020 season. When the WFTDA created our WFTDA COVID-19 Guidelines to Return to Roller Derby in spring of 2020, we knew that our plan would need to be flexible and improved over time with community use and feedback. From our member feedback and questions, we have developed new updates, and are able to provide recommendations from our upcoming Audience Guidelines in September 2020.

COVID-19 Plan Updates

As we have seen cases of COVID-19 ebb and flow in recent weeks, WFTDA roller derby is adding additional context and clarification to help our community stay as healthy and engaged as possible.

Today, we are adding clarifications and updates to our plan, including:

  • Addressing Sharp Increases in Infection Rates:
    • Stepping Off the Ladder: In the current iteration of the Guidelines, members are asked to stay at the current Tier if infections climb over a 7-day window. Due to dangerous spikes in COVID-19 infections in a variety of global locations, the WFTDA would like to add a clarification. If after 7 days the average number of new active cases continues to rise, or if at any time your percentage of positive cases goes above 5% of total daily tests, you should return to Baseline Conditions. 
  • Pre-Baseline Recommendation for League Activities: 
    • Outdoor Guidelines: Many of our members have asked about how they can execute non-contact activities in a socially-distanced, outdoor environment during the COVID-19 pandemic before your league meets Baseline Conditions. WFTDA’s updates provide general guidelines around how to exercise in an open-air environment.
    • Indoor Activities: Baseline Conditions help us to give members an understanding of infection rates that might be conducive to socially-distanced interaction, and we recommend not attempting group indoor activities until your location has met Baseline Conditions.

COVID-19 Ladder and WFTDA Member Requirements

Although WFTDA league activity is voluntary—as in, the WFTDA is not requiring members to return to play or practice at this time—entering league information in the MemberPortal will now be required of all member leagues. We ask that all WFTDA member organizations commit to entering their league’s information in the Portal, beginning with “Baseline Conditions Not Met,” to ensure that our members are complying with our Guidelines. Failure to enter information may result in inability to receive rankings and sanctioning in 2021, loss of WFTDA insurance, and/or loss of WFTDA membership.

Audience Recommendations

The WFTDA has been cautiously optimistic about the ability for members in certain areas of the world to begin the return to roller derby game play. Organizations following the WFTDA Guidelines should note that small live audiences may be possible only beginning at Tier Five on the return ladder.

Our upcoming Audience Guidelines can assist members who are in a position to level up to Tier Five in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, leagues who might be close should consider our Tier Five Recommendations.

All Updates to the WFTDA COVID-19 Guidelines to Return to Roller Derby and links to download the new file can be found on our COVID-19 Updates and Recommendations page.

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