Frustrated residents have reported that Richmond Council is blocking the playing of organised sport at council facilities despite this being allowed by the change in the Covid regulations. Unlike thousands of other venues, Richmond have decided to read the regulation as requiring *every* team to be affiliated to a governing body.

This is clearly not the intention of the rules as so many venues have opened in a Covid safe way for the benefit of the millions who play football, rugby, hockey and other outdoor team sports.

To add insult to injury the council are spending money promoting a “Healthier Borough” and asking that people play sport!

Come on Richmond, can the left hand let the right hand know what’s going on and please open these facilities.

"For a Healthy Borough" .... just not if you want to play a team sport at a council facility

Update 22nd April 2021: Yep, still blocking. We have now been contacted by residents in the borough who have raised this with multiple councillors and all they are getting back is "regulatory services say no". There seems to be no effort to review the regulations and to understand why thousands of grounds across the country are open. We will keep pressing.