ITFC Blues
SILVER
As I write this I am watching the news out of London where they have now deployed police to prevent people from getting on trains out of London now that their travel ban went into effect. Now that's a little nuts. Over here if people are so determined to go to Phoenix for 3 days and are willing to have to quarantine from work, school, and training the Police aren't going to stop them from going. Mesa is on record as saying they are allowing tournaments to continue due to concern about costing local jobs if they shut down the tournaments but they are gonna crack down hard on any violators gosh darn it.
From the Arizona Republic
Mesa will continue to allow the tournaments, but the mayor said rule enforcement would be strict.
“The time for gentle persuasion is over. We have to have strict enforcement of these rules or I think the next step is to do what we’ve been asked to do, which is shut our fields," Giles said during a City Council session on Monday.
Giles said the city had to weigh "two very legitimate and very competing interests" — that of health care providers asking city leaders to close the fields to prevent further spread of the virus and that of the hospitality industry that needs these events. Giles said “several hundred people” in the hospitality industry would lose their jobs if the city canceled tournaments.
We were told the difference is that the State went on record at a news conference ( in response to a question from a stating that the travel restrictions are a mandate and that is what CHANGED things. Up until the state changed it to a mandate they were ok with travelling. It was that change that put travel in conflict with US Club Soccer ( who says you must abide by your home territory LOCAL and STATE orders). It also put them in conflict with the local health department. It's possible some clubs were told not to worry about it when they checked with CDPH and their County Health Department so they decided to travel anyway. They may have agreed to a 10-14 day quarantine upon return.
US Club Soccer hasn't been clear ( publicly) on what their position is and they clearly aren't interested in putting out clear direction. They basically said you should check with your lawyers to see if you should travel out of state. It's basically don't ask us, check with your local governing authorities and your lawyer to see if you would be covered.
This is what is on their web site. It's clear that Surf Sports recognizes the limitations and that is why they are offering full refunds ( minus credit card fees) to clubs that withdraw due to this. By doing that, they are putting the responsibility back on to each club that attends. ( we gave them every opportunity to withdraw and they still showed up).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To assist our members, we have prepared some FAQs. Please understand that these FAQs are not intended to be legal advice or a determination by an insurance provider as to whether coverage applies in any specific situation. Given how quickly the situation is changing with COVID-19, the information contained in these FAQs is subject to change without notice. Additionally, as circumstances vary depending on where members are located and due to changing circumstances. we cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information for similar circumstances.
Q: Is US Club Soccer able to provide a definitive answer as to whether a specific activity (ex: training, games, participation in a tournament in a different state or municipality, etc.) is, or is not, compliant with the applicable local and state public health authorities?
No. Primarily, it is the role and expertise of local and state public health authorities to make this determination. Also, as a national organization, it's not possible for US Club Soccer to be knowledgeable of, or be able to monitor, the various and changing requirements of the thousands of public health authorities throughout the country. For these reasons, we recommend that member organizations seek answers directly from the applicable public health authorities (at the local and state level), and/or consult with legal counsel licensed in the member organization’s jurisdiction.
Q: For an activity that takes place in a different municipality or state than the member/member organization resides or is based, which local and state public health requirements and orders are applicable?
Members/member organizations are responsible to ensure they understand and comply with the requirements and orders of local and state public health authorities applicable to their activities. This means that a member/member organization must comply with the rules and orders of the locality(ies) and state(s): (1) in which the member/member organization resides/is based; (2) where the activity is held; and (3) through which the member may travel while the member is in that locality or state.
Q: What if the applicable local and state public health authorities have conflicting requirements/orders?
In this situation, US Club Soccer encourages members to consult with their local and state public health authorities and legal counsel.
We recognize that does not answer the specific question of whether an activity is sanctioned by US Club Soccer and therefore covered by US Club Soccer-provided insurance. However, given the unique circumstances of each claim and the particular issues that may exist between local and state authorities, our insurance provider cannot provide a blanket determination. Our understanding after discussions with US Club Soccer’s insurance provider is that the insurance provider would take into consideration whether the member/member organization acted reasonably in such a situation.
Q: How does this impact US Club Soccer-sanctioned tournaments?
When US Club Soccer approves a tournament sanctioning application, it means that the tournament complies with applicable US Club Soccer rules and policies. US Club Soccer does not review local or state public health requirements. Any US Club Soccer-sanctioned tournament remains subject to the tournament host’s compliance with applicable requirements/orders issued by local and state public health authorities. If the requirements/orders issued by public health authorities change so that the tournament cannot be held in a manner that complies with such requirements/orders, the tournament will be deemed unsanctioned even if it was previously approved by US Club Soccer. Tournament hosts are expected to become familiar with the applicable requirements/orders issued by local and state public health authorities and participating teams are responsible for their compliance with such requirements/orders.
