Unlock 4: Sports gatherings of up to 100 people to be allowed from September 21

Gatherings can only be held with the mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer.

In this picture taken in April, 2019, fans cheer during the IPL 2019 contest at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Sports gatherings have been banned since March. - K. MURALI KUMAR

The Indian Home Ministry on Saturday decided to allow sports gatherings of up to 100 people with effect from September 21 in its Unlock-4 guidelines.

In the new set of guidelines, the ministry lifted the total ban on sports activities, which was earlier put in place till August 31. “Social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, political functions and other congregations will be permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, with effect from September 21,” the ministry said.

Precautions

However, such limited gatherings can only be held with the mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer, the guidelines said.

Sporting activities in the country came to a grinding halt in March due to the coronavirus outbreak. The IPL was also shifted to the UAE in view of the rising cases of coronavirus in the country.