Dear Kendo Bu Members
I hope you are keeping safe and well…

Contact combat sports changes from the 19th of July:

Contact combat sport activities can now resume full contact training and competition for adults and children indoors and outdoors…

The BKA will continue to maintain COVID-specific guidance for our members and other interested bodies on how to participate safely in each of our association’s areas of interest (Kendo, Iaido and Jodo).
This will remain accessible, relevant and be frequently reviewed and updated as required to ensure that coaches and participants are clear on best practice.

We will endeavour to provide guidance on measures to reduce risk e.g.

• The wearing and use of PPE.
• Advice on the number of participants involved in full contact and other types of activity.
• Advice on the number of groups members encounter when training.
• Use of Kiai (shouting) during training

Given the current level of infections members may wish to take a cautious approach and this would be prudent. In any case it is essential that all clubs/groups update their administrative details including dojo details, coach insurances and membership status for all members. In addition, they should be careful to follow facility guidance and rules in terms of behaviour of attendees, capacity and any other local requirements or guidance.

There are different ways that members could choose to participate to manage their level of risk. To this end clubs/groups may wish to structure their activities in some of the following ways:

• Training individually having no interaction with others other than those from their own household or chosen group.
• Non-contact individual training with no close interaction with others e.g., Suburi in lines at a socially spaced distance and uchikomi with a platform or dummy.
• Paired training that avoids or limits the use of shouting (Kiai), close contact (Tsubazeriai), or extended periods of ji geiko
• Technical (paired) training with others in a tightly managed way. e.g., Kiri Kaeshi, Kihon, Uchikomi, Kata, Hikitate-geiko (managed by a Motodachi/coach).
• Contact training: contact training which includes some direct physical contact between participants. e.g., Kakari-geiko, Gi-geiko
• Full contact/Competition. e.g., Shido-geiko, Shiai-geiko, Shiai/Taikai.

It is the role of coaches/leaders to consult with their members and design training programs/regimes that will ensure unsafe contact/conduct does not occur. Clubs/groups may choose to keep the use of PPE mandatory (mask wearing) or ask members to carry out lateral flow tests on the day of practice (available free in England from https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests ). They may decide to maintain their distance whilst in their venue or continue to follow the rule of 6. It remains each dojo leaders’/coach’s responsibility to manage training procedures according to the latest Bu guidance and their member’s levels of comfort. For assistance in this regard refer to association guidelines or contact the Bu team for further clarification.
Be aware that there is an FAQ section on COVID 19 related restrictions in the Members’ Document Library including detailed guidelines and advice on the specific rules and limitations in all 4 nations of the UK.
The Kendo Bu asks that all groups and members continue to comply with national and local regulations and guidelines so as not to break the law or violate our insurance policy commitments.

Gary O’Donnell Kyoshi Nanadan – BUCHO, Young Park Sensei – GRADING, Ben Emberley – EVENTS, Malcolm Smalley – KENDO DRC, Stephen Martin – Communications