Ready to play in-person with another person across the table?
Then you will soon be able to do that if you live in Australia and New Zealand. Pokemon players can start attending Pokemon League and Prerelease tournaments on March 6th, 2021. Though, you will only be able to attend if you live in Australia and New Zealand.
It is well known that both countries have had strict COVID restrictions in place. It is due to these restrictions that COVID has pretty much went down drastically. This gives hope to other places around the world that Play! Pokemon events could return if requirements are met.
Pokemon has said that they will continue to monitor the global pandemic situation around the world and in Australia and New Zealand. Though, until things involve, Play! Pokemon events in places outside of Australia and New Zealand are to still be suspended.
Restrictions
In order to keep players, tournament organizers and store employees safe, Play! Pokemon will enact restrictions for events in Australia and New Zealand. Below are the measures that Play! Pokemon will require.
Responsibilities
- Fully understand all applicable local ordinances and laws pertaining to COVID-19.
- Regularly and thoroughly document compliance to the requirements below, as well as future updates.
- Retain that documentation for no less than 3 months.
- Promptly provide that documentation to TPCi at our request.
Play! Pokemon COVID Requirements
- Signs must be posted at each public entrance in clear view of your clientele. These signs must:
- Advise individuals of the most recent known COVID-19 symptoms.
- Ask symptomatic individuals to not enter the venue.
- All present (players, audience, and staff) are to wear appropriate face coverings at all times.
- No eating or drinking inside the venue is allowed during the event for players and staff, unless there is a clearly separated food service space operated in strict accordance with local health regulations and ordinances. In that case, eating or drinking inside the venue is permissible; however, it must remain clearly separated from the event.
- Players are required to sanitize their hands after switching opponents, and to forgo the traditional pregame handshake. We strongly recommend that the venue make hand sanitizer available for their players.
- Each match is to be at least 6 feet (1.82 m) apart from other matches, spectators, or other places where people may congregate.
- A separate area is to be designated for spectators that also adheres to local ordinances regarding social distancing.
- Events are to restrict registration and participation to a maximum of 30 players at any one time. This is true even if more players could otherwise be accommodated while meeting all other requirements listed above in terms of spacing.
The limit of players at an event is maybe one of the new requirements to be enforced at an event. Though, it is obvious that this is going to be put into place to help prevent the spread of COVID while giving shops room for six feet apart between players.
More details and an FAQ can be found by clicking here.
Other Updates
A brand new Event Locator has been implemented by Pokemon. This Event Event Locator will only show events in Australia and New Zealand. You can check out the new Event Locator by clicking here.
Lastly, The new Pokemon tournament program has been launched. This new program called is called Pokémon Event Manager (PEM) and will help TOs with creating and tracking tournaments. PEM is only available in English for now. Currently PEM is in testing phases for those in Australia and New Zealand. It is expected that as soon as the competitive season is resumed that PEM will be the used for all future tournaments. As of now, Tournament Operations Manager (TOM) will be used for Team Challenge.
Hopefully soon COVID will be a thing of the past and players around the world can celebrate and battle together. Until then, please stay safe and healthy.
Source: Pokemon