“Aware that the times we live in are of lockdown and withdrawal, for the sake of public health in our country, the recovery will have to happen. Thus, it is necessary to start developing strategies so that the resumption of sports practice can occur as soon as possible, and within the parameters of safety required in the context of the control of the Covid-19 pandemic ”, Miguel Franco de Sousa said in the letter.

Despite underlining the agreement with the “necessary drastic measures - given the alarming numbers of infected people, deaths and patients in intensive care -”, the leader argues that it is important to be “aware that the impact of the inhibition of sports practice by the general population, and young people in particular, will certainly have serious consequences for physical and mental health in the medium and long term.”

In addition to highlighting that “golf is an individual sport, practiced outdoors, and whose technical requirements require social distance, there is no sharing of any equipment necessary for its practice, therefore, there is no risk of contagion”, Franco de Sousa also added that the federation did not register “any positive cases” of coronavirus, between May 2020 and January 2021, both in official competitions, as well as in national clubs and golf courses. “We therefore call for the reopening of golf practice, taking into account that it is a highly safe sport whose practice does not involve any risk of contagion of the virus “. TPN/Lusa