© ffgolf

Pascal Grizot, president of the ffgolf: " We wanted to draw the attention of the Executive once again to the need to leave the possibility for our fellow citizens to practice these activities which occupy such an important place in their lives, even in the event of a new confinement. We believe that being able to continue golfing, like other outdoor activities, is a solution in these difficult times, not a problem. It seems to us that this is an excellent way to fight against psycho-social risks, to which French people of all ages are plagued. This perception is reinforced by the fact that the practice of our outdoor sports does not entail an increased risk of contamination. I would like to warmly thank my counterparts, Presidents of outdoor activities federations, as well as Denis Masseglia, President of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee for joining and supporting our approach. »

Copy of the letter to the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron

Monsieur le Président de la République,

Since the start of the health crisis, the national sports and nature recreation federations, signatories of this letter, have worked to ensure that our 5 million licensees and members strictly comply with health recommendations and all barrier gestures in their daily practices.

Thanks to the mobilization of our federations, we were able to demonstrate that our individual outdoor activities were compatible with the most restrictive measures, especially during the two phases of deconfinement that we have experienced since March.

You trusted us by allowing the resumption of our activities, from the first relief measures because our professionals as our volunteers have all the qualifications required to guarantee the safety of all. Our structures and our clubs have demonstrated by example their capacity to individually enforce strict health protocols, in kind as in establishments open to the public.

The values ​​of solidarity, responsibility and respect for the rules, at the basis of our disciplines, have certainly contributed to making these phases of recovery a real success.

The physical distancing inherent in our outdoor practices has also made it possible to limit social interactions which can be sources of contamination. Moreover, it should be noted that health professionals and in particular the High Council of Public Health, recommend maintaining physical activity including and especially during a period of confinement while insisting on the very low risk of contamination by the virus. in these individual outdoor activities.

We were pleased to note that the implementation of deconfinement measures carried out by our federations, our clubs and practitioners, licensed or not, did not lead to the appearance of clusters.

Today, you have the heavy responsibility of deciding on possible new containment measures to best fight the pandemic which still threatens us. We are aware that the choices you have to make are incredibly difficult and must reconcile contradictory imperatives, between health emergency, economic emergency and the increasingly strong expectation of the freedom hoped for by our fellow citizens.

In this anxiety-provoking context, we have the firm conviction that our sports and natural leisure activities constitute an asset and a particularly effective solution to allow our fellow citizens to find the strength and energy to overcome this painful period which could have serious physical consequences. and psychic for some of us.

We are also certain that maintaining these activities during a period of confinement is a measure of fairness towards all French people, who can regain physical and mental balance by having access to forests, countryside, rivers and plans of water or dynamic beaches, whatever their age and place of residence, in town or in rural areas.

Mr. President, if you make the difficult choice of new confinement, our federations are ready to be on the front line to guarantee a framework adapted to the health measures that you decide.

In this context, we hope that you will validate the practice of outdoor sports and leisure activities within the limit of half a day and 50 km, subject to a specific protocol for each activity supervised by the federations, taking into account one of them counts the management of the welfare of equines and for another the missions of general interest for the control of agricultural damage.

To conclude, we would like to confirm to you that despite successive confinements, the associations, commercial entities and clubs of our sport and nature leisure activities, which form a formidable network in our rural territories, have managed to cope with very few closures to deplore to date. Of course, this satisfactory situation is due to the exceptional measures of economic support which you have decided and which you still assume today with determination.

This is what allows the maintenance of our 5 million licensees, several thousand jobs and a dynamic activity in rural areas which represents more than 10 billion euros in annual turnover.

In a world disrupted in its certainties by the Covid 19 crisis, millions of sports and outdoor recreation enthusiasts hope that you will be able to give them this modest space of daily freedom, so as not to leave their horizon reduced to remote work and to online commerce.

While thanking you for listening to you since March, we are at your disposal to provide you with all the additional information to make our contribution to the place which is ours.

Please accept, Mr. President of the Republic, the expression of our highest consideration.

—————————————————————

The signatories of this letter:

Pascal Grizot, President of the French Golf Federation

Willy Schraen, President of the National Federation of Hunters

Serge Lecomte, President of the French Equestrian Federation

Nicolas Henard, President of the French Sailing Federation

Claude Roustan, President of the National Fishing Federation in France

See the previous article on this topic

Containment phase 2: Message from Jean-Lou Charon President of the ffgolf