USC will restrict access to its sport and fitness facilities from midnight Sunday 22 March.

USC Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Elliot said the University’s stadium, aquatic facilities and gymnasiums would be off-limits to students, staff, sporting clubs and teams, and community members – with only a few exemptions (see below).

“This restricted access is necessary for USC to stay in line with recommendations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “This decision has not been made lightly, given how widely used our sports facilities are used by the community.

“It will be for a limited time, hopefully, and will be reviewed at the end of April. All gym and pool memberships will be paused throughout this period.”

Professor Elliot said use of the University’s sports fields and athletics track that has been pre-approved by USC Sport will be allowed to continue.

Exemptions to the restricted use of the stadium, aquatic facilities and gymnasiums apply only to:

• USC research and teaching activities;
• USC Sport and Exercise Science student placements that are already underway;
• USC’s three high-performance sports teams – USC Spartans Swimming team, Sunshine Coast Lightning; Pro Racing Sunshine Coast (Australian Cycling Academy).
• A limited number of High Performance Student Athlete program participants, who have existing arrangements in place with USC Sport.