new delhi australia will not allow the use of saliva or sweat to shine the ball once cricket training resumes in the post covid19 world says a framework released by the federal government regarding the staged return of sports amid the pandemicthere is speculation that use of saliva to shine the ball will be stopped to cut down the risk of the highly contagious infection with reports suggesting that the icc is considering the possibility of allowing the use of artificial substances to polish the red ball under the supervision of umpiresaccording to espncricinfo australian institute of sport ais in consultation with medical experts sporting bodies and federal and state governments has come up with guidelines restricting the use of saliva and sweat to shine the ballthe framework which outlines a staged return to play has three stages level a level b and level ccurrently restrictions on sport are outlined as being at level a which restricts all training except that of the individual kindbut in little more than a week from now restrictions will be moved to level b which will allow the following nets batters facing bowlers limit bowlers per net fielding sessions unrestricted no warm up drills involving unnecessary personperson contact no shining cricket ball with sweatsaliva during trainingthe third and final level c to be permitted later in the year is outlined as full training and competition no ball shining with sweatsaliva in trainingthe framework also provides guidelines for training and management of illness in elite sportsthe approach to training should focus on get in train get out minimising unnecessary contact in change rooms bathrooms and communal areas prior to resumption sporting organisations should have agreed protocols in place for management of illness in athletes and other personnel it saidindividuals should not return to sport if in the last 14 days they have been unwell or had contact with a known or suspected case of covid19any individual with respiratory symptoms even if mild should be considered a potential case and must immediately selfisolate have covid19 excluded and be medically cleared by a doctor to return to the training environmentathletes returning to sport after covid19 infection require special consideration prior to resumption of high intensity physical activity