National bowls competitions currently being held in Central Otago came under scrutiny this week as COVID-19 Alert Level 2 restrictions came into force, with at least one complaint made to Police. 

One local contacted The Central App to say he had made a complaint against the tournament. 

He claims on Sunday, the bowls competition in Alexandra had over 250 people, despite current restrictions set at no gatherings over 100. 

Under Alert Level 2, there can be no more than 100 people at social gatherings, including weddings, birthdays, funerals and tangihanga.

Bowls New Zealand CEO Mark Cameron says the competitions are being run according to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 restrictions. 

“(I) confirm that we are operating within guidelines,” Mark says. 

“To the best of my knowledge no Police have been called - certainly no one has contacted Bowls NZ from the Police on this matter. 

“Also, I can assure you that the bowls played on Sunday at Alexandra Bowling Club was a closed event (players and officials only) and limited to a maximum of 80 persons.” 

The concerned local, who declined to be named, told The Central App, that “on Sunday the Alexandra Bowls Club hosted the Nationals which created a gathering of mainly senior citizens of around 250”. 

“This was illegal and the police were informed,” he says. 

“It seems like this gathering was exempt from the government rules. 

“It remains questionable as to what the local police will do, and I have told them that HQ in Wellington will be informed if the Police here don’t act on this infringement of the rules.”

He says he also informed other media. 

"I told the police on Monday,” he explains. “I said that all the surrounding areas, that is the Squash car park, grass verges, part of swimming pool car park and ice rink carpark  full of vehicles. 

"A conservative estimate of cars, including those that filled the bowling club, would possibly be 100-120. 

“If every car only had one occupant, I find it incredulous that the total number of people was under 100. 

"I said to the police, could they please deal with this, as it appears there are many more than the Max allowed at Level 2, and if they didn’t do anything about it, then I would contact HQ in Wellington, as I have the contacts there. 

"Assuming the bowling club were following level 2 protocols, they should have either a list of people present and/or tracer app registered. 

"My concern is that people from all over the country, that is North Island and South, have been here, and social distancing would have been nigh on ‘impossible’." 

Central Otago Police  Senior Sergeant Clinton Wright says he “would be disappointed if we were made aware of something like this that we didn’t take some action”.

“A person did come in on Monday and spoke to a staff member. 

“I thought this person would have advised us on Sunday when the issue may well have been happening. No point coming in after the fact. 

“The council went to the bowls place on Monday, approximately 50 persons were there, separation boards along the fields were in place and everything was in order so at that stage police did not go down.

“I can’t comment on the accuracy of this person's account as it may be incorrect."