The NSW COVID-19 outbreak is creating a headache for Canberra's top sporting competitions by forcing teams to make a decision themselves, as health advice urges Canberrans not to leave the ACT for non-essential reasons.
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ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith on Friday urged Canberrans not to travel into regional NSW for non-essential reasons. However, with no restrictions in place to stop travel to unaffected NSW areas, sporting sides have been forced to make their own calls.
Gungahlin United travelled to play Wagga City Wanderers in their NPLW soccer fixture, whereas Tuggeranong United and Cooma Tigers postponed their NPL and NPLY fixtures in Cooma based on the minister's advice.
"This decision has not been made lightly," a post on Tuggeranong United's Facebook page said.
"[It] was made in line with the latest ACT Health advice to avoid interstate travel and with the high likelihood restrictions and quarantine/stay-at-home may be imposed retrospectively."
In rugby union, the John I Dent Cup fixtures involving Queanbeyan also went ahead, alongside fixtures in the Premiers 15s involving Goulburn.
Due to the draw, NSW sides in the Canberra Raiders Cup only faced each other in round 15. However, next week ACT rugby league sides are due to face their NSW counterparts Yass, Queanbeyan and Goulburn.
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A Capital Football spokesperson said they continued to monitor the situation as it unfolded.
"[We are] in regular contact with ACT Health in regards to teams travelling to regional areas of NSW," they said.
"The advice given is that teams can still travel, as the places our teams travel to play in are not areas of concern."
Hockey was also not exempt, with a Goulburn team in both the men's and women's top competition, and a men's Albury side potentially creating logistical issues at the tail end of their season.
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
