The ACT Junior Rugby Union has cancelled its season in response to Canberra's Covid crisis.
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A statement released late on Tuesday afternoon by the league cited ACT Government guidelines and the safety and wellbeing of its participants as the decisive factors in making the decision.
Several more junior sporting cancellations are expected to follow over the next week.
Local sport in the ACT has been locked in limbo since Canberra was plunged into lockdown last Thursday. That was extended by a fortnight on Monday to September 2.
"Even if lockdown was to be lifted on 2 September, there are a number of challenges that would prevent a finals series to be completed, such as the subsequent time available to prepare," ACTJRU president Martin Sullivan said in the statement.
"It is a most unfortunate situation that the players, coaches and families will miss the opportunity to complete the end of the rugby season in the traditional way, but the health and safety of our community is paramount."
Canberra's sporting coalition met via Zoom on Tuesday afternoon for a lengthy discussion on the immediate future of competitions in the capital.
The ACT's Coalition of Major Participation Sports [COMPS] will not yet follow the lead of the ACTJRU in cancelling leagues, but said the health and safety of participants in the Territory would be prioritised.
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Several senior sporting leagues across NSW have already been cancelled in response to that state's worsening Covid situation.
Local sport in Canberra is closely bound to the fate of regional NSW, with most competitions involving teams from across the border.
"COMPS recognises that the circumstances of the current lockdown restrictions do vary from those experienced in 2020 - including the time of year, the greater transmissibility of the Delta variant, the increased possibilities of spread into the sporting community, the effect on younger age groups, and the number of public exposure sites," chairman Kim Kachel said in a statement.
"The sporting organisations of COMPS are mindful of the impact of the lockdown on the sporting community and will need to be responsive to the Government's public health measures.
"COMPS members are currently working together in sharing experiences and knowledge in dealing with the current situation and the need for lockdown. COMPS will engage with the ACT Government to implement the best responses."
Another lockdown extension in Canberra would likely be the death knell of several local leagues. Extending the winter seasons post lockdown would be one possibility, as was done after the 2020 sporting shutout, but the knock-on effect of that would be another delayed cricketing summer.
Meanwhile, the Canberra Racing Club has informed ACT Health it needs a decision on the exemptions sought for regional NSW jockeys by midday on Wednesday, or it will be forced to cancel Friday's meeting.
The club requires at least four more jockeys to ride alongside its six available Canberra hoops to be able to conduct the meeting, its last on the synthetic Acton track before racing returns to the course proper.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
