Canberra sports administrators are setting their own timelines for seasons to be abandoned, and others are being forced to cancel the southern hemisphere's biggest junior soccer tournament, after being left in Covid limbo on Friday.
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The 2021 Kanga Cup was cancelled on Friday, as it was deemed "impossible" to run the event with Delta-imposed restrictions continuing around Australia.
The Cup was due to get underway in early July, before it was pushed back to late September. However, a decision was made on Friday to cancel the tournament all together.
It came after ACT's sporting codes were asked to hold on for at least another week for answers, as ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr casted doubt over the viability of seasons returning soon by declaring he would not make "grandiose promises" about a return-to-play plan.
"It's difficult to speculate on that at the moment, we'll provide a further update by midweek next week ... based on what the situation is at that point. The more days that we have no one infectious in the community and no mystery cases, the closer we are to the resumption of things like community sport," he said.
"I wish I could [provide hope], but I cannot foresee what will come next. We can't be certain, so I'm not in the business of making grandiose promises that I can not possibly deliver. I have been real, frank and honest throughout ... and I intend to continue that approach, so no false promises from me."
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The capital's sporting codes must await a decision by the ACT Government next week and grapple with an extension to lockdown in regional NSW.
One code, ACT Hockey, was done waiting and released a number of deadlines on Friday, including competitions must be finished by October 10.
HACT chief executive officer Rob Sheekey said the season would be deemed complete if training could not recommence by September 27.
"If finals are unable to be conducted the season will be deemed finalised. At this time, teams that are in first place on the ladder will be declared the Premiers," he said.
"If all teams in the grade have played the same number of matches this will be determined by competition points. If teams have not played the same number of games this will be determined by percentage points. The competition will only resume if NSW residents in the areas within the ACT bubble are able to play."
AFL Canberra have set a similar premise, and will not go ahead with their competitions if regional NSW teams can not participate in finals.
"It was agreed that we would be in a better position mid next week, following an announcement from the ACT government of what community sport restrictions will be in place following a lift of lockdown," a spokesperson said.
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.
