Today at 1 pm, Ontario University Athletics (OUA), under the direction of its Board of Directors, announced the cancellation of all OUA-sanctioned sport programming and championships up to December 31st, 2020. This conclusion was based on provincial public health guidelines and with the health and well-being of all OUA participants at the forefront. The full OUA announcement can be found at on their website.
"Unprecedented times require unprecedented action, which is what led us to this difficult decision." said Dr. Mike DeGangé, Chair of the OUA Board of Directors. "The health of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, officials, and fans is our number one priority, and after significant consultation, we believe that OUA sport cannot be delivered prior to December 31st."
"I want to thank the Board of Directors and everyone who has been part of these important conversations. While this has been a challenging course of action for all involved, the health and safety of our student-athletes and all participants remain paramount. Even though we will not have the opportunity to celebrate our student-athletes on the field during the 1st Term, they remain at the heart of what our organization is about and we will continue to work toward achieving a safe return to play when the time is right to do so." added Gord Grace, OUA President & CEO.
While no decision has been made beyond the Fall Term timeframe, the OUA “remains hopeful that we can provide quality experiences for our student-athletes starting in the new year and will be closely monitoring the ongoing health considerations and viability for these future opportunities over the coming month” said Grace.
Canada West (CW) and the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) have also announced similar decisions. U SPORTS announced the cancellation of all Fall Championships at 1 pm today (full release on their website).
Tom Warden, Lakehead Thunderwolves Athletic Director, issued the below letter to the Lakehead Athletics Community including Student Athletes, Coaches, and Staff.
The OUA has published an FAQ page in regards to the cancellation at this link. Any questions regarding this release can be emailed to spinfo@lakeheadu.ca.
