Soccer Nova Scotia pulls the plug on 2020 season
'Extremely difficult to play a game when you have to be six feet away from your opponent'
There will be no competitive soccer this summer across the province, Soccer Nova Scotia announced Monday night.
"Due to current public health protocols and in partnership with inter-district, district and provincial leagues, no formal sanctioned competition for the 2020 summer season will be offered in Nova Scotia," a statement from the organization read.
"This includes exhibition games, league games, tournaments and provincial championships."
Soccer Nova Scotia Executive Director Brad Lawlor says the physical distancing requirements between players was a deal-breaker for the season.
"Like many other contact sports, soccer is extremely difficult to play a game when you have to be six feet away from your opponent," said Lawlor.
"Right now we can only do our best with what we are given, which will be more skill-based sessions."
About 21,000 participants, from kids to senior leagues, played soccer in Nova Scotia last summer.
The decision to wipe out the competitive season comes as the Nova Scotia government is slowly easing restrictions for sports to resume activity.
Soccer Nova Scotia says it is continuing "to evaluate our new normal and formulate activities that are safe, fun and conducive to public health protocols."
Smaller group soccer activities will still be possible under Soccer Nova Scotia's proposed Return to Soccer Activity Plan, once it is approved by Canada Soccer. Those activities will be limited because they will have to adhere to public health requirements, including physical distancing.
Lawlor says small games of three-on-three may be possible but players would need to keep their distance from each other.
Baseball still in limbo
The next biggest summer sport in Nova Scotia is baseball.
Baseball Nova Scotia has submitted a Return to Play policy to Sport Nova Scotia and the Department of Public Health for review.
An update was posted on the Baseball Nova Scotia website last week.
"While we are confident we will see some form of baseball this summer, the policy review process and implementation are expected to take some time to complete. Baseball Nova Scotia is extending the suspension of all in-person baseball activities until June 15, 2020," the update read.