Covid-19 positives push game until Sunday

TORONTO — The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts will complete their back-to-back series a day later than originally planned.

The Riders announced Thursday the return engagement will be played Sunday night at Mosaic Stadium after 13 players and five staff members tested positive for COVID-19. The two teams had been scheduled to meet Saturday night but after dropping a 30-24 decision to Toronto on Saturday in Wolfville, N.S., the Riders were unable to practise Tuesday or Wednesday.

The club said in a statement it was planning to practise Thursday.

“To have to move our game is a worst-case scenario for us and something we never want to have to do,” Roughriders president/CEO Craig Reynolds said in the statement.

“For that, we are truly sorry, but we hope by keeping the game on the same weekend and moving it to Sunday our fans will still be able to make it out to enjoy Family Day at Mosaic Stadium.”

The Argos said earlier Thursday the game wouldn’t go ahead as originally scheduled when they cancelled their practice.

On Thursday, the CFL suggested the Riders’ COVID-19 situation was getting better. “The situation has improved, and medical officials are now confident the game can go ahead safely on Sunday,” the league said.

On Wednesday, the Riders announced 10 players were still sidelined following positive tests but three more had been removed from COVID protocol.

Jeremy O’Day, the Riders’ GM/vicepresident of football operations said players “in just about every position,” had been impacted and the outbreak was the result the team travelling on planes and buses and sharing hotel rooms.

The team took two days off following the loss to Toronto but cancelled practices Tuesday and Wednesday. O’Day added the Riders continue to follow the CFL’s COVID-19 protocols and remain in regular contact with the league regarding the situation.

The rescheduled game still gives Saskatchewan time to prepare for its July 29 home contest versus the B.C. Lions.