Riders well-positioned to resume their training
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are well-positioned to receive the green light, considering the precedent set in Manitoba.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and other professional sports teams in Manitoba have been cleared to resume training and practising at their own facilities on Friday.
The reopening of those facilities is part of the second phase of that province’s plans to reopen after being shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The professional organizations must follow a list of restrictions to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.
According to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, the Roughriders would be allowed to train and practise at their facilities because
Mosaic Stadium is deemed “their workplace.”
“We have many workplaces in this province that are operating in addition to the (maximum) 10-person order that we have in place,” Moe said during his COVID-19 update on Thursday.
“However, in doing so, the expectation is the Roughriders’ organization, or the Blue Bombers’ organization in this case, would have to take every precaution not only to keep the players safe, but those associated with the team safe. We would be more than willing to work with the Roughriders’ organization on putting together a plan if they so choose.”
Moe added that the government has had talks with the Riders about the opportunities that could be available for preliminary practices to begin.
“We would be open to further discussions through our chief medical officer,” Moe said of Dr. Saqib Shahab.
A representative of the Roughriders was unavailable for comment Thursday about the possibility of reopening the team’s training facilities.
All sports facilities were closed in early March due to COVID-19. Ontario’s CFL teams were allowed to open their training facilities last week, but the league is allowing only one person at a time to enter facilities for rehabilitation reasons.
There are other challenges facing CFL teams besides reopening training facilities, including whether there will be a season. Training camps have already been postponed and the start of the season has been pushed back to September
at the earliest. There is also the possibility of the season being cancelled outright.
In Manitoba, professional activities can resume provided each team has a plan in place to minimize physical contact between individuals. Restrictions on outdoor activities are less stringent because the athletes are at a reduced risk of transmission.
Facilities will only be open to players, coaches, managers, training staff and medical personnel employed by or affiliated with the pro teams. They may attend the team’s facilities for the purposes of training and practising, provided that no members of the public are admitted.
Among the other restrictions: individuals must be screened for symptoms prior to each activity and will not be allowed to participate if they show COVID-19 symptoms.
As well, shared equipment must be cleaned frequently, indoor facilities must post signs that encourage social distancing, and common-use items must be removed from the locker-room.
NOTE: The Riders announced the signings of linebacker Deon Lacey and defensive tackle Chris Livings on Thursday. Lacey spent three seasons (2014 to 2016) with the Edmonton Eskimos before heading to the NFL, where he had stints with the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. Lacey, 29, dressed for 16 games with the Dolphins in 2019, recording four defensive tackles. He dressed for 54 games with the Eskimos, recording 114 defensive tackles and 68 special-teams tackles. He was a West Division all-star in 2014 and shared in Edmonton’s Grey Cup championship in 2015.