A Return to Ringette: Lifting the National Suspension on Sanctioned Activities

Effective July 8, 2020, the Ringette Canada Board of Directors has lifted the suspension imposed on March 13, 2020 that halted all sanctioned ringette activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Lifting the suspension does not mean that we can immediately resume ringette activities. That will only happen when we receive authorization from provincial and local health officials and when your Provincial Ringette Organization has issued its detailed plan.

 

The decision opens the door to a return to ringette, which will be guided in each province by public health officials and facility managers. Provincial Ringette Organizations continue to work on detailed plans aimed at creating the best possible conditions for a safe, healthy and enjoyable return to ringette for all participants.

 

Ringette Canada has developed national guidelines to encourage a smart, consistent approach to the way we return to ringette. Based on input from legal, medical and technical experts, the National Direction offers a series of guiding principles in critical areas such as hygiene, on-ice activities and risk management. It also explains the four-step progression that will guide the journey from the first allowable activities to the phase when all pandemic restrictions have been lifted.

 

“We’ve been waiting almost four months to be able to make this decision,” said Angie Milbury, President of Ringette Canada. “Based on expert advice, our own analysis, and with the support of all the Provincial Ringette Organizations, we believe that it’s now safe to lift the ban, recognizing that ringette activities will not resume until health authorities tell us that it’s safe to do so. We thank the entire ringette community for your patience and your support.”

 

We continue to closely monitor developments across the Canadian sport system and in other leading countries to make sure we’re taking advantage of emerging research, best practices, and lessons learned.

 

Please visit our COVID-19 Resource Hub to access a wide range of user-friendly tools and information.

 

Thank you, once again, for doing your part to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The more we do to protect ourselves and each other, the quicker we’ll be able to get back to the sport we all love so passionately.

 

Yours sincerely,

Natasha Johnston,

Executive Director, Ringette Canada