Football Netball East Gippsland will tonight decide if a junior season can go ahead amid COVID-19 restrictions.
AFL Victoria released a set of updated protocols for football on July 1, which included a tightening of restrictions on spectators.
Prior to July 1 there was to be an ‘unlimited’ number of spectators at community football.
The new clause states: Only spectators necessary to support participation should attend training and competitions, and must abide by current group gathering restrictions. This is directed at people like parents who are taking their child to and from a game as they are necessary to support participation. The intention (of this protocol) is to limit crowds.
The Football Netball East Gippsland commissioners are scheduled to meet with the East Gippsland Junior Football Association club presidents tonight to discuss the new protocol.
The meeting will also discuss a range of other protocols set by AFL Vic regarding social-distancing and cleaning.
“It was hoped to play some home and away games during the school term three,” Football Netball East Gippsland’s Rod Twining said.
“It had been previously agreed that there will be no finals for the juniors in 2020. Due to the requirements for cleaning and the limiting of the number of persons permitted in the changerooms (to a maximum of 20) it had also been previously agreed that the changerooms would not be used for the games.”
IMAGE: Orbost Snowy’s Tate Clay during an under 14 East Gippsland Junior Football Association match against Lucknow last year. The league will tonight decide whether or not a junior season will be held. K928-158 (2019)