Rugby Ontario Return to Play Plan Enters Phase 3
August 17th, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(WHITBY, ON) - On July 17th, 2020 Rugby Ontario announced the launch of its Return to Play Plan presenting a set of protocols and resources to manage the safe restart of rugby in Ontario. As the Province has continued to make progress in its reopening across all sectors, Rugby Ontario has been closely engaged with government and other sport authorities and stakeholders. The foremost principle of the Return to Play Plan is to facilitate safe rugby programming in accordance with government and public health regulations and legislation, while supporting the rugby community in Ontario with clear and consistent risk management protocols.
After just the first four weeks, nearly 50% of clubs have initiated the process to seek Return to Play sanctioning status from Rugby Ontario. The process involves an ongoing dialogue between Rugby Ontario staff and each Member Club, ensuring a commitment to risk management, the safety and well-being of all rugby participants and reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
“Since the release of the Ruby Ontario Return to Play Plan last month, our team has been diligently working with many of our Member Clubs as they embark on their return to rugby this summer,” said Rugby Ontario CEO Myles Spencer.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented challenges in so many ways and we are relieved that rugby is back, providing opportunities for our members to be physically and socially active once again,” said Spencer. “Following a thorough due diligence process conducted by our Board and management, Rugby Ontario is pleased to announce the advancement to Phase 3 of the Return to Play Plan, which will introduce Flag Rugby as a permitted non-contact activity.”
This progression in the Return to Play Plan will now allow non-contact Flag Rugby activities to take place in sanctioned club programs. Only clubs that have been approved through the Club Sanctioning Process are cleared to resume permitted rugby activities as outlined in Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Rugby Ontario Return to Play Plan.
For more information on the Rugby Ontario Return to Play Plan and Phase 3, please click here.
ABOUT THE ONTARIO BLUES
The Ontario Blues program is the high performance representative program for male and female rugby players in Ontario. Rugby Ontario is represented at the provincial level by the Ontario Blues. The program includes representative teams from Under-15 to Senior in both Women’s and Men’s Fifteens and Under-18 Men's and Women's Sevens. Specifically, the program is designed to develop and showcase rugby players for Canadian representative national teams.
ABOUT RUGBY ONTARIO
Rugby Ontario is the provincial sports governing body responsible for the organization of rugby in Ontario. Our mission is to establish a stronger identity for rugby in Ontario by promoting the sport’s core values and by fostering a culture of inclusiveness and excellence on and off the field of play.
To learn more, visit https://www.rugbyontario.com/
WANT MORE INFORMATION?
Dalton Finkbeiner
Communications and Marketing Coordinator - Rugby Ontario
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