EFNL suspends training, practice matches, league events
All club training, practice matches and league events have been suspended by the EFNL, with the move — in response to the coronavirus pandemic — gaining support from a club president and coach.
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Melbourne’s largest metropolitan football/netball competition, has suspended all club training, practice matches and league events until further notice.
The Eastern Football Netball League, in an official statement released this morning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said: “The safety and welfare of our players, volunteers, officials and their families are our number one priority”.
The league will communicate further updates to its clubs following an AFL meeting on Tuesday and an EFNL board meeting on Wednesday night.
Blackburn president Casey Johnson said the Premier Division club unequivocally backed the EFNL’s stance.
“We completely support the EFNL’s guidelines and requirements at club level with this issue,” Johnson said.
“Although it’s not ideal regarding what we’ve got in place for round one with practice matches and all that sort of stuff, I think the bigger issue is making sure our football community in general is healthy and we try and flatten the curve of infection, certainly before the major flu season hits.
“I said to (EFNL chief executive Troy Swainston), whatever you want us to do as far as our club goes, we support your stance and we will deal with it at club level accordingly, based on the bigger picture of the league.
“At the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the eastern suburbs community I suppose, and we fall in line with that.”
The move comes less than three weeks out from the EFNL season, which is due to kick off on April 4.
Vermont senior coach Harmit Singh echoed Johnson’s sentiments.
“We’re fully supportive of the decision that’s been made and there is a bigger picture here,” Singh said.
“I think it’s important for all community clubs and leagues to come in with I guess a collaborative approach to this and a united front.
“It is a bit of an unknown in a way because it’s something we haven’t had to deal with but I think the primary focus here is the health and safety of everyone in the community.”
Today’s EFNL statement follows an announcement last Thursday that “at this stage, the EFNL season will continue as planned”.
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Johnson said Blackburn took precautionary measures in the weekend’s practice match against Euroa, which was held in regional town Avenel, which fell below the 500-person public gathering ban.
“We put in place straight away things like regular and constant hand-cleaning by way of alcohol-based cleaners, we were constantly washing bottles and made sure the contact was minimal,” Johnson said.
“We relayed the message to our playing group saying ‘if you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t play’.”
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