LONDON, ONT —
The London Knights and the London Lightning seasons are on hold, amid a slew of cancellations and closures across southwestern Ontario.
Western University announced that classes will be moving online for the rest of the year on Thursday, with Fanshawe following suit on Friday.
However, Fanshawe says in-person classes will be cancelled for three weeks, aligning with the province’s mandate for public schools. Online learning is expected to start March 23.
After that, Fanshawe will resume regular classes, but will issue updates as needed.
The local OHL and NBL cancellations come amid a sea of announcements from major league sports, including the NBA, NHL, MLB, and many other sports organizations, most recently, the PGA as well.
“In the best interest of the health of our players, member team staff, billets, on and off-ice officials, our great fans as well as the general public, we deemed this to be best course of action effective immediately,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch in a statement.
The news comes as preventative measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 are being put in place across the province and country.
Other postponements, closures and cancellations include:
Fanshawe College Polar Plunge scheduled for Friday postponed
The Stratford Festival has cancelled performances up until May 2
London Public Library locations remain open, but programs and events, including at Wolf Performance Hall are cancelled
Stratford Public Library closing until further notice
Visiting hours at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital now 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and there are new restrictions
Addiction Services of thames Valley postponing drop-in Supportive Information Sessions (SIS) Sessions
City of Sarnia March Break Day Camp at Lawrence House cancelled, hockey arenas and the Strangway Community Centre closed until April 5
Bruce Power’s Visitor Centre closed
Bruce County March Break activities at libraries and museums cancelled
all public schools closed for an additional two weeks following March Break
The Thames Valley District School Board is also closing all buildings, child care centres and cancelling other classes
London police are not accepting in-person record check applications or in-person Freedom of Information requests
Please be sure to check that any event you’re attended is still a go. Updates on city-run facilities can be found on the City of London website.
The Middlesex-London Health Unit issued a statement saying Friday marks a turning point in the COVID-19 response in Canada.
“Containment efforts – where public health isolates cases and contacts with the goal of preventing community spread – will continue, but they are likely to only slow the onset of a local outbreak. The goal now is to prevent as many poor outcomes as possible.”
Health officials say halting mass gatherings – such as the cancellation of major sporting events – dramatically reduces the number of events where one person could potentially infect many others, but add that Ontario is not yet at the stage where all mass gatherings must be cancelled.
People are asked to avoid visits to police headquarters unless necessary, and be aware that visits or calls for non-emergency police attendance will involve screening questions related to COVID-19.
The London Transit Commission says additional cleaning of its bus fleet will be taking place on a nightly basis starting this weekend.
No positive COVID-19 tests in Huron-Perth
Fourteen people in Huron and Perth counties have been tested for COVID-19, but no one has tested positive.
The Huron-Perth Health Unit is asking residents to be more vigilant in their measures to keep the virus at bay, however.
They are recommending all gatherings of 250 people or more be postponed or cancelled, but say that does not apply to workplaces, yet.
The newly formed health unit is also recommending people postpone all non-essential travel outside of Canada, including to the United States.
Anyone who does travel outside Canada is asked to monitor their own symptoms for 14 days following their return. Children returning to Canada are being told to stay home for 14 days, to stop any potential spread of the virus.
The Huron-Perth Health Unit says they’ve been very busy this week, and are adding staff to deal with the influx of calls for COVID-19 information.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
