Windsor Lancers Questions & Answers re: Decision to Cancel OUA Winter Season 2021

Windsor Lancers

Q: What was the rationale for the 2nd Term decision by the OUA?
A: The health of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, officials, and fans is our number one
priority. Because of this, the OUA has been consistently following the directive of public health
authorities, and it was after conversations with our medical advisors, as well as extensive contingency planning with the Board of Directors, member institutions, and colleagues across the country, that it became increasingly evident that a safe return to play for the 2nd Term was not realistic. After this significant consultation, and under the direction of the Board of Directors, the decision to cancel all OUA-sanctioned sport programming and championships up to March 31st, 2021 was made to best ensure the safety and well-being of all participants.

Q: Will school teams be allowed to train on campus?
A: Members will continue to have the autonomy to implement Return to Train protocols in accordance with provincial health regulations, while maintaining the emphasis on the safety and well-being of all participants. In addition, members should abide by their respective institutional policies and procedures, insurance, facility protocols, etc. Further direction in Return to Train guidelines will also be advised upon by the sport’s respective provincial and/or national organization.

Q: Will school teams be allowed to play exhibition games?
A: In addition to determining their Return to Train guidelines on their respective campuses, effective
January 1, 2021 members are responsible for determining any involvement in member-driven competitions/exhibition games, as per their institution’s policies and within regional and public health guidelines.

Q: Will OUA sport programming return for the 2nd Term in any capacity?
A: The OUA Board of Directors will continue to monitor the status of COVID-19 across the province and reserves the right to review and adjust these decisions on an on-going basis.

Q: How will this decision affect regulations relating to student-athletes (i.e. AFAs, eligibility, etc.)?
A: The OUA and our national committee representatives are working closely with U SPORTS to ensure any updates to regulations are student-centered and minimize the impact to student-athletes. Many rules – including AFAs, eligibility, and transfers – are national in scope, and have been managed by U SPORTS, in harmonization across the country. For more information about decisions related to these student-athlete regulations, please visit: https://usports.ca/hq/covid-19-resources/covid-19-advisory

Q: How will the OUA handle regulations for non-U SPORTS recognized programming?
A: Regulations relating to student-athletes, including AFAs and eligibility, fall under U SPORTS jurisdiction, with related decisions having come from the national office. The OUA plans to align with the direction and delivery decided upon by the national office for the entirety of the conference’s sport landscape, including the OUA’s 11 sports that fall outside U SPORTS offerings.
For more information, please visit: https://usports.ca/hq/covid-19-resources/covid-19-advisory

Q: Where can student-athletes and families turn for additional information from their institutions?
A: Everyone across the university landscape understands the unprecedented nature of this decision and the impact of that the COVID-19 pandemic is having not just across our stakeholders, but society as a whole. As we enter this complex and unchartered territory, we encourage any student-athletes and families looking for further information or that has any additional questions to reach out to your coaches.