The Victoria Royals鈥� 2019-20 campaign will go into the books at 32-24-8 after the Western Hockey League scuttled the remainder of the regular season Wednesday because of COVID-19.
Fifty-four games were cancelled, four of which would have involved the Royals. The league, however, said it held onto hopes of holding the playoffs. Victoria had clinched a playoff berth. The final standings were determined by win percentage, leaving the Royals third in the 乌鸦传媒 Division.
鈥淭his is a time for all of us to do all we can to support the health and welfare of everyone in our community and beyond,鈥� said Royals general manager Cam Hope. 鈥淲e are hopeful that we will be able to forge ahead with the WHL playoffs when the time is right. For now, hockey can wait.鈥�
WHL commissioner Ron Robison said: 鈥淲e will make every effort possible to conduct the 2020 playoffs.鈥�
It was a common refrain Wednesday as leagues and events which haven鈥檛 already cancelled both regular seasons and playoffs put off doing so as long as a glimmer remains. The calculation is that you can鈥檛 step back from a complete cancellation, so why pull the plug prematurely?
ISLAND OLYMPIANS: Chief among those affected are the numerous athletes training on the Island for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. The IOC remains adamant the Games will go on while others are calling the organization delusional.
鈥淲e support this move by the IOC 鈥� we all hope and are continuing to plan for the Olympics to proceed in July 鈥� but our hope needs to be put in context,鈥� the Canadian Olympic Committee wrote in an open letter to Canadian athletes training for Tokyo 2020.
鈥淲e do not know what will happen in the next 24 hours, no less the next four months, and that is the reason there need not be a definitive decision today. We, the sport community, the entire world, are in this together. What a celebration the Olympic Games could be for the world.鈥�
BASKETBALL: It follows that if the Tokyo Games are not yet postponed or cancelled, neither is the men鈥檚 Olympic basketball qualifying tournament June 23-28 at the Memorial Centre. The Victoria organizing committee said in a statement Wednesday: 鈥淧lanning is proceeding uninterrupted and on schedule. Should the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 progress to a point which requires FIBA to cancel the tournament, all ticket purchasers will be refunded accordingly.鈥�
SOCCER: The Canadian Premier League suspended training camps for 14 days beginning last Friday. The league said it will provide updates which 鈥渋ncludes details about potentially rescheduling or postponing matches.鈥� Pacific FC鈥檚 CPL season is scheduled to open April 11 against FC Edmonton at Westhills Stadium.
It had been announced earlier that the 乌鸦传媒 friendlies against Trinidad and Tobago, considered key for 2022 World Cup Qatar qualifying in CONCACAF and scheduled for March 27 and 31 at Westhills Stadium, are cancelled.
Vancouver Island Soccer League executive director Vince Greco addressed his membership in a message: 鈥淭hings are suspended, not cancelled. It is our intention to get back on the field when it is safe. It seems to be changing on a daily basis, so there is no point in speculating what may happen one month from now. We will strive to get through this weird time, hopefully, with little damage to membership, families, and friends and eventually play the semifinals, cup finals and crown champions, and move forward with a greater appreciation for life, family and the ability to play soccer.鈥�
BASEBALL: The boys of summer hope to be just that. The Victoria HarbourCats of the West Coast League said Wednesday: 鈥淚t is important to note our WCL schedule does not commence until June 5. We are saddened to see our close friends in college baseball have their 2020 season ended and now hope that, more than ever, the WCL will play an especially important role in showcasing their incredible talent. We remain positive the efforts of officials and the commitment of citizens to stem the spread of coronavirus will lead to the HarbourCats playing in their eighth season in the WCL.鈥�
