Sudbury Spartans suspend football season due to pandemic

SUDBURY -- The Sudbury Spartans have put football operations on pause for the 2020 season due to COVID-19.

Both the Northern Football Conference and Ontario Provincial Football League have been advised that the Sudbury club will not participate this year, even if the province lifts the current social distancing restrictions and the attempt to play a revised summer schedule.

The Spartans were set to field junior varsity and senior varsity teams in the provincial league, while the men’s team was set to play in the northern league.

Both leagues have suspended operations and are expected decide in the coming weeks about summer football.

"It’s unfortunate, but we needed to make the responsible decision to suspend Spartan football for the 2020 season," said Spartans Team President Gord Goddard. "It’s obvious that the current pandemic is going to require a long period of social distancing. Even if the restrictions are lifted, taking our kids and men and travelling across the province to different cities and then coming back home makes very little sense. We will lead by example and do our part in the fight against COVID-19. We want our players and fans to enjoy their summers as best they can as they follow public health and the government's regulations. And we will begin preparing for the return of Spartan football in 2021."

For players who have registered and paid players fees, the Spartans will begin issuing refunds over the next few weeks.

For more information, visit sudburyspartans.com or email [e-mail].