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Amateur clubs given option of pulling out of summer season


By Will Clark

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AMATEUR football clubs in Inverness and Ross-shire are being given the option of pulling out of the league this season due to the impact of Covid-19.

Amateur clubs are being given a choice if they want to play on.
Amateur clubs are being given a choice if they want to play on.

The Inverness and District Amateur Football Association have given its 28 clubs the opportunity to withdraw from competition due to the impact of the pandemic.

A number of matches have already been cancelled due to coronavirus as well as other issues such as referee availability.

Division One outfit Muir of Ord were the first club to withdraw from the summer league saying the impact of the pandemic was too great.

No other teams have announced if they would pull out at the time of going to press yesterday.

In a statement Muir of Ord Rovers said they were not prepared to put people’s health at risk for the sake of playing football.

“Unfortunately we have taken the hard decision and decided to withdraw from this season’s league,” the club said in their statement.

“With Covid cases higher than ever and lots of teams having Covid outbreaks and postponed games, we decided it is not worth the possibility of being told to isolate when people have jobs they depend on and families for a game of football.

“Also other factors in players being unavailable each week has made it extremely difficult to continue.”

IDFA secretary Donnie Stuart says a virtual meeting was held on Sunday night giving teams the chance to pull out of this season, with them being given this week to make a decision.

“We have given the clubs the option of pulling out of the league if they felt they could not fulfil their fixtures and worried about Covid.

“There are problems to fit in the fixtures with the number of games being cancelled already and with referee availability too.

“If the clubs decide to pull out, they would not be fined for not fulfilling fixtures under the circumstances.

“Muir of Ord have pulled out and we don’t know if others will pull out too.

“We can’t give an answer just now if we can say that we will be able to complete the season.”


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