Community netball is being deferred across the country following discussions between Netball Australia and state-based Member Organisations, with return to play dates to be announced independently by each state or territory organisation.
The move follows the Federal Government’s announcement of a ban of non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people to help minimise the impact of COVID-19 in Australia.
Netball Australia CEO Marne Fechner said the decision was difficult but in the best interests of Australia’s more than one million grassroots netballers.
“The wellbeing of netballers across Australia is paramount and there was consensus this morning with respect to deferring community netball to ensure the health and safety of the netball and the wider communities,” she said.
“The entire nation is facing unprecedented circumstances as we navigate COVID-19 and deferring community netball was a sensible decision, albeit a challenging one. Netball Australia will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves.
“We will now focus on providing alternative ways for netball to thrive and for netballers to continue enjoying the benefits of the sport over the coming months.”