FC London’s women’s side will not get a chance to defend its 2019 playoff championship.
At least not yet.
The FC men’s side is in the same kind of limbo position following the decision by League 1 Ontario to cancel its summer season with the hope that it may be able to return in the fall for a shortened schedule.
The decision was announced on Saturday and gave answers to lingering questions that existed following the call to postpone the April 24 start to the year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In a video chat posted to the League 1 Ontario website, co-commissioners Carmelina Moscato and Dino Rossi spoke of the uncertainty that many other sports leagues are dealing with around the world.
“We came together back in March,” says Moscato. “We knew this was a fluid situation and that we needed to weather the storm until we made a final decision and the principles guiding us were definitely health and safety.”
FC London is one of 14 women’s clubs competing across the province. The men’s loop has 17 total teams.
Moscato admits that there was optimism because of how quickly things continue to change during the COVID-19 pandemic but that “one day you have to draw a line in the sand and that was June 5th.”
Given the current regulations in effect to curb the spread of the virus, Rossi indicates that options for any kind of summer schedule are limited.
“With the news that is coming out of several municipalities around the province where our clubs operate, large group gatherings will not be permitted on city-owned fields until September, so that was the final straw for us. There is no way for us to have an appropriate League 1 season… for all kinds of reasons.”
The 2020 schedule has not been cancelled in its entirety as of yet.
“We’re willing to entertain whatever is possible,” Moscato said. “Every league is looking at some kind of amended competition format.”
Information is still needed from colleges and universities as to how they will run their seasons in the fall as many players who play in League 1 Ontario also play in those leagues.
For now, the door has been left open to try to play at some point and as the commissioners, coaches and players have been doing since March, they will remain in a wait-and-see holding pattern.
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