Athletes, coaches, volunteers, and spectators will all need to be fully vaccinated if they wish to attend one of Curling Canada’s events.
The organization released a statement Monday in which they explained the rationale behind the move.
In it, they said it was determined to be in the safety interests of all to require vaccinations at the event so as to keep the risk of transmission as low as possible.
“Above all else, we believe this is necessary to provide the safest possible environment for everyone who participates in our events, and that point can’t be emphasized more strongly,” said Katherine Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of Curling Canada. “There’s absolutely no question that vaccinations work and significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. We want our athletes, our fans, our volunteers, and our employees to feel as safe as possible at our events, and we believe this is a necessary step toward that goal.”
The new policy will impact tournaments across the country including the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the Tim Horton Brier which are set to take place in January and February respectively.
The first event to be impacted by the new policy will be the 2021 Home Hardware Curling Pre-Trials which are being hosted on the last weekend of October in Liverpool, Nova Scotia.
Those attending Curling Canada events must provide a proof of first vaccination by no later than September 8 and proof of full vaccination by no later than October 12.
“Curling Canada’s Board of Governors unequivocally supports the position that the organization is taking,” added Curling Canada Board Chair Amy Nixon. “We ask that our staff provide environments for athletes to compete and fans to enjoy that are safe for everyone. We firmly believe that the health and safety guidance that they have asked for and received is being listened to and acted upon in the best interests of all.”
Ticket-buyers who are declining to be vaccinated will have the opportunity to get refunds. Further details on how this policy will be implemented will be available at a later date.
