The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced enhanced COVID-19 protocols for attendance at home games Monday morning.
The Green and White are targeting their September 17 game against Toronto for the new policy to go into effect. That edict requires spectators to be fully vaccinated or to provide negative COVID-19 tests to be admitted into Mosaic Stadium. Edmonton made a similar announcement with their policy going into effect on October 15. Following is the news release from the Riders…..
DATE: August 30, 2021
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR21-082
RIDERS MAKE COVID-19 VACCINATIONS A REQUIREMENT TO ATTEND HOME GAMES
The Saskatchewan Roughriders will require fans to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or provide a negative COVID-19 test result to attend home games at Mosaic Stadium with a targeted start date of September 17th.
Through the course of the pandemic the Club has relied on the expertise of provincial health officials to guide the team as it re-opened Mosaic Stadium to fans at the beginning of August. Since that time, cases in Saskatchewan have risen significantly and the contagious nature of the Delta variant has become a concern both to the Club and to public health experts regularly advising us.
“In consultations with local medical health officers this past week, they voiced their support to begin requiring proof of vaccination at Roughrider games,” said President and CEO Craig Reynolds. “After speaking with our stakeholders, including the City of Regina – our stadium owner, REAL – our stadium operator, and the CFL, we decided that this is the right decision for our Club and for our fans.”
Fans under the age of 12, who are currently unable to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, will be exempt from the vaccination requirement. A negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours of the start of the game will also be accepted for partially vaccinated adults or those who may be unable to receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons.
“We continue to strongly encourage all of our fans to get fully vaccinated for the safety of themselves and others and to wear masks to our games as an extra layer of protection,” Reynolds said.
Over the next several weeks the Club will work on the logistics of how to accept proof of vaccination while working closely with the SHA, REAL and provincial health officials. As the Club is early in this process, details are currently not available, but will be shared as soon as they have been finalized.
