A Loddon Campaspe sport development organisation has supported the Heathcote FNL's decision to cancel the 2020 season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sports Focus business manager Stuart Craig said the league had shown strong leadership in reaching the decision.
"I think the league has made the right decision based on their circumstance," Craig said.
"They have put the health and wellbeing of clubs, players, supporters and the community first.
"I applaud them as it's a strong show of leadership to the rest of the football and netball community.
"Their decision is clearly saying that the priority of a safe community is greater than sport itself."
The HDFNL board made the decision on Thursday night to pull the pin on the 2020 season due to COVID-19 health and safety concerns.
Sports Focus' role within the Loddon Campaspe region is to "support the development of a sustainable sport and recreation sector" within the community.
Craig was concerned that many COVID-19 guidelines could be outdated by the time clubs implement them, in addition to the possibility the responsibility could fall back on club volunteers.
"The reality of being COVID-19 compliant takes a lot of work, it involves registering participants coming in and out of facilities, making sure there are sanitisers and hand-washes in place and that social distancing requirements are enforced."
Craig said physical differences in club facilities also posed a logistical challenge.
"The hard part is the practicality of implementing different guidelines as you can't take a state generic plan and apply it to a grassroots environment because every facility is different," Craig said.
"Every environment requires its own context. Fundamentals will be the same but the application will be totally different between various sports."
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.