THE Bendigo Spirit has been forced into seven days isolation and their game against Townsville on Sunday postponed as COVID continues to wreak havoc on the WNBL season.
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The Spirit have been severely impacted by COVID this week with four positive cases confirmed, prompting a seven-day isolation period starting from Friday.
The Spirit were due to play the Townsville Fire in Townsville on Sunday, but that game has now been postponed.
The Spirit have now had two postponed games already this season after their December 29 home match against Sydney Uni was unable to go ahead after a Flames' team member tested positive to COVID.
Bendigo's next game is scheduled for next Friday night at home against the Perth Lynx, but would seemingly be in doubt given the team's inability to prepare due to the isolation period.
"We certainly won't be putting any of our athletes at risk, so there was an agreement with Basketball Australia today that we would postpone Sunday's game against Townsville," Bendigo Stadium chief executive officer Dennis Bice said on Friday.
We certainly won't be putting any of our athletes at risk, so there was an agreement with Basketball Australia today that we would postpone Sunday's game against Townsville
- Dennis Bice
"We've basically been testing players daily at the moment and were notified on Tuesday of potentially our first case.
"Over the subsequent couple of days we've had further positive rapid antigen tests come through and we obviously wouldn't want to be putting our players on a plane and sending them somewhere else.
"We're putting protocols in place in terms of managing and supporting the players and staff and we're working with both Basketball Australia and our club doctor through this period.
"The team is in seven days isolation from today; it's obviously a very challenging time, but it's all about a people-first approach and, again, we won't be doing anything that puts our athletes at risk."
There have now been six round six WNBL matches slated from Wednesday night through to Sunday that have been postponed due to COVID during the week.
The Spirit have played four games this season for a 1-3 record, with their last match having been on December 22 when they were beaten 100-88 by Canberra.
BENDIGO SPIRIT SEASON SO FAR:
December 4 - 83 lt Southside 94.
December 8 - 63 def Melbourne 58.
December 19 - 56 lt Melbourne 81.
December 22 - 88 lt Canberra 100.
December 29 v Sydney Uni and January 9 v Townsville games both postponed.
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