The Saskatchewan Games Council recently announced that the 2021 Canada Summer Games, scheduled to be held in Lloydminster in late July and early August, had officially been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Games -- which feature athletes from regions throughout the province competing in a wide range of sports ranging from athletics to swimming and everything in between -- had originally been slated to be held July 26 through Aug. 1, 2020, but the first wave of the pandemic forced the event to be postponed a year.
With case numbers remaining high in the final days of 2020 and the virus expected to remain a concern well into the new year, even with the arrival of new vaccines, the Saskatchewan Games Council, the City of Lloydminster, and the Lloydminster 2020 Host Society jointly announced the cancellation of the 2021 Games on Dec. 21.
“The athletes’ safety and comfort is paramount. Considering the guidelines in place for competitive team sports such as baseball, soccer, and rugby, to name just a few, as a Host Society, we cannot offer athletes and their supporters the experience they deserve,” said Kevin Kusch chair of the 2021 Summer Games Host Society in a press release .
“From the beginning, our board has maintained the Games need to be a memorable event. For many athletes, this is their first experience competing at the provincial level, and as a host society, one of our duties is to provide them with a true Saskatchewan Summer Games experience. We look ahead to welcoming the athletes, coaches and families when it is safe to do so.”
The Summer Games will now revert to it’s original quadrennial schedule, with the next event slated to take place in 2024. Lloydminster will have the first right of refusal and will likely host that year.
The previous Games were held in 2016 in Estevan and saw Team South West -- which includes Moose Jaw, Assininboia, Swift Current and area -- finish fifth in the medal standings with 50 medals, including 17 goals and 18 bronze.
Local athletes figured prominently into that total, led by triple gold medalist Ryan Botterill in 100 metre sprint, 200 metres and 4x100m relay alongside fellow Moose Javian Hunter Bosch. Also winning gold in 2016 were Ryann Handley in the girls triathlon, Raylyn Schmidt in girls team tennis and Elyssa Tacchi in the 50 metre breaststroke.
The Saskatchewan Summer Games have been held in Moose Jaw twice -- including the first Games in 1972 and most recently in 1996 -- while the Winter Games were held here in 1972 and in 2010.
