Any individual that tests positive is prevented from joining or is removed from team activities, and is isolated or quarantined, in accordance with the CFL’s return to play health and safety protocol, Public Health Agency of Canada protocol and local public health protocol.
The CFL has introduced a policy that will apply to any game cancellations caused by COVID-19 issues. According to the policy, if a game cannot be played as scheduled because of coronavirus issues, and it cannot be rescheduled:
- And one club is suffering from the COVID-19 issues, that club will forfeit the game and be assigned a loss while its’ opponent will be credited with a win by a score of 1-0.
- And both clubs are suffering from the COVID-19 issues, then both clubs will forfeit the game and be assigned a loss.
In both of these circumstances, if a team can prove that 85 per cent of its’ players under contract have been vaccinated, at least once and preferably fully, its players will receive their salary for the cancelled game. If the team falls below that 85 per cent threshold, the entire team will not receive its salary.
The league’s cancellation policy further states a game will be cancelled if any of the following conditions are met:
- Its’ playing is precluded by a decision by a government health authority.
- A team does not have 36 players to dress for the game;
- A team does not have an individual available to coach the offence and another individual to coach the defence;
- A team does not have a certified athletic therapist and sports medicine physician available for the game.
In addition, commissioner Randy Ambrosie can cancel a game at his discretion following consultation with the CFL’s chief medical officers and the CFL Players’ Association.