Coronavirus: CWI suspends cricket season for minimum of 30 days

Cricket West Indies (CWI), acting on the recommendation of its Medical Advisory Committee (MAC), has taken the decision to suspend all CWI Tournaments and face-to-face group meetings, from Monday March 16, for a minimum of 30 days.

CWI Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Israel Dowlat, stated “the health and safety of our players, officials and staff, are of paramount importance to CWI and we have advised the Board of Directors to take proactive policy steps to decrease the growing risk of contamination and spread of the virus.”

Chairman of the MAC, Dr Donovan Bennett, stated, “We are acting based on medical best practice as well as in an abundance of caution. The ongoing gathering of even small groups of spectators, cricketers and match officials could pose a risk to some persons of contracting the virus and being stranded in quarantine in a non-resident country for a prolonged period.  Clearly this pandemic is still evolving, and we will continue to monitor the situation throughout the Caribbean.”

The following CWI tournaments have been suspended:

• Final two rounds of the West indies Championship – 26^th to 29^th March and 2^nd – 5^th April
• The Women’s CMI Super 50 Cup, Guyana – 27^th March to 12^th April
• Regional Under 15s Boys Championship, Antigua – 9^th to 20^th April
• Regional Under 19s Girls Championship, Trinidad – 6^th to 12^th April

The following upcoming CWI meetings will be postponed, with all urgent CWI Board matters to be addressed via teleconference. More details and logistics will be forthcoming over the coming week.

• CWI, Board of Directors’ meeting – scheduled for Antigua 17^th & 18^th April
• CWI Annual General Meeting – scheduled for Antigua 19^th April

CWI has also advised all Territorial Boards and Local Cricket Associations to follow the advice of their respective Ministries of Health. (CWI)