NEW YORK, 23 January, 2021 (TON): A recent update on Friday was issued by the New York State Department of Health, Andrew Cuomo on high risk high school winter sports.

The decision will allow athletes to begin practicing basketball, hockey and wrestling beginning February 1, 2021 provided there is approval from county health officials.

The guidelines read, “Effective February 1, 2021, participants in higher risk sports and recreation activities may partake in individual or distanced group training and organized no/low-contact group training and, further, may partake in other types of play, including competitions and tournaments, only as permitted by the respective local health authorities, (i.e., county health departments).

Since March 2020, the famous pandemic has hindered the ability for high school athletes to compete.

The winter state championship tournaments in such sports bowling, basketball and hockey were not completed. There was no spring season in 2020 and no high-risk sports allowed during the fall.

This season, the start of the winter sports was pushed back to January 2, 2021, and did not guarantee permission to high risk sports to be practiced.

Section II Executive Director, Ed Dopp did not comment until he received more information from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, but did add that the schedules will be provided to the schools willing to compete if the news is indeed true, and the section would begin counting practices.

Barring any changes to the length of the winter season, high-risk sports would need a week to gain the necessary practices required to begin and then would have three weeks to complete seasons prior to the Feb. 28 end date. There are no sectional and state tournaments to be contested, but there could potentially be allowances made to extend the length of time to compete.