Round 4 of the National Wheelchair Basketball League (NWBL) has been cancelled due to increasing border restrictions and lockdowns across the country.

 

On Monday afternoon Basketball Australia announced that the round would not proceed and that all games would be recorded as draws.

 

The round was to be hosted in Brisbane from the 9th-11th July but concerns emerged last week when Greater Sydney including Wollongong started bringing in restrictions. 

 

Seven of the eight games that were scheduled to be played involved either the Roller Hawks or the Sydney Metro Blue Hornets.

 

Since then lockdowns have also come in for Queensland and Western Australia making the option of playing any games impossible.

 

Roller Hawks President Geoff Adams says Basketball Australia had no other option.

 

“I applaud Basketball Australia for being on the front foot about this. They contacted the clubs last week to discuss a contingency plan but ultimately they were left with little choice but to cancel,” says Adams.

 

“It’s very disappointing. These lockdowns are something everyone wishes didn’t have to happen but we knew something like this could occur as we pushed ahead to try and have a season.”

 

Basketball Australia has not made a ruling on whether Finals will go ahead in Darwin the following weekend from 16th-18th July.

 

“I’m not sure what BA are planning in regards to this but unless teams get an exemption I don’t see how we can get to Darwin a week after not being able to get to Brisbane.”

 

“Even if there was an exemption, we have to be mindful of why the lockdowns are in place and we want to make sure all of our players and our community remain safe.”