Dunstone, other curlers frustrated over postponement of events

Curlers in Saskatchewan are growing frustrated after two events in the province were postponed due to COVID-19.

The Martensville Saskatchewan Women’s Curling Tour and the Highland Saskatchewan Men’s Curling Tour qualifying leagues were set to take place over the weekend, but that’s no longer the case.

“The decision was reached based on the advice of the Government of Saskatchewan’s Business Response Team and the recent increases in COVID-19 cases,” CurlSask said in a written statement.

“We appreciate the understanding and co-operation of organizers, clubs and athletes who continue to do their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to review protocols in consultation with health authorities to ensure that we are in the best possible position to keep our sport and our province safe.”

After the cancellation, some curlers in the province took to Twitter to voice their frustration.

Saskatchewan men’s and woman’s curling events have been cancelled this weekend. I am tired of the government having so much power over us to say what we can and can not do. This is not just a sport for me, it is my life! #SickAndTired #Joke

— Colton Flasch (@FlaschColton) October 23, 2020

Lol what? But hey @theSJHL it’s cool if you have 150 fans in the stands + 50 players/coaches on the ice starting next week hey @SaskHealth ? https://t.co/MWAslBsS0G

— Braeden Moskowy (@bmosk24) October 23, 2020

Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health provided a written statement, saying: “It is our understanding that the facility and event organizers decided to cancel the tournament after receiving advice from public health inspectors and the government’s Business Response Team. We encourage event organizers to reach out to the BRT prior to confirming events to ensure that they are in compliance with public health orders and the Re-open Saskatchewan Plan.”

Matt Dunstone represented Saskatchewan at the 2018 and 2020 Tim Hortons Briers and he admits his current team may head to Alberta to play this year.

“At this point, it’s pretty much not sustainable to have any sort of season (in Saskatchewan),” Dunstone said. “We’re definitely looking at other options now and that includes leaving the province for a while. (I’m) not sure what a while means but it means more than a month.

“We’re seriously considering and looking into that option and implementing that as soon as we can.”

Dunstone said the Highland Curling Club was told the men’s event didn’t fall under current government restrictions due to the number of teams — 24 — that would have been there.

But Dunstone said organizers were given the green light by the province two weeks ago.

“A couple weeks ago we were told what we had to do to be eligible to play and to compete and we did exactly that and I’d argue we went beyond,” Dunstone said. “Apparently that’s not good enough.

“Things just change and rules are being pulled out of the clouds here with no real thought behind it and people who aren’t very educated in what the sport of curling is actually all about are making these sort of rules.”

Dunstone said the curlers’ frustration comes from what he believes are double standards and inconsistencies when it comes to the rules, both in sports and daily lives.

“The SJHL is approved for 150 fans plus sure as hell over 50 players and coaches and stuff like that,” Dunstone said. “You just look at things like your everyday necessities. You go into a grocery store, you go in Costco and you have hundreds to a thousand people at a time and it’s constant rotation throughout the day in a not-very-controlled environment.

“A curling club has rules and regulations in place to keep it controlled and there’s not nearly the amount of volume of people in there.”