Additional extensions to suspension of contact sports will force local sporting federations to make some drastic changes to their competitions, including cutting their 2022 season short.

The Cook Islands Government on Thursday announced an extension to the Ministerial Order suspending all forms of contact sports until Thursday next week, following an increase in community transmission of Covid-19 in Rarotonga and Aitutaki.

Cook Islands Rugby League domestic competition and the national Touch weekly matches are the two major sporting events affected by the latest Covid-19 related restriction.

League president Charles Carlson says there is no threat to the competition at this stage “as we can still afford to miss a few games and finish within the timeframe”.

However, if the weeks turn into a month plus weeks, Carlson said “we may have to relook at the draw to condense the season”.

“Players are doing personal training to stay fit and hoping to get back on the field at the earliest possible.”

The national rugby league body was preparing to host the round four matches in the domestic 13s competition last weekend before the Ministerial Order suspending all forms of contact sports came into force.

Francis Toa, the association secretary and competition coordinator, then said: “We have been wary of this Covid situation since we learnt that borders were going to be opened. We anticipated that the Covid sickness will have some impact on our season.”

“Some clubs already had measurements in place to mitigate the risks by having a sign-in/tag-in station at the games with a sanitiser for those entering and leaving the games.

“We’ve also asked clubs and referees to have backup plans in place in case volunteers in the clubs and/or refs are required to isolate and cannot perform duties at the weekly games.”

The good thing about the domestic rugby league competition “is that it’s played in an open well-ventilated area”, Toa earlier said.

“However, given that the sport is a contact sport, we knew if the Covid cases started rising, some games will be suspended.”

Prior to receiving the initial Ministerial Order last week, Cook Islands Rugby League on Tuesday, March 1, agreed to suspend all junior matches due to the uncertainty of the spread of Covid-19 and the vulnerability of the kids.

“CIRL will adhere to TMO (Te Marae Ora health ministry) directives and will look at recommencing the season once we have been given the all-clear.”