Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and the Lakehead Thunderwolves were excluded from continuing their season after the province implemented a return to a modified version of the Roadmap to Reopen for at least 21 days.

Ontario gave athletes training for the Olympics and Paralympics as well as a handful of professional and elite amateur sport leagues exemption.

“We’re working with our local health units regionally with respect to the universities. The government with regard to what is the status of the OUA, and with our student athletes at this time,” mentioned Lakehead Athletics Director Tom Warden. “This is a bit of a step back but we’re getting used to this in some ways and resilient. We’ll move forward with this and hopefully sport will be on the horizon here.”

In a statement released Tuesday, The OUA suggested that it’s a disservice by the province of Ontario to not consider their student-athletes elite.

When it comes to getting back to action, Warden says it all depends on what they hear back from the government.

“If we are able to train and ramp up towards (the end of the month) it’ll be like flipping a switch,” Warden added. “If not then we would have to look at some other way of making sure that our athletes are prepared to step back into competition.”

The current restrictions are in place until Thursday, January 27th.