By Michael Letendre

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont wasted little time on Thursday in announcing that a number of “high risk” youth and scholastic sports have been postponed to start the winter season.

What was made clear is that “medium risk” sports would eventually be allowed but the participants had wear face masks or coverings.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, “high risk” sports were put on hold for the remainder of 2020.

What does Connecticut deem as “high risk” sports?

Boys lacrosse, boxing, rugby, competitive cheer, dance, martial arts, wrestling, and 11-on-11 football are all considered “high risk” sports.

In the fall, 11-on-11 football was put on hold but the delay of sports like cheer, dance, and wrestling will have a huge impact in Bristol during the winter months.

Sports that will eventually commence when allowed by the CIAC include basketball, gymnastics, ice hockey, indoor track, and swimming — each fitting that “medium risk” criteria.

Lamont also released “Sports Sector Rules” that athletes and spectators alike will have to abide by.

Those rules include:

• No hosting in Connecticut of competitions or tournaments for both Medium and High risk sports.
• Teams from Connecticut cannot travel out of state for competition.
• There will be a limit on spectators while facilities and leagues must have protocols for spectators, rosters, and safety.

As reported earlier, the winter scholastic sports season has been delayed as the Department of Public Health was going to release its new guidelines for competition.

A new start date could be decided upon at a CIAC Board of Control meeting on Nov. 17.