National School Games postponed due to increase in Covid-19 community cases
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The National School Games typically run from January to August.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE - In the light of the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the community, the Ministry of Health announced on Friday (Jan 22) that the start of the National School Games (NSG), originally slated for February, will be postponed.
It added that the Ministry of Education (MOE) will "review again the type of sports to resume and in what format, to ensure that games can be conducted meaningfully but safely for our students" with more details to be released at a later date.
There have been 21 community cases in the past seven days, compared with three in the previous seven days.
The number of unlinked cases in the community has also increased to six cases in the past seven days, from one in the previous seven days.
Last year's NSG was suspended twice after it began in January, before it was eventually cancelled for the first time in its 61-year history owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The NSG, which typically runs from January to August, sees about 60,000 student-athletes competing across 29 sports.
On Dec 18, ahead of the start of phase three of Singapore's reopening, MOE had said the NSG for sports across A, B and Senior Divisions which meet the national guidelines will resume in 2021.
Sports like athletics, swimming, badminton and table tennis were given approval, while eight team sports - cricket, football, hockey, netball, rugby, softball, volleyball and water polo - were not. Judo was also omitted.
