Basketball Ireland forced to go back to the fixtures' drawing board 

Basketball Ireland's top brass will meet next Tuesday to discuss what options are open to them as they bid to save what little is left of their season. 

That meeting follows today’s Government announcement of an extension to Level 5 restrictions until March 5th.

The 2020/2021 basketball programme ground to a halt before it even began due to coronavirus protocols. 

Officials had hoped players could return to training next month with competitions to start in March but that timeline has been shredded by the government's extension of restrictions this afternoon.

Chairman of the Basketball Ireland Board, Paul McDevitt, has invited the Chairs of the nine National Committees, along with Basketball Ireland President PJ Reidy and Chair of Basketball Ireland’s ‘Return to Play’ group, Charles Higgins, to discuss the next steps for the sport at all levels.

Basketball Ireland CEO Bernard O’Byrne said: “In mid-December we submitted plans to Government that would have seen our players return to training on February 1st, with a resumption of competitive fixtures in March, but at that stage we had no idea how things would pan out. 

"We have seen unprecedented Covid-19 figures since Christmas and this level 5 extension by Government has not come as a surprise.

“We are now gathering our nine National Committees together to formulate adjusted plans for the remainder of the 2020/21 season, for all areas of our game. 

"2020 was a year to forget for our sport and it has been a difficult start to 2021, but Basketball Ireland will be doing its utmost to see our players and teams back on the courts as soon as it is practical and safe to do so.”