The Saskatchewan Roughriders are closely watching air quality conditions at Mosaic Stadium but do not expect smoky conditions to interfere with their scheduled preseason game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday.
“Per league policy, the air quality at Mosaic Stadium is being actively monitored by the CFL and will continue to be throughout the game day. At this point we do not expect any delays to kickoff, but will provide updates as required,” the team said in a statement.
In 2019, the CFL and CFL Players’ Association (CFLPA) agreed that players should not practice or play outdoors if the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is seven or higher.
At the time of the Riders’ statement at 4:30 p.m. EST, air quality in Regina was listed as a 10 on the AQHI and was forecast to stay that way overnight. According to Environment Canada, air quality due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and vary considerably from hour to hour.
In the regular season, a game delayed by more than three hours due to weather results in cancellation. It is unclear what the exact requirements are for cancellation in the preseason, where there is no requirement for the match to be made up.
The Riders are slated to host the Bombers at 9:00 p.m. EST for their final preseason game. CFL and CFLPA officials will meet two hours prior to kickoff to provide an update on conditions.
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