Fog shrouds A-League's restart after coronavirus shutdown

 Coronavirus restrictions forced shutdown of A-League soccer in Australia in late March. w fog at Canberra airport has indirectly jeopardized its restart.

Three A-League teams from Melbourne tried — but failed — to leave Victoria state before border with New South Wales closed at midnight Tuesday. Government officials previously anunced that border between two states would be closed in an effort to contain a serious spike in COVID-19 cases in Victoria over past two weeks, including a record 191 new cases on Tuesday.

But a charter flight with players from Melbourne Victory, Melbourne City and Western United was stranded on tarmac when poor visibility due to fog at Canberra airport meant plane couldn’t take off.

Football Federation Australia will w attempt to secure an exemption from New South Wales government for players and staff from teams to get into state, where most of matches in restart are scheduled to be played.

Victory and United are due to restart A-League season on July 16, with United n scheduled to play City on July 20. A-League is last professional sport in Australia to restart its season since coronavirus shutdown and plans to play 27 matches in 28 days to complete regular season.

“We will w begin process to seek exemptions from NSW government to allow teams to enter NSW for m to continue ir season,” A-League official Greg O’Rourke said. “If we find it necessary to revise match schedule we will do so accordingly and will anunce once confirmed.”

Or professional football teams in country me earlier moves to get ir teams out of Victoria.

10 Australian Football League clubs departed for New South Wales and Queensland over past two days. National Rugby League’s Melbourne Storm have been out of Victoria for almost two weeks, and Super Rugby’s Melbourne Rebels moved to Canberra on June 26.