Ryde council in Sydney to close sports fields because of drought

[injuryupdate]

Long-term drought and water restrictions have forced one Sydney council to close sporting fields to the football codes because they can't keep the grounds watered enough. Water restrictions have been in place all year in Sydney and rainfall has been close to the lowest on record. Councils now live in genuine fear of litigation from players who have been injured on sporting fields that aren't presented in a satisfactory manner. Read more on this decision from the Daily Telegraph. It is unclear how much the risk of injury increases on hard, poorly grassed local fields that have been deprived of moisture, but data from elite competitions suggests that rain and cool conditions are protective against injury.

[injuryupdate]

As the saying goes, it never rains it pours. Had to take this article off the front page, as after the driest autumn and June/July on record, Sydney has followed the recent lead of Adelaide and Melbourne and had it bucket down over the past few days.