The Executive Council of the Bermuda Football Association has confirmed the cancellation of this season’s entire Dudley Eve Trophy competition.

The decision was made after a meeting between the BFA and respective club presidents and secretaries after the postponement of the Charity Cup and Dudley Eve Trophy matches on Sunday and yesterday.

The Executive Council said in a statement:

“The association and its clubs recognise the tremendous pressure that was placed on football to get the season up and running in accordance with the dates communicated in the schedule as well as the conditions implemented by the Bermuda Government.

“Due to a number of factors including mandatory testing schedule received at the last minute, the need for SafeKey, positive test results and some persons not receiving their test results back in a timely manner caused too much uncertainty and frustration that made trying to proceed unfavourable.

“The Executive Council together with all clubs will take the coming days and weeks to continue discussing protocols and procedures to help mitigate the potential spread of the Covid-19 virus so that football can be played in the safest possible environment.

“We recognised that many in the football family will find the postponement of football frustrating and disappointing and we share these sentiments.

“However, we will be meeting with the Bermuda Government to chart the way forward so that everyone understands and knows the conditions under which football is going to proceed.”

This competition, which began as the Martonmere Cup in 1972 and involves the top six teams in the Premier Division from the previous season, was renamed the Dudley Eve Trophy in 2009-10 after that competition, held over the Christmas holidays, ceased.

This year’s competition was to have a new look with 12 teams particpating for the first time.

The Dudley Eve Trophy traditionally signals the start of the new season but now those plans will change with the competition being cancelled for the first time in its history.

Devonshire Cougars are the cup-holders after beating Dandy Town 2-1 in last year’s final. Dandy Town and North Village are the most successful teams in the competition with ten wins apiece while Somerset have won it seven times, six as the Martonmere Cup.

North Village have won the competition eight times as the Martonmere Cup while Dandy Town have had six wins in the Martonmere Cup and four in the Dudley Eve Trophy.