Following a statement issued on Saturday morning in the “Boletín Oficial de la República Argentina”, the Argentine government has given the Triple Crown the green light to be played as of October 20. This decision increases the possibilities of the Argentine spring season going ahead. While only the Triple Crown has been authorised so far, it is likely that other tournaments will also be able to go ahead, similarly to football, where leagues have been split into different start dates.
While action is authorised as of October 20, the Tortugas Open will kick off on Saturday, October 24. It is yet to be determined where the tournament will be played. The statement from the government states that polo can only be played at the AAP grounds in Pilar and Palermo.
The next few days will be crucial, because the final decision falls in the hands of each district; this means that, while approval from the Argentine governing body has been given, the Municipality of Pilar must also authorise polo to be played in the district, as well as permitting the sanitary and social distancing protocols. It is worth noting that protocols were updated after a meeting held on Tuesday, October 13.
Lastly, districts like General Rodríguez, Cañuelas, San Isidro, or even the City of Buenos Aires, cannot be forgotten, as they must also approve the protocols required to play polo there.
Triple Crown dates:
TORTUGAS OPEN: October 24-31.
HURLINGHAM OPEN: November 3-21.
QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT: November 6-17.
ARGENTINE POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: November 28-December 19.