DETROIT — It looks like the beginning of winter, contact sports will have to wait further due to further orders of the MDHHS Friday.

The extension of restrictions affects boys and girls basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling.

Teams are allowed to practice but may only participate in non-contact activities until Feb. 21.

Before the extension, the restrictions were set to ease at the end of January to allow contact activities beginning Feb. 1.

“We found out about this decision at 9:30 a.m. like everyone else, and we will address it as quickly as possible after taking the weekend to collect more information,” MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl said. “We did not anticipate this delay in winter contact practices and competition, and today’s announcement has created many new questions.

“Obviously, this is disappointing to thousands of athletes who have been training with their teams over the last week and watching teams in other states around Michigan play for the last two months.”