Canadian field hockey players stuck in South Africa due to COVID-19 travel restrictions are set to finally depart on Dec. 8 after receiving a travel exemption from the Canadian government.

The federal government posted the exemption on its website on Saturday, while parents of the players were also notified.

“I am beyond relief that it looks like there is a way for them to get home,” said Sue Goddard from Vancouver. She is the mother of two players on the team: Nora Goddard-Despot, 20, and Arden Goddard-Despot, 18.

The team had been stuck in Potchefstroom, about 120 kilometres southwest of Johannesburg, because of