By Agence France-Presse
The World Figure Skating Championships scheduled for Montreal next week have been canceled due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a Quebec provincial official announced on Wednesday.
The World Figure Skating Championships scheduled to take place in Montreal next week have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, a Quebec province health official announced. (Photo by Joe KLAMAR / AFP)
Health Minister Danielle McCann told a news conference the March 16-22 competition has been called off because of “the risk of transmission of the virus,” making it the latest major international sports event affected by the pandemic which has spread around the world.
About 200 skaters from 50 countries were expected to take part.
McCann said some attendees would have come from countries experiencing local transmission, with little access to laboratory testing and treatment.
As such, the event “might have contributed to the geographic spread of the virus,” she said.
In a statement, Skate Canada and the International Skating Union (ISU) said they “fully respect the difficult decision made today” by Quebec officials.
They said they regret that “the most important figure skating event of the season” must be canceled, but “understands that the safety and well-being of all participants and the community take precedence.”
The two organizations added they would be reaching out to stakeholders, and evaluate in the coming weeks whether the championships “could possibly be held later in the year, but in any case not before October 2020.”
The French couple Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, quadruple world champions in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019, were aiming for a fifth world crown in the Canadian city where they train and have lived since mid-2014.
They were beaten for the first time in almost two years at the European Championships in January in Graz, Austria.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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