by Alfonz JuckThe continued effects of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus in athletics will be seen throughout 2020…
SAFP, 2018 Anniversary Games, photo by British Athletics
VIRUS IMPACT
ZAGREB (CRO): Legendary high jumper Blanka Vlasic started a GoGetFunding initiative called Athletes for Zagreb. It is to help after the devastating earthquake which hit Zagreb last Sunday. “Zagreb a city that I hold dear to my heart, a city where I jumped my personal best, was hit by an earthquake during COVID-19 pandemic. That is why I have initiated crowdfunding campaign,” explained Vlasic. “Croatia is a country known for its open-heart hospitality, culture, heritage, sports achievements and athletes. Croatians public services are now at a stretch as the country is fighting two major public concerns – stopping the growing number of patients affected by COVID-19 as well as the earthquake relief efforts,” she added.
PRAGUE (CZE): The date for the postponed Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon has been set at September 6. The original scheduling for March 28 was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions in the Czech Republic.
SYDNEY (AUS): The Australian Championships, which were due to take place on 21-29 March, have been cancelled.
GOTZIS (AUT): The top WA Combined Events Challenge meeting Hypomeeting in Gotzis, which was due to be held on 30-31 May, has been cancelled. And is planned again for end of May of 2021. “We are looking forward to an even more successful and historic 46th edition of Hypomeeting Götzis in May 2021.”
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): The suspension of events and running groups in Britain has been extended until at least the end of May. British Athletics had already announced that “competitions, training activities, formal club activities, running groups, and any educational or development activity such as coaching and officiating” would not go until after the end of April at the earliest.
LAUSANNE (SUI): Rescheduling the Tokyo Olympics will be “like a huge jigsaw puzzle”, admitted IOC president Thomas Bach. A taskforce called “Here We Go” has been set up by the body to find an appropriate date, which he said might not be limited to the summer months. He said: “This is like a huge jigsaw puzzle and every piece has to fit. You take out one piece, the whole puzzle is destroyed. Everything has to come together and everything is important. This is why I really do not envy the members of this taskforce in their work.”
MONACO (MON): World Athletics said yesterday it still hoped a “season of one-day meetings” could be staged in 2020. The world body said it could start and end later than usual and hoped athletes could have access to competition in every region.
TORONTO (CAN): The World Masters Athletics Championships, due to be held in Toronto from 20 July to 1 August, will not take place on those dates. No decision has yet been taken regarding postponement or cancellation.
TOKYO (JPN): The Olympic Torch Relay throughout Japan has been cancelled after the Games were pushed back until 2021. With the Games no longer taking place this summer and people being encouraged to practice social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19, organisers have taken the decision not to proceed with the planned Relay. However, the Olympic Flame will stay in Japan. There will be a new plan for the torch relay also based on the new dates of the Games. From insidethegames.
BOGOTÃ (COL): Following the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, other multi-sport events such as the Central American Games, Santa Tecla 2021 (El Salvador) and the I Pan American Youth Games, Cali 2021 (Colombia), may have to reschedule. Although it is still too early to make decisions, El Salvador is proposing that the Central American Games take place in 2022, while for the Pan American Youth Games, there has been no statement of possible new dates.
KYIV (UKR): The Ukrainian athletics federation is forced to interrupt al training camps abroad due the postponing of the Tokyo Olympics. “That is clear position of our sports ministry. All the efforts of the FLAU office and the coaching staff are focused on returning our athletes home as quickly and comfortably as possible. We’re facing some difficulties, because in most cases, being abroad is the smaller risk than using of numerous flights transfers, but as responsible organization, we should follow ministry’s decision,” FLAU president Ihor Hotsul told Idealist.media.
KINGSTON (JAM): The Jamaica Invitational meet (WA Continental Tour Silver category) planned for Kingston on May 2 was postponed. Meeting Director Don Quarrie hopes to be able to stage it later in the year. “More information on the new date will be communicated once it has been confirmed,” says Quarrie in a release.
HUELVA (ESP): The Meeting Iberoamericano in Huelva, Spain (WA Continental Tour Bronze) planned for June 10th is cancelled and will not be organised in 2020 due to the coronavirus situation. Meeting director Jose Luis De Carlos says: “Decision has been taken considering how is affected local and world population and that all resources from Institutions will be dedicated to protect and help local population. Meeting will be organised again in 2021 and we wish all of you the best during this difficult times.”
