by Alfonz Juck
Testing for coronavirus kit, photo by Journalists Resource
This is the update on global athletics and the coronavirus….thanks to EME News…
VIRUS IMPACT
BERLIN (GER): The president of the German athletics federation says the health of athletes and coaches must be top priority in the light of the coronavirus outbreak. In a statement, Jürgen Kessing urged all in the athletics community to follow respective government advice and said “sport has a responsibility”.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): The chairman of UK Athletics has said the Tokyo Olympics should be delayed. Nic Coward responded to concerns over the coronavirus by saying: “With facilities closing down, [athletes’] ability to get themselves in the best possible shape is compromised at best. That is creating intense pressure. And I think that intense pressure is what people have to understand is there and release it.” From theguardian.com.
ROTTERDAM (NED): Organisers of the Rotterdam Marathon have set the date for the postponed race at 25 October. Due to have been run on 4 April, it will now go ahead one week after the Amsterdam Marathon.
ARNHEM (NED): The Dutch National Sports Centre at Papendal has been closed by the sports umbrella organisation.
LA NUCIA (ESP): Due to the current sanitary situation concerning the coronavirus outbreak, the Mediterranean U23 Championships will not take place this year and will be postponed to 5 and 6 June 2021 in La Nucia, Spain.
BUDAPEST (HUN): Swimming European Championships planned for May 11-24 in Budapest are postponed. Proposed but not yet ratified new date is August 17-30.
MOSCOW (RUS): The Russian Athletics Federation reports that due to the situation related to the spread of coronavirus, the Russian mountain running up championships in Zheleznovodsk on March 21 and national cross-country cup in Kislovodsk on March 28 are cancelled. Also, Russian Marathon Championship (Sochi, April 4), annual throwing Nizamutdinov prizes meeting (Adler, April 21-24), national cross-country championships (Suzdal, April 25), all-Russian race walk Skurygin memorial (Izhevsk, April 26) are postponed.
MEXICO CITY (MEX): Mexico postponed all activities starting on Thursday, that includes also events in athletics.
TAMPA (USA): The Ironman Group, a Wanda Sports Group company announced that it will add the IRONMAN® Virtual Racing™ (VR™) Series to its portfolio, including the IRONMAN VR Pro Challenge that will debut on April 4 through the IRONMAN Now Page on Facebook Watch. The IRONMAN VR Series will be offered through the soon to be launched IRONMAN Virtual Club™, a web-based platform allowing athletes to train and compete from anywhere around the world at any time through the IRONMAN VR Series of weekly races and challenges.
TENERIFE (ESP): Also cancelled Iberoamerican Championships in athletics planned for May 22-24 in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
NEW YORK (USA): USA Swimming, one of the most important national governing bodies within the U.S. Olympic community, has called for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games to be postponed for one year, USA Today Sports has learned.
BRUSSELS (BEL): Belgian top organiser of running events Golazo has decided to postpone or in some cases cancel all of its events scheduled through June 1 to a later date this year. On March 12, Golazo had already announced that all events would be postponed until April 19. “It is now sufficiently clear: we must all take the measures not to further spread the coronavirus seriously,” Golazo said in a press release. “Those precautions will continue for a long time to come, and we will have to continue to take them, even once normal life could slowly resume. It is about the well-being of all of us.” Unfortunately, real sports events are not possible in these times, but everyone is encouraged to keep moving individually. That is why Golazo launched Keep Moving on Friday. It is a free platform where everyone can virtually walk, run or cycle the postponed events individually.
ZURICH (SUI): Swiss Federal Council will support Swiss sport due to coronavirus with 100 millions of Swiss Francs.
KINGSTON (JAM): Apart from the potential cancellation of the Olympic Games, one main concern caused by COVID-19 for the 2020 track and field season is the loss of earnings by athletes. Writes Jamaica Gleaner. The worldwide outbreak of the virus has forced meets like the Grenada Invitational, the Penn Relays, and others to be cancelled, reducing athletes’ earning capacity. Unlike others who may benefit from the $25 billion stimulus package Minister of Finance and the Public Service Nigel Clarke plans to inject into the local economy, Jamaican professional athletes may have to count their losses as they do not fit the criteria to receive a payout from the Government. Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association president Warren Blake says he does not foresee a bailout for the athletes as his administration does not have the resources to do so.
TOKYO (JPN): Japan athletics federation director Mitsugi Ogata spoke to the media following an executive board meeting in Tokyo. Amidst widespread fears of the spread of the novel coronavirus, Ogata told reporters that April’s elite track and field schedule would go ahead as planned, saying, “At the present time we plan to stage everything on schedule so as not to cause inconvenience to our athletes.” The JAAF is planning a major Tokyo Olympics test event at the new Olympic Stadium in May, but indicated that it would be unlikely that organizers would be able to invite international competition. Alongside Ogata’s comments, it was learned from another official that measurement of the new 2020 Olympic marathon course in Sapporo has been moved from its original date in early April to the second half of May. This is because World Athletics officials have declined to visit Japan as a consequence of the novel coronavirus situation. From Japan Running News.
BRAGANCA PAULISTA (BRA): The Brazilian Athletics Confederation (CBAt) announced this Friday even more drastic measures in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the decision of the State of São Paulo decreeing a State of Public Calamity. The note determines the closure of the National Athletics Development Center (CNDA), from March 23, and postpones the holding of competitions until May 31, which covers the Grand Prix Brasil Caixa de Atletismo (WACT Silver meet planned for May 17) and the Brasil Caixa de Atletismo Trophy (main club competition, May 7).
OSLO (NOR): The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF) has written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach to request the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games does not take place before the coronavirus situation is under firm control on a global scale. Informs insidethegames.
EUGENE (USA): Oregonlive.com informs that Prefontaine Classic meet director Tom Jordan said his meet currently is in a holding pattern. Jordan expects a final decision about the Pre Classic’s fate would be made by May 1.
