Published 15:30 IST, March 22nd 2020
World Ice Hockey Championship cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic
Due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 men’s world hockey championships have been cancelled. They were supposed to be held in Switzerland.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 men’s world hockey championship has been cancelled. According to reports, the announcement was made by the International Ice Hockey Federation on March 21. The championship was scheduled to take place in the Swiss cities of Zurich and Lausanne starting May 8 and running through May 24.
'Impossible to relocate'
As per reports, in a statement, Rene Fasel, the IIHF’s president said that the coronavirus was a global problem and it is a problem that requires major efforts by government bodies to combat its spread. He added that the IIHF must do all it can to support the fight against the deadly virus. The statement also said that there was no chance that the event could be relocated this year.
Coronavirus impacts Euro 2020
Meanwhile, UEFA European Championship which was set to be held between June to July has now been postponed to 2021. The dates for the next Europe cup will be June 11 - July 11, 2021. UEFA has postponed Euro 2020 until the summer of 2021 to allow European leagues more time to complete their seasons amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier, it was reported that UEFA has demanded £275 million from its member clubs as well as the participant leagues if Euro 2020 is to be postponed until next year. There have been reports that the football federations of participating nations have demanded that the European competition be postponed until 2021.
Serie A, LaLiga suspended
Along with the Premier League, several football leagues have also been impacted amid the virus scare. While Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 have been put under suspension until further notice, the Champions League also suspended its second leg of the Round 16 matches which were scheduled to take place on March 17 and 18.
Earlier, Arsenal Head Coach Mikel Arteta had tested positive for the Coronavirus. Chelsea Callum Hudson-Odoi has also tested positive. Arteta also thanked his fans for support and lauded Premier League's decision to suspend matches. Serie A and LaLiga have already announced the suspensions of their respective leagues while Germany's Bundesliga also suspended all matches till April 2.
Updated 15:21 IST, March 22nd 2020
