China Climbing World Cups rescheduled due to Coronavirus

The IFSC, the International Federation of Sport Climbing, announced yesterday that due to the ongoing Coronavirus epidemic it has decided no IFSC events will take place in China in April 2020.

In its statement the IFSC explained "It was decided that in order to safeguard athletes, officials, and spectators alike, the two Sport Climbing world cups planned this April in Chongqing and Wujiang, China, are to be rescheduled.  The IFSC is studying viable solutions (i.e. postponement or rescheduling) for the two events and will release their results in the coming days. The IFSC would like to offer thanks to the Chinese Mountaineering Association (CMA) for their support and hard work in organising these events, our thoughts are with the Chinese community and victims of the Coronavirus."

Furthermore, the IFSC has also decided to relocate the Asian Championships which was to be held in Chongqing. At present the IFSC is working hard at finding alternative organisers for the championships; this is of particular importance as it is a qualification event for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, providing a last opportunity for the Asian athletes to qualify for the Olympics.

IFSC President Marco Scolaris stated "Our athletes are at the centre of our sport and so their wellbeing, as well as that of IFSC staff, officials, organisers, press and spectators, must come first." As a sign of support, at the end of January the he IFSC has shipped 10,000 breathing masks to the Chinese Mountaineering Association (CMA), also encouraging its Member Federations to join the initiative.

Info: www.ifsc-climbing.org