Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

How sport events are affected due to coronavirus

February 10, 2020 14:56 IST

The following is a list of international sports events affected by the coronavirus that has killed over 900 people and infected more than 40,000 in China after it first emerged in Wuhan, Hubei province, late last year:

Coronavirus

IMAGE: A woman and two children on an electric bike in the empty streets of Beijing. February 10 marks the end of the Chinese New Year holidays, that were extended due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus, however, the Chinese capital remains empty and business does not seem to resume. Photograph: Andrea Verdelli/Getty Images

ATHLETICS

- The World Athletics Indoor Championships, which had been scheduled for Nanjing from March 13-15, were postponed until next year. World Athletics is working with organisers to settle on a date to host the biennial event in 2021.

- The Asian Athletics Association cancelled its Feb. 12-13 indoor championships in Hangzhou.

 

SOCCER

- Asian Champions League matches involving Chinese clubs Guangzhou Evergrande, Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai SIPG have been postponed.

Guangzhou and the Shanghai clubs will join the competition in April, with their group matches due to be played in May.

Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai SIPG were due to play away at Perth Glory and Sydney FC but Australian officials sought to reschedule matches after their government imposed a travel ban on foreign nationals arriving from China.

- A four-team women's Olympic qualifying tournament involving China, Australia, Taiwan and Thailand was moved from Wuhan and rearranged to be held in Australia by the AFC.

- Vietnam's government said it would not allow the country to host sporting events in February, meaning home AFC Cup group stage matches for Ho Chi Minh City and Than Quang Ninh will have to be switched to away fixtures.

Ho Chi Minh City will now face Yangon United in Myanmar on Feb. 11 while Than Quang Ninh meet Ceres Negros on Feb. 25 in the Philippines.

- The Chinese Football Association said domestic games at all levels would be postponed.

Coronavirus

IMAGE: Workers operate a vehicle to carry out disinfection in Jianghan district, China. Photograph: China Daily via Reuters

FORMULA E

- The all-electric Formula E motor racing series abandoned plans for a race in Sanya on March 21.

The move puts Formula One in the spotlight, with Shanghai due to host the Chinese Grand Prix on April 19.

TENNIS

- The International Tennis Federation moved the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group I event featuring China, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea and Uzbekistan out of Dongguan to Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana) in Kazakhstan.

But the Feb. 4-8 event was later postponed after Kazakhstan declined to serve as substitute hosts.

BADMINTON

- The Feb. 25 to March 1 China Masters tournament in Hainan was postponed after several players withdrew. The BWF said it hoped the flagship Badminton Asia Championships could still go ahead in Wuhan from April 21-26.

BOXING

- The International Olympic Committee announced Jordan as hosts of the boxing qualifiers for Asia and Oceania after an event in Wuhan was cancelled. It will now take place in Amman from March 3 to 11.

BASKETBALL

- The International Basketball Federation moved the Feb. 6-9 Tokyo Olympics qualifiers to be held in Foshan to Belgrade.

- The FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifying match between China and Malaysia, to be held in Foshan on Feb. 24, will be rescheduled.

GOLF

- The elite women's LPGA golf tour cancelled the March 5-8 Blue Bay tournament to be held on Hainan.

The tour also cancelled the Honda LPGA Thailand event in Pattaya scheduled for Feb. 20-23 and the Feb. 27-March 1 HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore.

- The PGA Tour Series-China moved its Feb. 25-28 global qualifying tournament to Lagoi, Indonesia, from Haikou.

HOCKEY

Hockey Pro League matches between China and Australia, scheduled for March 14-15 in Changzhou, will not be played.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) had previously postponed China's match against Belgium that was to be played on Feb. 9 at the same venue. The FIH is looking into the possibility of China playing their games at an alternate venue.

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.