The Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia tournaments scheduled for February will also be affected by the cancellations due to the coronavirus outbreak.
photo: Yuka Fukuma
Due to the coronavirus outbreak in China that has been recently declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization, the IIHF has decided to cancel four Challenge Cup of Asia tournaments.
After consultations with the participants and organizers of the respective IIHF tournaments as well as with the IIHF Medical Committee, the decision was made to cancel the following events at the scheduled dates:
The decision to cancel the tournaments was made in recognition of the potential risks that hosting such an international tournament might have on the spread of the coronavirus. The IIHF will monitor the development of the situation in regard of the coronavirus and, depending on the outcome, may propose a postponement of the tournaments to a later date in the season should this be feasible. The IIHF regrets to have to take this step, but the responsibility of the IIHF for the well-being of participants, officials, and spectators does not offer any safe alternatives.
Previously it was announced that the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division II Group B originally scheduled to be played in China would be relocated due to the coronavirus outbreak.
At the time being the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey Challenge Cup of Asia, currently scheduled to be hosted in Singapore from 27 April to 1 May 2020, is excluded from the above cancellations as the IIHF continues to monitor the situation.
After consultations with the participants and organizers of the respective IIHF tournaments as well as with the IIHF Medical Committee, the decision was made to cancel the following events at the scheduled dates:
- 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U20 Challenge Cup of Asia, originally scheduled for 10-15 February 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand
- 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U20 Challenge Cup of Asia Division I, originally scheduled for 10-15 February 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand
- 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia, originally scheduled for 23-28 February 2020 in Manila, Philippines
- 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia Division I, originally scheduled for 23-28 February 2020 in Manila, Philippines
The decision to cancel the tournaments was made in recognition of the potential risks that hosting such an international tournament might have on the spread of the coronavirus. The IIHF will monitor the development of the situation in regard of the coronavirus and, depending on the outcome, may propose a postponement of the tournaments to a later date in the season should this be feasible. The IIHF regrets to have to take this step, but the responsibility of the IIHF for the well-being of participants, officials, and spectators does not offer any safe alternatives.
Previously it was announced that the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division II Group B originally scheduled to be played in China would be relocated due to the coronavirus outbreak.
At the time being the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey Challenge Cup of Asia, currently scheduled to be hosted in Singapore from 27 April to 1 May 2020, is excluded from the above cancellations as the IIHF continues to monitor the situation.