World Triathlon hits the pause button, thanks to COVID-19
While we did get a race today –read the Mooloolaba World Cup report – that looks set to be the last race on the ITU (and ETU) schedule we are going to see until May 2020 at the latest.
Here is the full announcement issued today from the International Triathlon Union. Will this approach be followed up domestically?
You can be sure that the officials at British Triathlon, Triathlon Scotland, Triathlon England and Welsh Triathlon are having to undertake lots of meetings and research right now. I don’t envy their task.
World Triathlon suspends all activities and races until the end of April
In the light of the rapid spread worldwide of COVD-19, the Executive Board of the International Triathlon Union has decided to suspend all activities until the 30th April. The measure includes the suspension of all the competitions in the World Triathlon calendar, courses, camps and other activities, and therefore all the World Ranking, Olympic Qualification Ranking, Paratriathlon Ranking and Paralympic Qualification Rankings will be immediately frozen, from Monday 16th of March 2020.
World Triathlon President and IOC member, Marisol Casado, said: “This is a decision that is hard to take, and you can have my word that we are taking it with the health and safety of athletes, coaches, officials, facilitators, staff, volunteers and spectators, all the triathlon family, as the top priority. We are taking this decision convinced that we all have to take our part to prevent and stop the spread of the virus. It is our responsibility, as a society. And having our athletes, coaches, officials and staff travelling around the world at this challenging time is not something that we in World Triathlon are willing to risk”.
All the events in the World Triathlon and Continental calendars will be immediately postponed until further notice. ITU strongly recommends all the affiliated National Federations to extend the measures as well in their territories, to avoid spreading the virus. All World Triathlon staff will be working from home during these weeks.
World Triathlon will continue working during this time to try to reallocate the events after the 30th of April when possible and will work with all stakeholders to undertake further actions if needed regarding the Olympic and Paralympic qualification rankings.
World Triathlon will continue evaluating the situation on a daily basis and will announce any further change in the situation as soon as possible to all stakeholders when this happens.