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Tag: Postponement

  • Pandemic forces postponement of Canadian F1 Grand Prix

    Pandemic forces postponement of Canadian F1 Grand Prix

    The June 14 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal joined a growing list of Formula One races postponed due to the new coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, with the 2020 season yet to get on the starting grid.

    The race is the ninth to be affected by the virus, with the March 15 season-opening Australian Grand Prix cancelled along with May’s showcase Monaco Grand Prix.

    Commercial rights holder Liberty Media hopes to get the championship started in the European summer with a reduced and greatly rearranged schedule of between 15 and 18 races that could run into the New Year.

    “At the moment it is crucial that all of our energies be put together to overcome COVID-19. We will welcome you with open arms at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve as soon as it is safe to do so,” said Canadian Grand Prix CEO Francois Dumontier.

    The race is promoted by Octane Racing Group and organisers said the decision to postpone, after regular discussions with city authorities and Formula One, was not taken lightly.

    “We have heard the directives issued by public health officials and as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic are following the expert guidance provided by the authorities,” added the organisers.

    Almost half the COVID-19 cases in Canada are in the province of Quebec, of which Montreal is the largest city, where premier Francois Legault said on Sunday he hoped to see new diagnoses peak in a number of weeks.

    He also extended a shutdown of non-essential businesses for another three weeks to May 4.

    Formula One chairman Chase Carey said Formula One supported the “necessary decision to ensure the safety of fans and F1 community.

    “We always look forward to travelling to the incredible city of Montreal and while we will all have to wait a bit longer, we will put on a great show when we arrive later this year,” he added.

    Organisers said tickets would remain valid and spectators will be informed of their options when a new date was decided.

    Canada will have two drivers this season with Nicholas Latifi a rookie at Williams while Lance Stroll continues at Racing Point, a team owned by his father Lawrence.

    “Naturally, I’m sad that I’ll have to wait for the chance to race at my home F1 event,” said Latifi on his website.

    “Since I’ve been competing, my ambition has been to represent my country at the highest level. And I’ve been looking forward to June’s race in Montreal ever since I was announced as a driver with Williams.

    “But as action to control the spread of the virus stepped up, and other Montreal festivals were delayed or cancelled, today’s news was inevitable, I guess.”

    Formula One now has to try to reschedule races in Bahrain, Vietnam, China, Azerbaijan, the Netherlands and Spain as well as Canada with France, Austria and Britain looking likely to join the list.

    The British Grand Prix at Silverstone has set an April deadline to decide whether it can go ahead. (Reuters)

  • Organisers postpone Nigeria Horse Week indefinitely

    Organisers postpone Nigeria Horse Week indefinitely

    Organisers of the inaugural Nigeria Horse Week have announced an indefinite postponement of the event in compliance with the Federal Government’s lockdown directive against the spread of the coronavirus.

    In a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, the organisers said a new date would be announced later.

    “Please note that the Nigeria Horse Week 2020 earlier scheduled to hold from April 17 to April 19, 2020 at the Guards Polo Club, Mambilla Barracks Asokoro, Abuja, has been postponed.

    “A new date will be communicated in due course” .

    According to Anthony Obiorah, Project Manager of the 2020 Nigeria Horse Week, who signed the statement, the postponement was in keeping with the Federal Government’s ban on all social activities pending as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He also said the decision to postpone the two-day event was to keep to the Federal Government’s ban on all social activities pending when the virus is curtailed.

    The 2020 Nigeria Horse Week was launched with a focus to recognise and celebrate the culture and positive impact of the equestrian industry in Nigeria.

    The event intended to feature horse racing, polo and show Jumping championships among other entertainment and lifestyle activities.

    This year’s programme tagged: “Unlocking the Economic Potential of the Nigeria Horse Sport Industry,” aimed at tapping from the cultural, agricultural and economic tourism impacts such event can bring.(NAN)

  • Sports minister commends IOC on postponement of Tokyo 2020 olympics

    Sports minister commends IOC on postponement of Tokyo 2020 olympics

    Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has commended the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for postponing the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The minister said this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, John Joshua-Akanji on Tuesday in Abuja.

    “The IOC must be commended for postponing the olympics in the best interest of the whole world.

    “This is in response to the general calls across the globe to have it moved to a time when the virus would have abated.

    “As much as we were all looking up to the event, the safety and well being of the athletes , officials and fans alike is of paramount importance.

    “We cannot afford to toy with the lives of millions of people around the world. At a time like this,this is the best way to go,” he said

    Dare said the IOC cannot stand alone and it had taken the decision in the overall best interest of safety of all Olympic family.

    “This decision is an attestation of the fact that the IOC is sensitive and puts premium on the safety of people.

    ” This will douse any fear or tension about going against the general consensus which clamoured for a shift in date.

    “We believe that once the pandemic is over, the world can come together in unity to celebrate sports biggest fiesta,” he said.

    Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abey and IOC President Thomas Bach on Tuesday, at a joint news conference said the decision to move the games to a latter date was in the best interest of the whole world, until the situation returned to normal.

    They resolved that the event would remain in Japan and retain the name Tokyo 2020.

    The U.S. , Canada and other Super powers had called on the IOC to move the event following the spread of the Covid-19.

    The Tokyo 2020 Olympics was earlier scheduled to hon from July 24 to Aug. 9.(NAN)

  • COVID-19: Olympic Games postponed to 2021

    COVID-19: Olympic Games postponed to 2021

    Japan and the Olympics movement decided on Tuesday to delay this year’s Tokyo Games into 2021 as the coronavirus crisis obliterated the world’s last major imminent sporting event.

    It was the first time in the Olympics’ 124-year history that they had been postponed, though they were cancelled outright several times during the two 20th century World Wars.

    After a call with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the July 24-Aug. 9 event would be rescheduled for the summer of 2021 at the latest as proof of victory over the coronavirus.

    “We asked President Bach to consider postponement of about one year to make it possible for athletes to play in the best condition, and to make the event a safe and secure one for spectators,” Abe said.

    “President Bach said he is in agreement 100 percent.”

    There was no immediate word from the IOC, though its executives were due to meet later on Tuesday.

    Athletes were sad but relieved after weeks of worrying and struggling to train as the world headed into virtual lockdown from the disease that has claimed more than 16,500 lives.

    “I compete in a little bike race, which is nothing compared to what is going on in the world right now,” American Olympic BMX champion Connor Fields said.

    “No sport is more important if it means more people might potentially die from this.”

    Pressure on the IOC and its powerful President Bach had been accelerating fast in recent days, with Canada and Australia refusing to participate if the Games would go ahead in the summer.

    Athletes wholeheartedly endorsed the delay, given health risks and disruption to their training as gyms, stadia and swimming pools shut down around the world.

    “To be honest, I’m left reeling and feeling a little lost. But the goal posts haven’t disappeared – just shifted. It’s time to recalibrate and fire up for the next challenge,” said Australia’s two-time Olympic champion swimmer, Cate Campbell.

    The coronavirus outbreak has raged around the world since early this year, infecting nearly 380,000 people and wrecking sports events from the soccer Euros to Formula One.

    Postponement is a massive logistical headache for host, Japan, which has pumped in more than $12 billion of investment.

    But a poll showed about 70% of the Japanese agree with a delay.

    Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told reporters the delayed Games would still be branded “Tokyo 2020”. (Reuters/NAN)

  • UEFA postpones Champions League, Europa League finals

    UEFA postpones Champions League, Europa League finals

    This season’s Champions League, Europa League and women’s Champions League finals scheduled for May have been formally postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, European soccer’s governing body UEFA said on Monday.

    All three competitions are currently suspended along with almost every European domestic league because of the coronavirus while UEFA last week postponed the Euro 2020 tournament until 2021.

    “No decision has been taken on rearranged dates,” UEFA said in a statement.

    It also did not say whether it would be able to complete the competitions in the current format or would have to shorten them.

    The Champions League was halted halfway through the return legs of the round of 16 with four ties still to be decided.

    The final was due to take place in Istanbul on May 30.

    Some media reports have suggested ties could be reduced to one leg instead of two from the quarter-finals with a “final four” tournament in Istanbul.

    In the Europa League, two of the round of 16 first leg matches have still to be played and all of the second legs. The final was due to be held in Gdansk, Poland, on May 27.

    The women’s Champions League final was scheduled for Vienna on May 24. (Reuters/NAN)

  • COVID-19: Ajunwan-Opara commends FG for postponing EDO 2020 NSF

    COVID-19: Ajunwan-Opara commends FG for postponing EDO 2020 NSF

    A Nigerian gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwan-Opara, has commended the Federal Government for postponing the National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged: `Edo 2020’ over coronavirus pandemic.

    Ajuwan-Opara made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday while reacting to the postponement of the event and other issues relating to athletics in Nigeria.

    The gold medalist, who is also an Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Human Trafficking, Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos, said COVID-19 was fast spreading to different parts of the world.

    According to her, every country must be interested in safety of its citizens and I thank God for what my country has done, (postponing the NSF). Is what they were supposed to do and they did it fast in order not to put the citizens in danger.

    “We know that the coronavirus is everywhere now and Nigeria is taking the right steps by postponing the date of the National Sports Festival,” she said.

    Ajunwan-Opara, however, expressed regret over the participation of Nigerian international athletes at the NSF, which she said was a platform to groom upcoming athletes that would replace the international ones when they retired.

    She said the issue had bothered her mind for long without having answer as to why such should happen.

    She noted that NSF was supposed to be a competition to identify, groom the new athletes to represent Nigeria in future international competitions.

    “What confuses me here is that NSF has now become a competition where all our international athletes are coming to take part.

    “I don’t know what we seem to achieve in allowing international athletes who have been representing this country, competing all around Europe to come and participate with the younger athletes.

    “The NSF is for new talents from youth games; those from the clubs that are trying to find their feet to start competing for the nationals.

    “During my time, NSF was meant for people in Nigeria to get new talents and new breeds that will be able to participate in the open championship.

    “It is only in Nigeria open championship that we normally bring in international athletes. To me personally, we are not giving the new breeds chance to grow,’’ Ajunwa-Opara said.

    According to her, we allowed the international ones to over shadow them (national athletes).

    The gold medalist advised the organisers of NSF to allow the event to be for national athletes and not internationals, stressing that NSF was the only event that states enjoyed participating in and hoped to win medals because they were locals.

    “The country as a whole is not gaining anything. It is only states that want to win medals.

    “Should we do the right thing at the right time, allow the new breeds to have their platform to showcase their talents and come to national level.

    “Sometimes ago, they plan to abolish the festival, I am glad they brought it up this year.

    “It is a welcome development for athletes from schools to grow,” she said.

    On the part of international athletes participating in NSF, Ajunwan-Opara wondered what they intend to achieve by competing with local athletes from schools, when they were already competing with the best in the world.

    She said such competition did not give them respect as international athletes, noting that many African international athletes did not participate in some continental championship, in spite of their countries desire for such.

    “When you look at some of our African championships, some African international athletes do not come to participate, because to them, it doesn’t give them respect.

    “Although, their countries would want them to represent them so as to have over all winning.

    “The athletes themselves know that such championship does not add to their profile and they don’t have the needed challenge from such competition.

    “They need competition that would challenge them to become world class athletes,” she said.

    Ajunwan-Opara advised the ex- international and current international athletes to play the part of a role model to the upcoming athletes by speaking to them, encouraging them on what they need to do to become better athlete.

    She noted that in other clans, ex-internationals played the role of mothers, fathers, mentors to younger athletes, including providing training kits, saying that in Nigeria, some internationals wanted to be known alone forever.

    The gold medallist said no nation grows in sports with such mentality.

    On the division in AFN, she noted that “any divided house cannot stand.

    According to her, the people concerned should come together and resolve the issue.

    “Crisis cannot grow sports in Nigeria. I believe the Minister of Sports is capable in resolving the crisis,” Ajunwa-Opara said.

    She, however, said that athletics’ game was not progressing in Nigerian as expected, saying there was the need to always go to the drawing board and catch them young.

    Ajunwan-Opara said when a nation had many upcoming athletes you are nursing for international level, you would be sure of champions who could represent the nation at all times.

    “If you keep on looking up on the international athletes without replacement, the old ones will not be there forever. How many years can they stay before their retirement.

    “That means, the moment the old athletes are out and we have no new champions groomed up, we are in trouble. What the minister is doing now is great; it is a right thing in the right direction.

    “All events to get new champions must be organised yearly. Those with good programmes to develop our sports should present them to the minister.

    “If he looks at them and he sees that they are good, he will approve it,” she said. (NAN)

  • FIFA postpones South American World Cup qualifiers over coronavirus

    FIFA postpones South American World Cup qualifiers over coronavirus

    World football governing body FIFA has postponed South American qualifying matches for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

    This was after a request from the region’s football federation amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus.

    FIFA said in a letter to the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), which the federation tweeted, that it would seek to reschedule the 10 matches.

    They were due to take place between March 23 and March 31.

    A number of Latin America’s top football stars play for European teams in countries that have seen significant cases of the virus.

    They would have faced quarantines on their return to their home countries.

    FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura told her counterpart at CONMEBOL, Jose Astigarraga, that the health and safety of those involved in the World Cup was her primary concern.

    “We will continue to work with and consult you and your team to be able to find possible dates in which these matches can be played, something which will require… solutions that take into account the unique and fast-changing nature of this exceptional situation,” she wrote in the letter.(Reuters/NAN)