In France, after the postponement of the match between Strasbourg and PSG in Ligue 1 on Saturday, it's ice hockey's turn to pay the price for the coronavirus epidemic. Due to the "health emergency" in the Grand-Est, the French Ice Sports Federation decided on Saturday to withdraw the Mulhouse team from the quarter-finals of the Magnus League. The International Hockey Federation (IIHF) also announced this weekend the cancellation of the Women's World Ice Hockey Championships, which were scheduled to take place from March 31 to April 10 in Canada. It is the second time that an edition of this Women's World Cup has been canceled after that of Beijing in 2003, when China was hit by another epidemic: SARS.
Official press release on the playoffs #SLMHockeyhttps: //t.co/NdqEy71d6Upic.twitter.com/dMiRVD95jS
- Synerglace Ligue Magnus (@LigueMagnus) March 7, 2020After the postponement of the Chinese Grand Prix, initially scheduled for Shanghai on April 19, the organizers of the Bahrain Grand Prix announced this Sunday that the race scheduled for March 22 will be held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus. Remember that the 2020 Formula 1 season is due to start next Sunday in Melbourne, Australia. But the exceptional measures that Italy has just implemented, the quarantine of more than fifteen million inhabitants, could pose problems for certain teams, in particular Ferrari, Haas and Alfa Romeo, as well as the supplier of tires Pirelli.
Also in Japan, the Japanese Sumo Association (AJS) announced last weekend a closed session for the 2020 edition of the Spring Sumo Tournament in Japan, which started on Sunday in Osaka. Nearly 7,000 spectators per day were expected at the gymnasium where the competition takes place. "This tournament without spectators is likely to be extremely difficult for the wrestlers", declared the president of the AJS in his speech of welcome, before adding: "Even in these conditions, I am sure that all the sumotoris will give the best of themselves. "
Read also
- Coronavirus: Blocked in the Emirates for more than a week, Cofidis and Groupama-FDJ finally return to France