ISU has cancelled 2021 Europeans, ISU Grand Prix Final, World Junior Synchro; Stockholm Worlds still on for now

[Karen-W]

Where do you get that information from? Japanese officials and the IOC say the Games will take place. It's the Japanese people that say they want the games postponed or cancelled. But they are not deciding.

There is an unconfirmed report, originating with the Times of London, that, privately, Japanese officials have pretty much determined that the Games will have to be cancelled but there are denials today.

 

[misskarne]

If they don’t approve, no worlds again? Can they be moved to a country with a better YKW situation?

What country do you propose?

Because a lot of the countries that are in a better situation require 2-week quarantine upon entry.

 

[mjb52]

Not to jinx them (I've gotten very superstitious), but cases in Sweden appear to be noticeably dropping, if I can read a chart correctly (which I don't guarantee). Hopefully it will stay that way.

 

[Carolla5501]

Citizens have a right for move around their own countries that non-citizens don’t have. Yes, our Atlantic provinces have similar quarantine rules in case I as a British Columbians travelled to New Brunswick. But I suspect that that it is a Charter challenge.

Besides, it would be up to a state to make those rules, not the feds, no?

Actually, in the United States a state can make you quarantine if you come back from someplace they deem high risk. That’s already been proven. New York does, Hawaii does etc. But my state doesn’t so I can go to Orlando and get Covid from the kids at Disney because that’s not dangerous at all. And if you believe that fantasy land has left the Magic Kingdom

 

[Carina]

Not to jinx them (I've gotten very superstitious), but cases in Sweden appear to be noticeably dropping, if I can read a chart correctly (which I don't guarantee). Hopefully it will stay that way.

Yes, they have and I really hope it will continue that way, fingers crossed. So tired of working 12,5 hours per day and understaffed (the fate of ISU nurses these days).

 

[Frau Muller]

Where do you get that information from? Japanese officials and the IOC say the Games will take place. It's the Japanese people that say they want the games postponed or cancelled. But they are not deciding.

It’s all over news this morn...Japanese Gvt wants to cancel the summer games and bid on the 2032 edition.

 

[Sabine-Yuna]

It’s all over news this morn...Japanese Gvt wants to cancel the summer games and bid on the 2032 edition.

They have denied this promptly! That was half a day ago.

 

[Lemonade20]

The Tokyo Olympics is looking shaky, it could happen, maybe not. It’ll take longer to vaccinate everyone and we’re still not quite out of the woods yet.

 

[Sabine-Yuna]

A lot of big sporting countries (Canada, USA, Australia...) have said, that they'll continue to prepare for Tokyo. It would be a disaster for the whole sporting world if Japan would really cancel the summer Olympics this year. And it would affect every Olympic sports around the world. Figure skating would suffer as well, because the NOCs would get less money of the IOC. And a lot of federations don't have enough sponsors, so they'll depend on that money.

 

[Carolla5501]

It’s all over news this morn...Japanese Gvt wants to cancel the summer games and bid on the 2032 edition.

If the Japanese government cancels against the wishes and desires of the IOC they can bid on 2032 till the world comes to an end. The IOC is not exactly known for not holding a grudge

 

[Karen-W]

Do not doubt, for one second, that the approximately 30,000 vaccine doses necessary to give all the athletes, officials and media is a small drop in the bucket, especially by June. I would hazard a guess that, assuming all essential workers, elderly, high risk, and teachers that want the vaccine have received it by then, there won't be complaints from sports fans if the various NOCs get their hands on what they need to make sure they can participate. Things are looking dire at the moment but I expect the situation will have improved tremendously in another 2 months and even further by May.

 

[skategal]

They are telling Canadians that everyone who is eligible and wants a vaccine will have it by September 2021. And that is without approving anymore vaccines such as J&J.

I personally have no problem if Canadian Olympic athletes get their vaccines in June to enable them to go to the Games.

I don’t know how other would feel though.

But if supply is plentiful I expect it would be okay with many folks here.

eta. June would be ahead of me. I don’t think I would be eligible until August.

 

[manhn]

Why are people more confident about Worlds happening and not the Olympics? It's the other way around for me.

I too have no problems if elite athletes get it before me. Maybe not before my parents, but at least with the Summer Olympics, that shouldn't be an issue.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I assume it's because Worlds can be more controlled than the Olympics, and the number of athletes, officials, spectators, media is so much smaller.

 

[skatingguy]

I assume it's because Worlds can be more controlled than the Olympics, and the number of athletes, officials, spectators, media is so much smaller.

At the same time the money is so much greater for the IOC, and the Olympics, then for the ISU, and the World Championships that it makes the former seem more likely than the later.

 

[Carolla5501]

Actually really thinking outside the box what about a "decentralized" Olympics. The risk gets greater the more people you have so... Swimming in Australia, track in London, baseball in the US, gymnastics in Canada, Golf in Scotland etc.... Then each country is letting in X people not TONS showing up in one small place.

 

[kwanfan1818]

At the same time the money is so much greater for the IOC, and the Olympics, then for the ISU, and the World Championships that it makes the former seem more likely than the later.

The IOC isn't willing to spend money: they only take it and pass the burden to the organizing committee, and, usually the way they are structured, the host government. The ISU, with much shallower pockets, seems willing to spend (or possibly insure).

 

[skatingguy]

Actually really thinking outside the box what about a "decentralized" Olympics. The risk gets greater the more people you have so... Swimming in Australia, track in London, baseball in the US, gymnastics in Canada, Golf in Scotland etc.... Then each country is letting in X people not TONS showing up in one small place.

I don't know, I think one of the advantages of having them all in one city is the containment that can be placed around the athletes, and the venues. If spectators aren't involved than spreading the events out more will allow for easy movement of people in and out between different sports.

 

[skatingguy]

The IOC isn't willing to spend money: they only take it and pass the burden to the organizing committee, and, usually the way they are structured, the host government. The ISU, with much shallower pockets, seems willing to spend (or possibly insure).

Sorry I didn't mean the IOC would be putting up the money themselves, only that they have financial interests that are great enough that they will do everything they need to make sure the games go ahead.

 

[skategal]

Canada is going to put in much tougher travel restrictions next week which may hamper participation at Worlds unless athletes are going to be exempt.

In addition to other restrictions, it looks like if you travel outside of Canada you will be quarantining for 14 days in a hotel at your own expense upon your return like in Australia.

I was hopeful today that Canada might send a team to Worlds (if it happens) because a Speed Skating team was sent to the bubble in the Netherlands. Now I’m not so sure.

And no, in case anyone thinks otherwise, I don’t think Worlds should be cancelled because Canada or P/C can’t go.

Worlds should only be cancelled if it is deemed unsafe or too difficult to hold it by the Sweden government/public health officials or the ISU.

But it’s definitely getting harder and harder for Canadians to be able to compete there.

 

[Colonel Green]

But it’s definitely getting harder and harder for Canadians to be able to compete there.

One should also keep in mind that these restrictions would affect not just Canadians but also every ice dance team that trains at IAM (which is to say, quite a few of them).

 

[litenkyckling]

One should also keep in mind that these restrictions would affect not just Canadians but also every ice dance team that rains at IAM (which is to say, quite a few of them).

It also appears like every IAM US team are visiting family just now after nationals, with a 2 week quarantine when they get back it doesn't seem to me like they're too confident that Worlds is going to happen

 

[Karen-W]

It also appears like every IAM US team are visiting family just now after nationals, with a 2 week quarantine when they get back it doesn't seem to me like they're too confident that Worlds is going to happen

Not true. I saw an IG post early this week from H/B arriving back in Montreal welcomed by their dogs. I invite you to cite evidence of your assertion that every single IAM US team is visiting family right now.

 

[aka_gerbil]

Not true. I saw an IG post early this week from H/B arriving back in Montreal welcomed by their dogs. I invite you to cite evidence of your assertion that every single IAM US team is visiting family right now.

Kaitlin only has one dog with her in Montreal. If she was greeted by a pack of multiple dogs, then she’s at her parents home in New York State.

 

[Debbie S]

Kaitlin only has one dog with her in Montreal. If she was greeted by a pack of multiple dogs, then she’s at her parents home in New York State.

Yes, that's how I interpreted that too. The scenery was definitely different than her apartment and there were other people there as she was being greeted.

And I think the teams commented at a press conf at Nats that they would be visiting family afterward.

Per Hersh's pre-Nats article on Jason, he is also spending a week with his family.

 

[BaileyCatts]

....... In addition to other restrictions, it looks like if you travel outside of Canada you will be quarantining for 14 days in a hotel at your own expense upon your return like in Australia. ........

Just wondering but why would people have to go to a hotel to quarantine for 2 weeks instead of go straight to their own home?

 

[kwanfan1818]

If I read the reports from Australia correctly, there was specific transport for people to specific hotels that had security guards and oversight. (Not that this was people-proof.)

That's different than saying anyone can quarantine anywhere, and where monitors may or may not show up at all of those addresses.

 

[skategal]

Just wondering but why would people have to go to a hotel to quarantine for 2 weeks instead of go straight to their own home?

Because people are breaking quarantine while doing it at their houses and spreading CV so it will now be in a hotel under security like in Australia.

They had one guy the other day in NB show up at the Hardware store saying that he was in quarantine but needed paint to paint his house because he was so bored at home.

 

[aka_gerbil]

Kaitlin only has one dog with her in Montreal. If she was greeted by a pack of multiple dogs, then she’s at her parents home in New York State.

It looks like Kaitlin is definitely still in New York: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKXnnN_Jmjy/?igshid=1segmy8oje2kj

 

[Karen-W]

My mistake. I didn't realize the pack of dogs meant she was visiting her parents. I'm not sure, though, that I think the visits to family signify a belief that Worlds is likely to be canceled. It might mean they haven't been able to visit their family in nearly a year and took advantage of traveling to the US to make a small detour. They will have plenty of time to get back into competition shape for Worlds even spending 3 weeks off the ice right now. Or, they might believe that Worlds will be postponed and, again, still plenty of time to be ready.