ISU Cancels 2020 World Figure Skating Championships

[misskarne]

I'm quite stunned that the idea of holding it behind closed doors doesn't even seem to have been considered.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Gosh with the upgrade to pandemic today and CNN saying that they are discussing travel limitations to Europe from North America now I guess canceling worlds just seems right.

 

[Wyliefan]

I'm quite stunned that the idea of holding it behind closed doors doesn't even seem to have been considered.

All those basketball fans weeping all over Twitter have no idea how good they have it.

 

[ChelleC]

All those basketball fans weeping all over Twitter have no idea how good they have it.

No kidding. People I know on FB are saying it's ridiculous, and I just want to tell them to SHUT.UP.

 

[pat c]

The airbnb cancellation deadline was missed about a week ago.......I'm hoping that I don't have to eat that. Airfare - got credits for all but $50. Worlds tix? we'll see. I'm wondering (MAJOR SPECULATION) if they do give worlds to MTL if Bell Place might try and do a credit thing. I hope not, but someone with a sharp pencil is thinking.

 

[clairecloutier]

Anyone know yet if Air Canada is expanding their refund program to tickets purchased before March??

 

[gkelly]

That's a nonsense, how can the skaters prepare for the new season and also keep their old programs going?

There shouldn't be a need to keep old programs going, except possibly the Rhythm Dances. Free dances and programs in other disciplines won't have major rule changes for the new season, so there's no reason they couldn't use their new programs at the postponed Worlds.

For the rhythm dance, the ISU would have to decide whether the competition would be held with the 2019-20 rhythm or the 2020-21 rhythm or would allow for both depending on each team's preference.

Another question would be for any federations that have skaters who turn(ed) 15 between July 1, 2019 and July 1, 2020, who weren't named to their country's world team because they weren't age eligible, could they now be sent instead if they are old enough for next season?

 

[taz'smum]

Then where would the points be added, to last season's ISU ranking point or the new season's?

 

[BaileyCatts]

So they are going ahead with NCAA just no fans … now I'm pissed.

Let's see, skaters have little to no physical contact with each other when competing, basketball players are secreting all over themselves and each other when competing. Yeah, that's 'protecting the athletes'.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Good luck to all reclaiming money back on event tix and travel stuff. Any decent company who cares about its reputation would take a loss but will give money back in this situation. Check in small print on your reserations the force majeure refs (acts of god, acts of nature, Force majeure refers to a clause that is included in contracts to remove liability for natural and unavoidable catastrophes that interrupt the expected course of events and restrict participants from fulfilling obligations).

 

[sk8girl]

Anyone know yet if Air Canada is expanding their refund program to tickets purchased before March??

Yes, they posted a new improved policy today, just in time for this. Check their website! (Sorry, cant link at the moment,)

 

[Sk8tn]

Sorry to be selfish but does anyone have an idea of what the path to ticket refunds might look like? I’m assuming the event organizers will reach out individually but given the $hit-$how that the purchase and delivery process was I’m not sure I should be holding my breath.

I called Bell Centre, and I was told that online purchases (which I did) would be automatically refunded to the card used. That was just a verbal, and I don’t know about other type of purchases.

 

[Jammers]

I'm 59 years old and the paranoia and hysteria going in this country is mind boggling right now. People really don't have any common sense anymore do they? With all of the cancellations going on from the pros to high school you would think that the bubonic plague from the 14th century had made a comeback. People are stockpiling bath tissue like they expect to not leave their house for weeks. I'm all for containing this virus but people need to stop freaking out.

 

[rhapsody]

Je suis malade, indeed.

 

[love skating]

I'm so sad for the athletes and for the special performances that could have been. I know it's the right decision, but what a shame for all. Stay safe everyone!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Damn, CNN has a story on now where suspension of travel to the entire European continent may or could happen. I think I’m going to turn the TV off for the rest of the day, I just can’t

 

[MsZem]

There are bigger issues at the moment, but I wonder what this means for GP assignments next season. Maybe this has already been answered in one of the other Worlds-related threads?

 

[gkelly]

Then where would the points be added, to last season's ISU ranking point or the new season's?

That I don't know. The ISU would need to decide to what degree the rescheduled event would count as part of the 2019-20 or the 2020-21 season for ranking purposes.

But skaters are perfectly free to change their music and choreography completely between Euros/4Cs and Worlds in March, so they would be equally free to do so before Worlds in October.

The world ranking/world standing points have nothing to do with which program they're skating.

 

[Habs]

I'm quite stunned that the idea of holding it behind closed doors doesn't even seem to have been considered.

Do you know that it wasn't considered?

 

[Tinami Amori]

People are stockpiling bath tissue like they expect to not leave their house for weeks.

Toilet paper... don't knock it... sometimes it is more valuable than hard currency and becomes a trading unit...

Туалетная бумага СССР

Кто сомневается, пусть не сомневается, хоть это и отрывок из американского фильма "Москва на Гудзоне", но так увы и было при совке.

www.youtube.com

Москва на Гудзоне / туалетная бумага в подарок

Москва на Гудзоне / Moscow on the Hudson / озвучка: Горчаков Туалетная бумага в подарок любимой женщине

www.youtube.com

 

[Miezekatze]

I think the situation is just much worse, than you people in North America have realized, because you're about 1 or 2 weeks behind Europe with the pandemic situation, because it's starting to feel REALLY bad here now and 1 or 2 weeks ago everything still seemed pretty normal here too.

So I think that definitely was the right and necessary decision unfortunately.

 

[BaileyCatts]

If I was a skater, I think that I would just keep my same programs for next year (unless the program was flat or didn't go over well to begin with). Maybe a few tweaks to upgrade jumps or choreo but keep training the same programs. But, I ain't a skater so what do I know.

 

[Polaris]

I think the situation is just much worse, than you people in North America have realized, because you're about 1 or 2 weeks behind Europe with the pandemic situation, because it's starting to feel REALLY bad here now and 1 or 2 weeks ago everything still seemed pretty normal here too.

US is fckkkkkkkkkkkkkked.

 

[Aussie Willy]

I'm quite stunned that the idea of holding it behind closed doors doesn't even seem to have been considered.

They probably did consider it but not worth the risk.

 

[Yazmeen]

I'm 59 years old and the paranoia and hysteria going in this country is mind boggling right now. People really don't have any common sense anymore do they? With all of the cancellations going on from the pros to high school you would think that the bubonic plague from the 14th century had made a comeback. People are stockpiling bath tissue like they expect to not leave their house for weeks. I'm all for containing this virus but people need to stop freaking out.

As a physician, I have been following this very closely, and I can assure you this is neither paranoia or hysteria. This disease is quite contagious and deadlier than flu, and there's no vaccine for it, not will there be one for quite a while simply because testing must be done. The World Health Organization has officially declared it a pandemic, and that is VERY serious. I agree that stockpiling TP and bottled water is a bit silly, but it's highly recommended that people be prepared to have 2 weeks worth of food, provisions, medications, etc. in case they are put in a quarantine/isolation situation and can't leave their house. And you will get short notice if that happens. Real "common sense" is listening to what WHO, the CDC, and the experts tell you to do. I realize this is disappointing for fans and especially the skaters, but safety take precedence over competition. I have a feeling that the NCAA may have to fall in line here, too, March Madness be damned.

 

[starrynight]

As a physician, I have been following this very closely, and I can assure you this is neither paranoia or hysteria. This disease is quite contagious and deadlier than flu, and there's no vaccine for it, not will there be one for quite a while simply because testing must be done. The World Health Organization has officially declared it a pandemic, and that is VERY serious. I agree that stockpiling TP and bottled water is a bit silly, but it's highly recommended that people be prepared to have 2 weeks worth of food, provisions, medications, etc. in case they are put in a quarantine/isolation situation and can't leave their house. And you will get short notice if that happens. Real "common sense" is listening to what WHO, the CDC, and the experts tell you to do. I realize this is disappointing for fans and especially the skaters, but safety take precedence over competition. I have a feeling that the NCAA may have to fall in line here, too, March Madness be damned.

I think the problem is that silly media organisations have a habit of dumb sensationalist reporting and they've eroded trust in what they are saying. It's like the boy who cried wolf.

 

[Yazmeen]

I think the problem is that silly media organisations have a habit of dumb sensationalist reporting and they've eroded trust in what they are saying. It's like the boy who cried wolf.

I've found most of the media here is pretty accurate (with a few exceptions). As for our US leadership right now, no comment since this isn't the PI Forum...

 

[Gris]

I'm 59 years old and the paranoia and hysteria going in this country is mind boggling right now. People really don't have any common sense anymore do they? With all of the cancellations going on from the pros to high school you would think that the bubonic plague from the 14th century had made a comeback. People are stockpiling bath tissue like they expect to not leave their house for weeks. I'm all for containing this virus but people need to stop freaking out.

I know that it's completely natural to be cynical towards mass media these days, but no, this time it really is not 'paranoia and hysteria'. About 10 days ago Milan was like 'Milan carries on' and now their whole country is in lockdown and I don't even want to start on how my own country has handled this outbreak (I'm Chinese).

Please, please take this seriously.

 

[Deleted member 221]

Even if it considered holding the event behind closed doors, the government needed to think about the consequences of inviting skaters and officials from hotbed areas - Milan, South Korea, Japan, China - to Worlds. This is different than the NCAA.

If an outbreak occurred, this would be to blame, and the people who allowed this would face (deserved) hell from their constituents.

 

[Polaris]

@Gris I think China has handled this very effectively, disregarding the initial lag. Once Central Leadership sprung into action, everything moved at warp speed and they've contained the disease. US on the other hand...oy.