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The Canadian press
Given the dangers of COVID-19-related fitness and protection and the inability to host a “phenomenal” event, the 2021 Niagara Summer Games in Canada have been postponed until 2022.
The Canadian Gaming Council (JCC) and the Niagara Host Society announced Wednesday after consultations with the Niagara region of southern Ontario and provincial and federal governments.
“Like everyone else at sporting events and around the world in general, we’ve all watched the pandemic and followed all updates, looking to make our emergency plans and evaluate the effect it would have on us,” Dan Wilcock said. , Chairman and CEO of GCC.
“The Canadian Games are a great occasion. Array. . . There’s a lot of preparation. And we’ve been in close contact with all our stakeholders to see what the Games look like in the context of the pandemic. . . “
Initially scheduled for August 2021 in the Niagara region, the Games have been postponed until the summer of 2022.
Held every two years, alternating between summer and winter, the Canadian Games are the country’s main multisport occasion for emerging athletes, with more than 5,000 competitions and 4,000 volunteers expected to participate in the Niagara version.
The Canadian Games have eligibility regulations, such as age limits that are others for sport. No resolution has been made on whether those eligibility regulations will be replaced to reflect the postponement.
Some sports have controlled returning to Canadá. La NHL met in “bubbles” in Edmonton and Toronto, with the convention final and Stanley Cup final taking place in alberta’s capital. The Three Canadian MLS games play in their home cities, with most games against any fan.
The Canadian Elite Basketball League condensed its season into a two-week tournament in St. Catharines, Ontario, fans. And the Canadian Premier League is playing its football season in Charlottetown.
But none of those occasions attracted as many athletes as the Canadian Games.
Wilcock said that the many options, bubbles, but that the dangers to health and protection were too high had been analyzed.
“The Games attract athletes and combined spectators from many communities across the country,” he said. “Therefore, we are not only focusing on the physical condition of participants and spectators in Niagara during the Games, but also on the many communities that other people will return to across the country. “
Athletes are subject to other COVID-19 restrictions depending on municipal and provincial governments, so an athlete in one province or territory may not have the same access to educational comforts as someone else. games for all competitors.
In addition, Wilcock said next summer’s organization would not ensure an “extraordinary delight of the Games. “
“And that’s what the host company has promised the Niagara region and the country,” he said. “The pandemic would particularly hinder our ability to organize the Games the way they were planned, things like opening ceremonies, massive gatherings, etc. , apparently. Questionable.
“So I think if we postpone the summer of 2022, we can deal with those two things, we can improve the fitness and protection of participants, and at the same time offer phenomenal delight in the Games for All. “
If there’s one positive thing, Wilcock said, it’s that a later start date means extra time to fully verify the new amenities at Canada Games Park and the Henley Rowing Centre. Canada Games Park at Brock University in St. LouisCatharines will come with a sports and skills center, stadiums, gyms and a facility with track, athletic box and beach volleyball courts.
No date has been set for the 2022 Games in Niagara.
The Canadian Games were first held in 1967 in Quebec City and have since seen more than 75,000 athletes, Sidney Crosby, Steve Nash, Hayley Wickenheiser, Catriona Le May Doan, Martin Brodeur and Lennox Lewis compete.
Red Deer, Alberta hosted the last Canadian Winter Games in 2019, while Winnipeg hosted the 2017 Canadian Summer Games.
This Canadian Press report was first published on September 16, 2020.