Coronavirus and the World Championships

[Ducky]

I'm beginning to think the reason behind the "passing the buck" of who gets to cancel is probably something to do with who is responsible for lost costs depending on who cancels. For instance if the province cancels the ISU isn't responsible for refunds or something like that - I don't know just feels like there is more to why they don't want to make the call....

The ISU doesn't want to cancel. Just as yesterday's press conference wasn't about the figure skating championship, this is going to be a larger call of every major public event being canceled. Like if you're worried about people being together at the Bell Center why allow the NHL to have games there.

 

[DenissVFan]

If they cancel it right before the competition, they will have made skaters (not to mention fans) travel across the globe and back on crowded planes and other means of transportation and staying at hotels, airports etc., risking their and others' health, pretty much in vain. This will look very bad for ISU. They should have done something (either decided to have the event without spectators, postponed it, moved it, or cancelled it) last week or this week at the latest to give everybody enough notice.

I feel bad for the athletes. They have worked very hard for this crowning moment of the season and for many this may be the only chance to get a World medal (and any financial gain and other opportunities it may entail). Especially in ladies a year seems to be an entire era (none of last year's medallists in ladies is competing this time). On the other hand, they surely aren't happy about putting themselves and others at risk. A really stressful situation that may affect their preparations. Not to mention the financial side of things (plane tickets, accommodation, etc.).

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I'm beginning to think the reason behind the "passing the buck" of who gets to cancel is probably something to do with who is responsible for lost costs depending on who cancels. For instance if the province cancels the ISU isn't responsible for refunds or something like that - I don't know just feels like there is more to why they don't want to make the call....

The SWSX Festival in Austin, as well as the Houston Rodeo, cancelled the events (and the Rodeo was already going on). It ends up being very costly if the organization does not have a disease-related cancellation covered by their insurance policy (and apparently that coverage is expensive and very uncommon). The organization that runs SXSW had to layoff 1/3 of its employees as a result. I don't think the ISU is swimming in money either, so I would guess they would do anything to avoid an outright cancellation even if it means holding the event without live spectators.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

So WHO has declared the virus to be pandemic. To go trough the event now would be completely irresponsible.

Again I would point out that the whole point about cancelling the event is about flatten the curve for the spread, yes I know it will come eventually and spread in Canada, but the decision to cancel this and other major events will certainly effect the curve. This is global problem now, and every country should take responsibility.

Finally they have started to take the virus seriously here in Norway. We just needed the virus to spread a lot first before they took it seriously. There is talk already about having red zones in Norway now, so soon there will be possible lock-down in parts of the country. There is almost 600 cases now, yesterday morning it was under 300.

 

[Ladskater]

Update on World FS Championships in Montreal

Worlds are now cancelled

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/...-figure-skating-world-championships-1.5493642


I figured (sorry no pun intended) that this would happen as other sporting events in Canada have been cancelled

 

[flanker]

Yeah, but the skaters have lives too. They have vacations planned probably, and they need to prepare for next season. They're not like robots. Just saying.

That's what also lies in the "if the situation would allow it". Still, preparing through the whole season for the last and top competition that is postponed isn't something like that to a mail from work you respond "yeah, call me later when I'm back from Tunisia". Some want to make good use of their preparation, some others want to finish career etc. They are not robots but they also don't do this becuse they are told to, they want to compete and win.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Again I would point out that the whole point about cancelling the event is about flatten the curve for the spread, yes I know it will come eventually and spread in Canada, but the decision to cancel this and other major events will certainly effect the curve. This is global problem now, and every country should take responsibility.

Agreed.

I don't know if it's been posted already, but this is a great article that explains what "flattening the curve" is an why it's so important: https://www.vox.com/2020/3/10/21171481/coronavirus-us-cases-quarantine-cancellation

 

[norwegianfairytale]

USA is a perfect example of how not to behave. Turn down the WHO test kits and design your own cause only 60 countries are using the WHO test kits...what do they know? South Korea is doing 10,000 tests a day....
https://www.businessinsider.com/south-korea-coronavirus-testing-death-rate-2020-3
Most people here in the state of WA have their heads in the sand and chose to be in denile, when social distancing is needed, they go everywhere and shake hands! We are about 10 days from exponential increase if the media is to be believed.

Yes, i´m sorry but actually it possible to handle the situation worse. I hope people will wake up soon in the US too. It seems like people are in denial here, but slowly it seems like people are starting to see the seriousness of the situation.

Btw, just to put an example on how to behave. Poland so far has 31 cases, and they already decided to shut down school, events and so on today.

 

[kolyadafan2002]

Is there any chanced of a closed door competition?
Just have athletes and judges and no audience, and have them skating live streamed by 10 or 20 channels?

 

[storm]

At the WHO press conference they said surveillance, detection, and diagnosis is key to managing this outbreak. They said shutting down events is not as economically effective. They said governments have to step up and do more to find the cases and prevent clusters. They never said that shutting down schools, cancelling events etc is the way to go. Social distancing is important but in China most of the cases were transferred between families and very close contact not events.

 

[MarkinBerkeley]

If they cancel it right before the competition, they will have made skaters (not to mention fans) travel across the globe and back on crowded planes and other means of transportation and staying at hotels, airports etc., risking their and others' health, pretty much in vain. This will look very bad for ISU. They should have done something (either decided to have the event without spectators, postponed it, moved it, or cancelled it) last week or this week at the latest to give everybody enough notice.

I feel bad for the athletes. They have worked very hard for this crowning moment of the season and for many this may be the only chance to get a World medal (and any financial gain and other opportunities it may entail). Especially in ladies a year seems to be an entire era (none of last year's medallists in ladies is competing this time). On the other hand, they surely aren't happy about putting themselves and others at risk. A really stressful situation that may affect their preparations. Not to mention the financial side of things (plane tickets, accommodation, etc.).

They are expected to decide today.

- - - Updated - - -

Is there any chanced of a closed door competition?
Just have athletes and judges and no audience, and have them skating live streamed by 10 or 20 channels?

Yes.

 

[Olibritt]

Poland so far has 31 cases,

I heard some health expert yesterday saying that press and authorities (and general people, I guess) should avoid these kind of expressions because they are not true and give a false sense of no danger when the number is low. I mean, 31 cases? Of how many tests? Those are the identified cases, the real ones can be hundreds or thousands, who knows?

 

[CellarDweller]

I would assume that there are already athletes and coaches at the location. I would hope that they would close the competition at this point and have just athletes and coaches and necessary personnel in the competition space.

I feel badly for those who spent money for tickets and travel and hotel, but in the interest of Public Safety, I think it would be best to restrict attendance and just stream the competitions.

 

[Tolstoj]

I don’t understand why they would need to cancel the event. Wouldn’t it be enough to not allow spectators. Isn’t that where the risk is? Many people coming to watch. It’s sad to have no audience but better than cancelling. The skaters are all young and fit, not likely to be affected by this, it is the large crowd that is the danger.

What if one of the employees involved is sick, or one of the judges.

Anyone present at the even could legally sue ISU for allowing a competition in such circumstances, it's all up to ISU. (i doubt someone will ever do it, but like Daniel's coach said it raises thousand of questions)

It's also something extremely hard to determine as the symptoms only appear after a week and there are asymptomatic cases too.

Skaters can absolutely be affected by it, they have just extremely low chances to die but their coaches could certainly be more at risk depending on the age.

For me they should consider delaying the event and maybe delay the next season to allow skaters to rest, but if they are all already there, then maybe do it anyway and pray.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Is there any chanced of a closed door competition?
Just have athletes and judges and no audience, and have them skating live streamed by 10 or 20 channels?

I'm interested to see what happens. The main benefit for the host city is the economic impact of holding the event for local hotels, restaurants, etc. With a closed door competition, you still have the risk of people bringing and/or taking back the virus without that financial windfall for the region. I don't know how much leverage the ISU and Skate Canada have to push for an event closed to the public, but we'll find out soon.

 

[gravy]

It's completely irresponsible and reckless to hold this event. Some poster above said they should anyway because it's up to each person to decide whether or not to put themselves at risk. Unfortunately the WHO just declared COVID19 a pandemic and it's no longer just about taking care of yourself but making sure you don't transmit it to more vulnerable populations. But the ISU is so incompetent that I wouldn't put it past them to continue holding this event for the sake of money.

 

[Olibritt]

What if one of the employees involved is sick, or one of the judges.

Anyone present at the even could legally sue ISU for allowing a competition in such circumstances, it's all up to ISU. (i doubt someone will ever do it, but like Daniel's coach said it raises thousand of questions)

It's also something extremely hard to determine as the symptoms only appear after a week and there are asymptomatic cases too.

Skaters can absolutely be affected by it, they have just extremely low chances to die but their coaches could certainly be more at risk depending on the age.

For me they should consider delaying the event and maybe delay the next season to allow skaters to rest.

Competition held or cancelled, skaters, judges and coaches have to be somewhere and noone can garantee that they won´t get infected.
Public health is the main reason to consider here and they are part of the "general population": if they do not agree with the meassures, they are free to go home.

 

[TallyT]

Skaters can absolutely be affected by it, they have just extremely low chances to die but their coaches could certainly be more at risk depending on the age.

Also, remember the respiratory element: yes, the skaters are young and strong and fit, but Yuzuru isn't the only skater known to have asthma (my local paper was doing a piece on whether asthma and related conditions might make getting the virus that bit worse)

 

[Cutting the ice]

For those who wish to keep up with the situation in Canada wrt COVID-19 visit the PHAC website
We are still mostly in travel-related transmission mode with the exception being British Columbia (so close to Washington State) where it is in a long-term care facility. In Ontario, as of today 3394 people have been tested with 34 confirmed positives (465 tests pending) and the rest negative - good news that the public health officials are casting a very wide net and are ramping up extra-hospital testing centres as we speak. In this province, all positive cases are people with a recent history of travel or live with positive people (1 pending investigation). Interestingly of today's 5 new cases - 2 of the new positives had returned from the USA, one of those trips was from Hawaii. I know at least others had travelled to Colorado and Las Vegas as well as California. This makes me think that COVID-19 is much wider spread in the USA than is currently understood.

However - that is the good news. Given the thousands and thousands of people that cross the Canada-USA border daily, we are going to struggle with flattening the epidemic curve regardless of whether Worlds are cancelled or not! Next week is "March Break" when public schools close for a week and where anybody with children and many without head south to catch some warmth. Places such as Florida are most popular. Lets see what happens when they return. Fingers crossed they take lots of hand sanitizer with them.

 

[Shani]

I think they should close the event to the public and screen for free worldwide on the ISU you tube channel. Most of the athletes will be there already and probably isolating themselves as much as possible. If there is no vaccine developed for a year there will only be a significant rise in the number of cases in 2 months time. Most cases in Canada are travel related but look how quickly it's spreading out into communities.