23/03/2020
Team Canada has announced it will not send athletes of the 2020 Olympic/Paralympic Games if they are held as planned in the summer. The decision came just hours after the IOC sent a letter to athletes stating it would determine in four weeks time whether or not to postpone the games due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Currently there are more than 173 countries with cases of COVID-19 and more than 14,000 deaths from the virus worldwide (Johns Hopkins University)..
The link to the full statement by the COC/CPC can be found in the CCN profile link, but in part, it said: “This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health. With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow.”
Team Canada has two athletes qualified for Sport Climbing’s Olympic debut; Sean McColl and Alannah Yip, both of North Vancouver, BC. McColl reacted to the Team Canada announcement via social media, saying “I am once again honoured to call myself Canadian, based on the leadership of the Canadian Olympic Committee () together with their Athletes’ Commission in putting the health and safety of the country as a whole at the forefront of their call to postpone The Games. I stand in solidarity with my country, and I hope the IOC and the Tokyo Organizing Committee will make the responsible decision to postpone The Games. 🌎
CEC High Performance Director and National Team Head Coach Andrew Wilson also released a statement Sunday night: “On behalf of Climbing Escalade Canada and its Olympic athletes, Alannah Yip and Sean McColl, I would like to applaud the Canadian Olympic Committee/Canadian Paralympic Committee for their decision to not send Canadian teams to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer of 2020. It takes real leadership and courage to take a firm stand. We strongly believe this is the right call.”
The IOC has said, at this time cancellation, is not on the table.
Photo from the Pan-American Combined Championships by Carol Coelho Fotografa /
