“What this is all about is risk mitigation,”: Curling Canada postpones several upcoming competitions

Multiple upcoming national curling championships have been scrapped due to concerns of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The postponements affect the 2020 Canad Inns Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships, and Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship.

“After careful consultation with local and national health authorities, we have determined it is in the best interest to indefinitely postpone these upcoming national championships,” said Curling Canada CEO Katherine Henderson.

“This decision was not taken lightly, but the health and well-being of our athletes, volunteers, spectators, and officials remains the top priority.”

She also addressed concerns the cancelation of the World Women’s Curling Championships, originally scheduled for this weekend in Prince George, was last minute.

“What this is all about is risk mitigation, and we were working with the local health authorities trying to ascertain the level of risk that they felt,”

Henderson added organizers considered allowing the event to continue with no fans present but decided against it.

“We looked at a number of scenarios but realized right now with the rising rates of infection that we wanted to take as little risk as humanly possible,”

The national mixed doubles and seniors championships were scheduled from March 16-22 in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. and the national wheelchair event was to be played in Boucherville, Quebec, from April 25-30.

The 2020 Under-18 Canadian Curling Championships, in Sudbury, Ont., from April 20-25, will be re-evaluated in the coming days.

The USPORTS Canadian University Championships and Canadian Colleges Athletic Association championships, which are currently being played in Portage la Prairie, will conclude as scheduled on Sunday.

Team Kerri Einarson also issued a statement on their Facebook page.

“Team Canada is extremely disappointed with the news that the 2020 World Women’s Curling Championship has been canceled. We respect the decision made today and understand that the health and safety of all is the most important thing.”