Due to coronavirus, the European football championship and the Copa América will be held in 2021. The Champions League and Europa League are confirmed for now. Meanwhile, the Olympics…
The European football championship will no longer be held in 2020 as planned, but next year. It is impossible to organise it while the world faces the emergency linked to the spread of coronavirus. This was explained in a statement by the president of Uefa, the Union of European Football Associations, Aleksandr Ceferin. "At a moment like this," the official stated, "the sporting community had a duty to show unity, solidarity and a sense of responsibility. The health of players, staff and fans is our priority. There has been a genuine spirit of cooperation on everyone's part."
For now, the main European club competitions have been confirmed. In particular the Champions League and the Europa League: the aim is to try to conclude them by the end of June. This is conditional on national leagues being able to resume, should the coronavirus epidemic subside. In that case, the final of what was once the Champions' Cup is scheduled for 27 June.
The Club World Cup, organised by Fifa, has however been postponed. It was due to be held in China, but the international federation explained that "acceding to the requests of the continental confederations, it was decided to move it to late 2021, or 2022, or 2023". This will depend on a series of discussions to be held with the Chinese authorities.
On the other side of the world too, coronavirus is profoundly reshaping athletes' schedules. Conmebol, the South American football confederation, decided to postpone to next year the edition of the Copa América that was due to take place from 12 June to 11 July in Argentina and Colombia.
No decision has yet been taken on the thorny question of the Olympic Games. The IOC, the International Olympic Committee, has not yet officially reached a decision. Within the sporting body, a tug of war appears to be taking shape between those who would like to confirm the event — scheduled in Tokyo from 24 July to 9 August — and those who would instead prefer to postpone it due to the risk of contagion.
While on the one hand the IOC itself has urged athletes to continue their preparation ahead of the Games, on the other hand former ice hockey champion Hayley Wickenheiser of Canada, a member of the Olympic Committee, has spoken of "insensitivity and irresponsibility" in the face of the refusal to postpone the sporting event.
