Petition raised for World Sailing to cancel Hempel Sailing World Cup Genoa 2020 due to the risks of Coronavirus.
Sailors Against Coronavirus have started this petition to Sailors:
It is irresponsible and possibly dangerous to host the Hempel Sailing World Cup in Genoa due to the risks of COVID-19. Having hundreds of sailors, coaches and staff from all over the world stay in Northern Italy and return to their home countries would undue global efforts to contain the virus.
It is the responsibility of World Sailing to provide safe events for their competitors. Many sailing federations are required compete in Genoa to qualify for the Olympics, which forces them to decide between their safety and a chance to compete at the Olympic Games.
World Sailing should make the responsible decision to cancel the event and chose a safer location for final Olympic qualifications.
The petition follows the move – by World Sailing – of the Women’s Skiff and Mixed Multihull Asian Continental Qualification Events, to be combined with the Hempel World Cup Series event in Genoa, Italy, apparently as a safer venue!
Italy now has 3,000 cases of coronavirus and 107 people have died, most in the north, but others have been confirmed in 19 of Italy’s 20 regions.
Today (5 Mar) the Federazione Italiana Vela issued the following:
The Italian Sailing Federation also aligns with the Prime Minister’s Decree-Law of March 4 on Coronovirus prevention measures. All regattas with National and Zonal calendar, in all Zones, are suspended until March 22nd. The measure also concerns training activities and rallies.
(And) by means of its medical staff … .. controls suitable for containing the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus among athletes, technicians, managers and all accompanying persons.
The 420 – Coppa Italia – San Remo ITA – has just been cancelled due to the Coronavirus ! Last weekend, all races were cancelled in the Lombardia and Veneto regions.
Italy has also confirmed that it will shut all schools from 5 March for 10 days and all professional sport, including Serie A football matches, will be played behind closed doors for a month.
In reply to our request for comment World Sailing said:
World Sailing has not received a request from sailors or team leaders to cancel the Genoa World Cup.
With the Medical Commission and the Federazione Italiana Vela we are constantly reviewing the situation and informing sailors and teams with advice and guidance.
The UK government advise against all but essential travel to 10 small towns in Lombardy and one in Veneto (Vo’ Euganeo), which have been isolated by the Italian authorities due to an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus.
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