The International University Sports Federation (FISU) has cancelled the World University Championships in four remaining sports including wrestling due to Covid-19. The other sports are weightlifting, karate and badminton. This means there will be no World University Championships this year. FISU has also confirmed none of the 2020 World University Championships which have been called off will be rearranged for next year owing to the “tight international sports calendar in 2021”.
Gangjin in South Korea had been set to host the World University Weightlifting Championships from October 20 to 24. The wrestling competition had been due to follow in Nizhny Novgorod in Russia from October 27 to November 1, while Brasilia was set to stage the karate event between November 5 and 8.
The World University Badminton Championships, scheduled to be the final FISU event of the year, had been due to take place in Bangkok from November 16 to 22.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, FISU has done its best to protect all athletes and participants of its events,” FISU secretary general and chief executive Eric Saintrond wrote in a letter to member federations. “This year has proven to be very challenging in many aspects of our daily life and has had many consequences in the world of sports.
“Although the cancellation of our World University Championships has not been an easy decision to make, recent status updates have shown us that we must continue to remain cautious and not take any risk, with regards to the organisation of events.
“Moreover, after careful analysis and discussion with the International Federations and Continental University Sports Federations, the FISU Steering Committee decided that, given the tight international sports calendar in 2021, no 2020 World University Championship will be postponed to next year.”