LPGA Scraps Thailand and Singapore Events Due to Coronavirus
The LPGA has called off two upcoming events in Thailand and Singapore due to the ongoing global coronavirus outbreak.
Over 40,000 individuals worldwide have contracted the virus, with nearly 900 fatalities, and the LPGA deemed it necessary to cancel events outside of China.
The Honda LPGA Thailand 2020, initially scheduled for February 20-23 in Pattaya, Thailand, and the HSBC Women's World Championship 2020, planned for February 27 to March 1 in Singapore, were both cancelled.
Tough Decisions
In a statement, the LPGA expressed gratitude to its sponsors, Honda and HSBC, for their understanding and efforts in staging an unforgettable event. They also emphasized the priority given to the health and safety of players, fans, and everyone involved with the tournament.
Despite feeling disappointed, the LPGA looked forward to returning to Asia as soon as possible.
The coronavirus has disrupted sporting events worldwide, with numerous events either being cancelled, postponed, or relocated. The cancellation of these LPGA tournaments, though, marks the first significant impact outside of China.
Enrichment Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to numerous sporting event cancellations, postponements, and relocations across various sports worldwide. Some notable examples include:
- Olympic Events: The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo were rescheduled to 2021.
- Marathons and Running Events: Many major marathons worldwide, including the Berlin, New York City, Tokyo, Chicago, Rome, Toronto, and Grandma's marathons, were cancelled or postponed.
- Baseball and Basketball: With limited details provided, it is known that the impact of COVID-19 affected various sports events.
- Biathlon: The 2019–20 Biathlon World Cup concluded early, and the 2020–21 Biathlon World Cup saw changes in locations and event cancellations.
- Bodybuilding: The 2020 Arnold Sports Festival was scaled down, and similar events in Africa, Australia, and South America were delayed.
- Cross-Country Skiing: The Swedish and Finnish Ski Associations opted out of certain events due to COVID-19 concerns, leading to several event cancellations.
- Curling: The 2021 World Women's Curling Championship was initially cancelled and later reinstated, with several interruptions due to positive tests.
- Road Cycling: Several UCI World Tour races and stages of major events, including the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, were postponed or cancelled.
These instances highlight the far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various sporting events globally.
