The women’s world hockey championship, scheduled for later this month in Canada, has been cancelled because of the new coronavirus.
International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel told The Associated Press the decision was made by conference call Saturday. The two-week tournament was set to open March 31, with venues in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia.
Fasel said concerns were raised regarding the health of players and fans attending the tournament in light of the global spread of the virus. Hockey Canada was in the process of informing its officials and partners of the cancellation.
This marks the second time the women’s worlds have been cancelled. The 2003 tournament scheduled for Beijing was called off because of the SARS outbreak in China.