Coronavirus pandemic forces cancellation of Tokyo’s Volleyball Olympic Test event

The Volleyball Ariake Arena Test Match for the Tokyo Challenge Cup had been due to take place from this Saturday, 21 April, to Thursday 26 April. However, Tokyo 2020 said the Japan Volleyball Association had decided to cancel the event due to concerns over the COVID-19 outbreak.

Organisers said they would “carry out an operational test within the given dates” after confirming it is safe to do so.

Tokyo 2020 added it would “consult with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and other relevant organisations to determine the content of such tests”.

“We will continue to stay in close collaboration with all relevant organisations as we prepare to deliver a safe and secure Tokyo 2020 Games,” according to a statement from the Organising Committee.

The FIVB has also decided to postpone the 2020 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) until after the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The decision to postpone but not cancel the VNL comes after close consultation with all participating National Federations and relevant authorities, and comes with with the approval of the FIVB Board of Administration.

The FIVB said postponing matters until the autumn will ensure that athletes can focus on looking after their health and fitness, and will enable national leagues that are currently having to suspend events to conclude their seasons when the situation improves. As yet a revised date period for the 2020 VNL is yet to be confirmed but the FIVB are working closely with the relevant National Federations and event organisers to host matters on completion of the Olympic Games.

The FIVB has however agreed at this stage to continue to evaluate the status of each of its beach volleyball events due to the nature of its event calendar. It is now working on a case-by-case basis working in close collaboration with the respective event organisers and national authorities.

So far the three-star event at Coolangatta Beach, Gold Coast, Australia (from 17 to 22 March) and the four-star events in Cancun, Mexico (from 24 to 29 March) and Yangzhou, China (from 22 to 26 April) have all been postponed. In addition the four-star events in Singapore (15 to 19 April) and Siming, China (29 April to 3 May) have been cancelled.