Pandemic Forces Cancellation of Wimbledon
Virus Outbreak Britain
VOA News
The Wimbledon tennis championships in London — widely considered to be the world’s premier tennis event — will be canceled this year due the coronavirus pandemic.
In statement Wednesday, the All England Tennis Club (AELTC) and the committee of management of the championships said the 2020 Grand Slam tournament — scheduled to be held June 29 through July 11 — will be canceled due to public health concerns. It will be rescheduled for 2021.
It will be the first time since World War II the event has been canceled.
«This is a decision that we have not taken lightly, and we have done so with the highest regard for public health and the wellbeing of all those who come together to make Wimbledon happen,» said AELTC chairman Ian Hewitt.
The cancellation is the latest in a collection of major sporting events canceled or postponed by the pandemic, including the Summer Olympics scheduled for later this year in Tokyo, and professional soccer, baseball and basketball seasons.