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Coronavirus pandemic

FIDE reschedules World Chess Olympiad to summer of 2021

The Competition for Disabled and the FIDE Congress have also been put on hold, according to FIDE

© Vladimir Gerdo/TASS

MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. /TASS/. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has decided to reschedule the World Chess Olympiad, including competition for players with disabilities, and the FIDE Congress to the summer of 2021.

Read also

Russia’s entry ban won’t target Chinese chess players, FIDE says

The Olympiad opening ceremony, the first-ever event for people with disabilities, the FIDE Congress and the General Assembly were scheduled to be held in Khanty-Mansiysk, whereas the tournament events were due in Moscow. The opening ceremony was planned for July 29, the Paralympiad — for July 30-August 4, and the Olympiad events — for August 6-17, 2020.

"FIDE is deeply concerned about the growing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on people's lives. Taking into account the reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicating the constant increase in the number of cases worldwide, and given today's IOC statement regarding the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, FIDE has decided to postpone the 44th Chess Olympiad (including the competition for players with disabilities) and the FIDE Congress," FIDE said in a press statement on Tuesday.

Read also

Honorary IOC member says Olympics postponement puts Tokyo in terrible situation

A pneumonia outbreak caused by the COVID-19 virus (previously known as 2019-nCoV) was reported in China’s city of Wuhan, a large trade and industrial center with a population of 11 million, in late December 2019. Cases of the new coronavirus have also been reported from more than 190 countries, including Russia, which by now has 495 cases, with 22 patients having recovered. According to the latest update, the novel coronavirus cases across the globe have neared 400,420, with about 17,450 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially described the situation with the novel coronavirus as a pandemic.

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