World indoor championships in China postponed again until 2023

[December 10, 2020]    (Reuters) - The World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China have been pushed back again to March 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sport's global governing body said on Thursday.

Piotr Lisek of Poland reacts during the Men's Pole Vault Final REUTERS/Phil Noble

The event was initially scheduled for March 13-15 this year but was postponed for 12 months over fears related to the spread of the novel coronavirus in China.

Organisers have now agreed to host the Nanjing event a year after the 2022 championships in Belgrade, World Athletics added.

"For the safety of our athletes and technical officials, we must duly consider the risks in bringing a large group of people to attend the event under the pandemic situation and fully respect and carry out the pandemic prevention policy of the host country," World Athletics said in a statement.

"The indoor season for athletics falls within a narrow calendar window (up to the end of March) so it is not possible to extend the event to later in the year."

(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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