Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, is monitoring the recent outbreak of coronavirus in China and is prepared to make changes to upcoming events if necessary.
F1’s Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled to go ahead on April 19 in Shanghai and Formula E’s Sanya E-Prix is scheduled for March 21. Following the postponement or cancellation of a number of sporting events in China over the coming weeks, the FIA released a statement saying it will evaluate the future of its events as the situation unfolds.
“Following the coronavirus epidemic that broke out in China at the beginning of the year, the FIA is closely monitoring the evolving situation with relevant authorities and its Member Clubs, under the direction of FIA Medical Commission President, Professor Gérard Saillant,” a statement said.
“The FIA will evaluate the calendar of its forthcoming races and, if necessary, take any action required to help protect the global motor sport community and the wider public.”
The virus has had a major impact on China’s sporting landscape, with several events cancelled and the country’s Olympic women’s soccer team quarantined in Australia.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) said on Thursday it is postponing all domestic games due to the rapidly spreading coronavirus epidemic as the total number of confirmed deaths from the newly identified pathogen in the country rose to 170.
Chinese health authorities said there were 7,711 confirmed cases of infection as of the end of Wednesday, mostly in Hubei province, while infections have been reported in at least 15 other countries.
On Thursday, the CFA said in a statement on its website that football games at all levels would be postponed in order to help control the virus spread.
“The Chinese Football Association will continue to maintain close communication with national authorities — and make reasonable adjustments to the organisation, schedule and scale of matches where necessary,” a statement read.
The Chinese women’s soccer team had travelled to Australia to play in an Olympic qualifying tournament but will remain quarantined in a Brisbane hotel. Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the players were healthy and being checked every day.
“I thank the Chinese community for their proactive response for how they’ve dealt with this,” Young said.
Late on Wednesday, the World Athletics Indoor Championships, scheduled to take place in Nanjing in March, was postponed until 2021 over fears related to the coronavirus outbreak, the sport’s governing body said.
The governing bodies of several other sports, including skiing, badminton, tennis and basketball, have also been forced into rearranging events, weighing possible changes or monitoring the implications of the outbreak.