Another prestigious international event has fallen off of the calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic, as the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games are being rescheduled.
Originally slated for August 1st – August 7th of 2021 in Trinidad and Tobago, the 7th edition of the quadrennial event is now in the position of overlapping the with rescheduled Olympic Games. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games had already officially been moved to July 23rd – August 8th.
“Following positive discussions, the CGF has agreed to consider the best alternative options and timeframes for staging the event in the future, potentially in 2023,” said the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) today, May 1st.
The CGF has given the Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Association (TTCGA) consideration to retain its hosting status.
Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs in the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has committed to asking the Cabinet to re-examine its position and provide the necessary confirmation regarding the hosting of the Commonwealth Youth Games and the related expenditure, according to the CGF statement.
CGF President Dame Louise Martin said, “The rescheduling of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics has also changed demands on scheduling and resources for many of our Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) and International Federations from 2020 to 2021.
“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact across the world and everyone’s absolute priority is the health and wellbeing of their communities.”
“Our decision has been made in the best interests of athletes, fans and citizens that are to benefit from these transformational Games.
“We are committed over the coming months to look at future dates and hosting options, to ensure the right decision is taken for the Commonwealth Youth Games, so that the region can continue to play a leading role as part of the Commonwealth Sports Movement.”
The news of the Commonwealth Youth Games’ postponement comes immediately on the heels of the news that all 2020 European Junior Championships events have now been cancelled.