China has suspended the organization of the 2023 Asian Cup of soccer due to “extraordinary events caused by the Covid-19 pandemic”, the Asian Confederation (AFC) announced in a press release on Saturday.
The Asian giant, struggling with an epidemic outbreak, has either canceled or recently postponed organizing many competitions in their land, especially the Asian Games scheduled for September in Hangzhou (east).
The Asian Cup, which brings together 24 teams, will be held in ten Chinese cities in June and July 2023. The AFC has not specified which will be the new host country.
Significantly rescued in two years, China faces its worst epidemic outbreak since the spring of 2020. To deal with it, it continues its strategy zero covid resulting in detentions and quarantine once certain cases arise.
Shanghai’s 25 million residents have been incarcerated since early April.
Before the pandemic, the country had risen to prominence in the sport since the 2000s, hosting the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Shanghai, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as well as various world championship or tennis tournaments.
But with the exception of the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, which were organized in February-March in a health bubble, China has not hosted any major international competition since the pandemic began, to prevent any outbreak of the epidemic.
Diamond League athletics events scheduled for Shanghai (July 30) and Shenzen (August 6), the Formula 1 Shanghai GP and the men’s (ATP) and women’s (WTA) tennis tournaments have been canceled. .
Source: Radio-Canada
