Patrick Chan (Paul Chiasson, Associated Press)
Due to the recent devastation in Japan, the World Figure Skating Championships in Tokyo, scheduled to start March 21, will be postponed.
According to the Canadian Press, Yoyogi Stadium in Tokyo, did not experience any damage, but organizers from the International Skating Union are concerned about the damage to nuclear reactors in the area.
The earthquake which occurred Friday in Northeastern Japan, has killed over 2,800 people, with many still missing.
Among the Canadians that were to compete included Olympic gold medal winning ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, and Patrick Chan, the two-time World Championship silver medallist.
A decision of where the World Figure Skating Championships will be moved to is expected by Thursday. It is highly unlikely that they will remain in Japan. There is the possibility that the Championships would be cancelled for the first time since 1961. That year, a Boeing 707 aircraft crashed on its way from New York to Belgium, killing the majority of the American figure skating team.
This could be the first major international sports competition cancelled since the 2003 Women’s World Hockey Championship was cancelled in Beijing, China due to the SARS outbreak.
Tags: patrick chan, scott moir, tessa virtue, world figure skating championships
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