OBERHOFEN, Switzerland (AP) — The last scheduled World Cup meeting in cross-country skiing before the Beijing Olympics was canceled on Monday to protect athletes from the risk of COVID-19 infection in Slovenia.
Planica was to host events from Jan. 21-23 in cross-country skiing and Nordic combined for men and women.
“Due to the current acute development of the pandemic in Slovenia, the safety of stakeholders involved at those large-scale events could not be guaranteed,” the International Ski Federation (FIS) said.
Any athlete testing positive for COVID-19 so soon before traveling to the Winter Games that open on Feb. 4 risks being quarantined and denied entry to China.
FIS said it will look to find a replacement venue for the World Cup events in both disciplines. A men’s Nordic combined meeting is already scheduled in Austria later this month.
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