Based on the results of the CEC International Competition Assessment Process, CEC has determined to not send athletes to the IFSC Boulder World Cup, scheduled for April 16-17, 2021 in Meiringen, Switzerland.
The High Performance Program Staff determined that, at this time of the pandemic evolution, it is not safe to send athletes to Switzerland. The Staff applied Own the Podium’s “Event Return to Competition Risk Assessment and Mitigation Checklist Tool”, and considered multiple factors, including, but not limited to:
- the Canadian Government is not currently recommending international travels, and has imposed strict International Travel Restrictions and Guidelines.
- Own The Podium and Sport Canada currently recommend that only athletes qualified for Tokyo 2021, or in the process of qualifying for Tokyo 2021 or Beijing 2022, should attend international competitions.
- There will not be a “bubble” system in place in Switzerland that would guarantee the athletes’ and support personnel’s safety while attending the World Cup event.
- Vaccines are not available to high performance athletes and support personnel at this time.
CEC acknowledges that our athletes have a strong desire to compete, and we share the disappointment that this decision may bring. We believe that athlete, staff and community health and safety must remain the priority in the current situation.
Decisions regarding CEC athlete attendance for future 2021 World Cup events will be made on an event to event basis following the CEC International Competition Assessment Process.
