The World Triathlon Championship in Japan’s Yokohama scheduled for May 14 was postponed due to radiation concerns, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) said on Tuesday.
“We have been following the situation in Japan very closely and felt that once the Japanese Government raised the alert on the nuclear situation to the highest level of seven, it was too risky to stage an event there in May,” ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado said in a statement.
He said that the safety and health of athletes, coaches, officials and staff should not be compromised. He added that another date would be set later in 2011 for the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship.
This is not the first world sports event that Japan has had to cancel due to the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that struck the country.
In late March, Moscow was voted to host the 2011 Figure Skating World Championship after Tokyo was forced to pull out due to the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11. The championship will run from April 25 to May 1.
Japan continues to tackle the consequences of radiation leaks at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant that was seriously damaged by the powerful earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11.
MOSCOW, April 19 (RAI Novosti)