Last night in the evening the news that Dudince (SVK) also had to raise the white flag in front of the current main enemy: COVID-19.
With Dudince, four races have been canceled altogether at the beginning of the season, while two altars, those from distant Japan, have undergone radical changes with numerical reductions and limitations.
It is not enough. In the environment, it is already rumored that the historic Podebrady race should also suffer the same fate as it would seem that the Government of the Czech Republic has prohibited all competitions with groups of more than 100 people.
Even in the case of Dudince, the decisions made by the Government of the Slovak Republic to contrast the spread of the virus have not allowed the Slovak Federation, which since this year has taken on the organization a different choice.
More than 60 athletes representing 23 countries should have been present.
The spread of COVID-19 in Europe does not seem to be decreasing and does not seem, for the moment, to be stopped so easily. By now we have lost count of the number of infections in Europe, but that of the dead, unfortunately, already exceeds 500 units.
Before the World Race Walking Team Championships (BLR) of Minsk 2020, only the following competition remain:
Mar 14 (Sat), 2020: Portuguese National Champioships, Olhao, Algarve, Portugal (20km)
Mar 14 (Sat), 2020: Balkan Race Walking Champioships. Ivano Frankivsk, Ukraine (20km - 35km)
Mar 22 (Sun), 2020: Championnats de France, Gien, France (20km - 35km - 50km)
Mar 22 (Sun), 2020: LXXII Campionato de Espana, Murcia, Spain (20km)
Mar 29 (Sun), 2020: USA Trials for Race walking team Championships, Whiting, NJ, USA
Apr 4 (Sat), 2020: Grande Prémio Internacional de Rio Maior em Marcha Atlética, Rio Maior, Portugal
Apr 4 (Sat), 2020: Podebrady Walks Meet, Podebrady, Czech Republic
Apr 12 (Sun), 2020: 104th Japan Athletics Championships, Wajima, Japan (50km Men)
Apr 18 (Sat), 2020: International Race Walk Meeting, Zaniemysl, Poland (20km)
Apr 19 (Sun), 2020: Hungarian 20km Race Walk Championships, Békéscsaba, Hungary (20km)
After the World Race Walking Team Championships the list of "Qualifying" Race Walk Competitions in 2020 includes the following "National Permit Competitions" and "World Athletics Race Walk Challenge".
May 16 (Sat): German National Race Walking Championships, Naumburg, Germany (20km)
May 24 (Sun): Finland National Championships, Lapua, Finland (30km men, 20km women)
May 30 (Sat): World Athletics Race Walk Challenge - La Coruna, Spain (20km)
Jun 5 (Fri): 46th International Race Walking Festival - Alythus, Lithuania (20km)
Jun 14 (Sun): Polish National Championships, Mielec, Poland (20km)
Jun 28 (Sun): Canadian Olympic Track and Field Trials, Montreal, Canada (20km)
Hopefully something good will happen.