Charles Hamelin’s last lap may not take place in Montreal after all. The World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, which are to be held in the metropolis in March, are in the process of being canceled.
Posted at 12:56 p.m.
According to what Radio-Canada Sports reports, certain vaccines against COVID-19 received by skaters who must take part in the competition are not recognized by Health Canada, which prevents certain delegations from entering the country.
In its regulations, the International Skating Federation (ISU) states that a competition cannot take place if countries are excluded for a reason like this. A call for tenders would have been launched in order to open the door to other countries to organize it. They have until February 23 to show up.
Contacted by The Press, Saturday morning, Speed Skating Canada did not deny this information. She says she has worked “tirelessly” with the Quebec federation over the past few months to “try to save” the event.
“We were confident that we could stage the event safely under strict health protocols that prioritize the safety of our participants and our community, as we successfully did for the World Cup in Calgary, but we do not control not international border measures nor the ISU’s position to cancel events if all countries cannot participate.
We still hope that the Canadian government will find a way to organize this event in Montreal, in the meantime Canadian skaters will be ready to participate if the ISU decides to move the event elsewhere.
Excerpt from an email from Speed Skating Canada
It has been several months since Charles Hamelin made it known publicly that he would do his last lap at the World Championships, in front of family and friends. The 37-year-old athlete has just won gold in the relay at the Beijing Olympics, his sixth career Olympic medal.