WRC 2021 postponed due to COVID-19

With much sadness and regret, the International Ringette Federation (IRF) has agreed that the 2021 World Ringette Championships (WRC) must be postponed to 2022. It has weighed heavily on the IRF Council that so many athletes and coaches have worked so hard for years in order to give themselves the chance to take part in WRC. Nonetheless, we are agreed that this is the right decision for our member nations, players, coaches, volunteers, spectators and partners.

We have taken this decision after much deliberation, and after as thorough an evaluation that we together with our member nations have been able to conduct since the COVID-19 outbreak started to have an impact on normal life. In doing so we have considered a number of factors, including the following: latest government guidance in member nations, in particular stricter travel restrictions, quarantine requirements and social distancing requirements. Our highest concerns have been the health and safety of all those involved in the staging and running of the WRC, as well as wider public health and the WRC’s role in society’s efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.

We very much hope that the situation around the world will have improved significantly by 2021. However, given the uncertainties about the future direction of the virus, it will simply not be possible to continue preparations for the 2021 event as planned. It is now our task to work diligently with Finland as our continuing host to ensure that the WRC can emerge safe and sound on the other side of this turbulent period in 2022. No decision has been made yet on the new dates for the WRC 2022.

We will continue to provide updates on the postponed WRC (for example athlete eligibility), as they become available.