USA Swimming has officially pulled the plug on all events for the next 30 days regarding the coronavirus pandemic, sources have confirmed. That includes all championship meets including NCSAs. Moments later, the NCAA Championships were also cancelled.
The coronavirus pandemic ramped up this week with many American colleges and universities suspending classes and shifting to online schooling for the rest of the semester. Many major sporting events, including the remainder of the NBA season and the NHL season have been put on hold for the time being. Two NBA players from the Utah Jazz, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, have tested positive for COVID-19.
In a letter to its membership, USA swimming revealed that it is meeting daily to assess the situation but advises against events for the near future.
“We also strongly recommend that our Local Swimming Committees (LSC) and clubs suspend all USA Swimming-sanctioned competitions across the country for the next 30 days,” the letter writes. “Further information about the TYR Pro Swim Series at Mission Viejo, an officially approved FINA qualifying competition for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, will be shared within the next few days.”
Coaches at programs far and wide are now wondering what the best course of action is, Denmark’s director of swimming Lars Greenbach having sent all Danish swimmers home from the National Training Centre under Government guidelines. In the United States, coach Dia C. Rianda, a safety advocate, became the first to suspend a local program: practice at the Monterey Aquatics Swim Club is suspended pending further advice on the virus and in the interests of well-being of athletes and others.
The USA Swimming decision was one of many hard choices made on a day that included the cancellation of the Danish Open and Olympic Trials, the Swim Open, Stockholm, a Norwegian lockdown that cancelled sport, FINA postponements and cancellations, the cancellation of French Junior Championships and a plea from Italy to halt the Olympic Games to avoid Tokyo 2020 going ahead in July when many of the world’s best swimmers may no longer be in the kind of shape they would have been but for the pandemic and its knock-on effects.
An Extraordinary Day In Swimming History:
- France Cancels Junior Nationals On Extraordinary Day In Swim History Ahead of Crunch Decision On Olympic Trials
- Scandinavian Swimming Shutdown: Danish Open, Olympic Trials, Swim Open Stockholm Off; Pools Shut & Norway Bans All Sport Events In Coronavirus Lockdown
- FINA Confirms Postponement of the Men’s Olympic Water Polo Qualifier in Rotterdam
- FINA Cancels/ Postpones Swathe Of Aquatic Events Due To Coronavirus Pandemic, Some Decisions Pending
- Peaty, Anderson & Co Set For Edinburgh Against The Backdrop Of Coronavirus
- Italian Struggle To Find Swimming Pools To Train In Sparks #stopolympics Coronavirus Lockdown Campaign
- The Soak – WADA Warns Of Unintended Consequences As Rodchenkov Act On Whistleblowing Takes Step Closer To Becoming U.S. Law
- British Olympic Association & Athletes Reach Agreement Over IOC Rule
- WHO Set To Give ‘Basic Thoughts’ On Olympics & Coronavirus As Unrepentant Tokyo 2020 Board Member Sounds “Warning Bell”
- NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships Now Closed to Spectators
And that followed this:
- COVID-19 Leads Argentina to Cancel South American Championships
- Ivy League To Cancel All Athletic Events Through Remainder Of Spring
Guidance on Water and Coronavirus
Just cancelled Fl swimming senior champs that was supposed to start at 4pm I have a Junior trying to get into college. So upset
Maranda Bell the timing for these kids is hard. My daughter is in the same boat. ?♀️
Maranda Bell mine too. ?
Becca Haufe Collins same here with my junior son
Maranda Bell , mine too. My daughter was less then .2 seconds away from NSCA cuts in 2 events. She was hoping to get the at FL Senior Champs so she could go to NSCA. Wanted to get seen by the college recruiters. Just sucks ??
Karin Knudson O’Connell plus college visits will be affected with many schools sending students home. Not sure how my daughter will meet a team if they aren’t there.
Maranda Bell right there with ya.
Really !?! Cuz Mission Viejo in California still holding a JO meet this weekend.
David Moreno probably not any more
David Moreno not anymore
Michelle Jensen REALLY!!! When did that happen?
David Moreno literally like 10 minutes ago.
Missy DeConti Turner I’m glad they did. Life is more than sports. This coming from a former division one swimmer.
Missy DeConti Turner ??
David Moreno same! I’m currently an age group coach and our Mini Champs was the last to be cancelled when this message came out.
David Moreno All USA swimming sanctioned events are canceled for the next 30 days. They just announced it an hour ago
They strongly suggest lsc’s do not have meets! Not banned according to YSA swimming wording.
Michelle Jensen yes I read that. That’s why I posted my comment. ??
Missy DeConti Turner I’m sorry to hear that. There will always be other meets in the future.
David Moreno I’m absolutely fine with it. Better safe than sorry!
MV spring JO is cancelled!
David Moreno they canceled it at 10:30 this morning
Not any more. My team left at 4 in the morning to go. When we got there, we got the email it was canceled
Not any more. My team left at 4 in the morning to go. When we got there, we got the email it was canceled
ISCA Junior Cup in St. Petersburg?
Everything is canceled
JO in Mission Viejo has been cancelled .
Far Westerns in Pleasanton?
Valerie Stewart our coach pulled our team from Far Westerns. I think the coordinators will probably cancel.
Valerie Stewart yes. All USA Swimming Sanctioned Meets.
Steve Schaffer thank you!
Lucy Jhong is FW’s cancelled too for PLS?
Postponed http://www.pacswim.org
TrevandSar Vordermann
Nicole Josephs it’s 27 days away ? nice !!!
Tony Womac
Nancy A. Lattanzi
Emma Warner thank you. These are crazy times…stay safe??
Deanna Abrego
Only 30 days though
For now
Does this mean that sectionals in OK is cancelled?
This so sad for all of our swimmers who have been working so hard and were tapering for their sectional meet. I can’t believe USA swimming is doing this. I get canceling big swim meets. But let the teams have their own small meets if they have a pool for it.
Gina Marcelli-Munk I completely understand but they is about safety for all. There’s no good races if they are sick.
I think (hope) many clubs will adjust meets when this settles and hold more meets. It Stinks that the playing field isnt even now , and for my hs jr who never got a championship meet but college coaches should understand.
Norrine Dittrich Armbruster exactly! Our daughter is a junior, all High School meets have been cancelled also. What will the implications be for swimming in college ?
Brooke Lee I think they will have more sc meets spring and summer and try to make up for it to level the playing field. Heart breaking but college coaches are going to understand if not great times…
Norrine Dittrich Armbruster I Hope so ?
Norrine Dittrich Armbruster he had easterns
Jeannine Juskalian wasnt a taper meet for mine as he just started training due to shoulder. Was counting on srs.
Norrine Dittrich Armbruster ohhh didn’t realize, poor Andy I know he’s bummed.
Jeannine Juskalian yup plus Easterns couldnt get free times he needs or Im (or the 200)..
Norrine Dittrich Armbruster I know tyler is bummed. Is Andy still training
Jeannine Juskalian yup as best he can.
Norrine Dittrich Armbruster tyler to
Jeannine Juskalian where do you go? I hear all gyms in Mont co closing.
Question is, I have a swimmer who is 12 and has a birthday in 2 weeks. Will they honor their age group if they have the meet in 30 days?
Tim Lisowski really? That’s your concern? One meet for a 12 year old facing 6 more years of club swimming?
Tim Lisowski people are dying … that’s not an issue… it’s a small lesson in resilience ?
Craig Lord just a question. That is all. I get life lessons and resilience, but I have a 12 year old who is hoping he could still swim. That is all. He’s 12.
Steve Schaffer sorry. Just a question.
Tim Lisowski I get your question and it’s a good one if they reschedule it. Especially being at the top of their age group.
Becca Haufe Collins Thank you.
Steve Schaffer top five reasons to coach.
We have several kids on our team that are on the brink of aging up some of which were in contention to break state records in that age group. Losing that chance is a big deal to a kid that’s trained 8-10 sessions a week since September no matter what their age.
Eddie Ring it looks like we don’t have to worry about that in Illinois anymore. Illinois Swimming has canceled our Age Group Championship meet with no plans to reschedule. Steve Schaffer, while our kids are only 12 & 10 and have years of club swimming left, it is still disappointing to them….because they are kids and they have worked hard to get there. And, Craig Lord, yes it is a life lesson in resilience, but they are still allowed to be disappointed at a 12 & 10 years old. Stay healthy everyone!
Susan Tinman Lisowski Same boat here in Louisiana. 14-under State was set to start tonight.
The future holds no guarantees for an athlete. A kid that had a chance to break a record at 12 isn’t guaranteed anything in the 13-14s.
Eddie Ring totally true!
Tim Lisowski , I get it. The cuts usually go up dramatically for 13.
Steve Schaffer be nice it may not matter to you but my kid was on fire at 12 so it mattered
Craig Lord as I said above be nice. People die everyday and a lot more than with this virus with the common flu so be nice. You had a young kid swimming at one time
Tim Lisowski don’t apologize everyone of us wants our kid to swim whether they are 12 or 18 they are being rude
Susan Tinman Lisowski perfectly stated
Dave Johnson
Kaz Boskovic Gus Bennett
Kelly Hernandez Kathy Whitson Chad Whitson
Missy Bentz
Kenzie Ann I know!? So far Cali meet is still on. It’s a few days after that.
What will I do on weekends???
Yardwork?
could but probably not Marie
Doug Kintz , live the good life! ?
This is the right thing to do based on the clear science around pandemics & how to prevent deaths. But d*mn. My heat goes out to the kids whose lives are disrupted, their parents and family, and everyone who makes all these meets possible. ?
Have the meets no spectators!!! Chlorine kills viruses. Keep swimming
Alex John
Exactly!
this is crazy
Ian Summerton
Robin Hayes WOW
??
Josh Barila
So Disappointed in USA swimming
Same…
Don’t wear white and blue