Game Misconduct: Women's World Hockey Championships set to start March 31 in Canada canceled due to Coronavirus

By JOHN WAWROW AP Hockey Writer

The women's world hockey championships in Canada were canceled Saturday because of the new coronavirus.

International Ice Hockey Federation President René Fasel told The Associated Press the decision was made by conference call. The two-week tournament was set to open March 31, with venues in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia.

Fasel said by phone that concerns were raised regarding the health of players and fans attending the tournament in light of the global spread of the virus. Hockey Canada, the sport's domestic ruling bod,y, was in the process of informing its officials and partners of the cancellation.

Fasel noted the difficulties some of the eight nations will encounter in making travel plans, such as Japan, where almost all sports events and large gatherings have been canceled.

"It's scary," Fasel said.

The women's worlds were canceled once before — the 2003 tournament in Beijing because of the SARS outbreak in China.

Fasel said the status of other upcoming international hockey tournaments will be determined in the coming month, starting with the under-18 men's championships in Michigan from April 16-26. Fasel said a decision on that tournament likely will be made within 10 days.

The IIHF will await until mid-April to determine whether to proceed with the men's world championships set to open May 8 in Switzerland.

"For sure, we are concerned and we are monitoring this," Fasel said.

The cancellation of the women's tournament comes at a time when women's hockey in North America has already been disrupted. In May, U.S. and Canadian national team members were among more than 200 of the world's top players to vow not to compete professionally in North America this season following the demise of the Canadian Women's Hockey League.

They then formed the Professional Women's Hockey Players' Association to demand the formation of a single league with a sustainable economic model.

The association has been holding barnstorming tours across North America, with the last stop this weekend in Phoenix.

The virus has led to the NHL and NBA considering taking precautionary measures.

On Friday, the NHL issued a memo to its teams urging players to limit contact with fans. The move followed a similar directive this month by the NBA, which has told its players to stop high-fiving fans and strangers, and avoid taking items for autographs.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday at the close of the annual general managers meetings in Florida that he's ordered a halt to all business-related travel outside North America for league employees.

The escalating virus outbreak has played havoc with numerous sporting events across Europe and Asia with games being canceled or played without spectators.

The Russian national women's football team is facing quarantine after playing a game in Germany. Saudi Arabia announced there would be no spectators for competitions starting Saturday.

The Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan has not reported any virus cases but is canceling sports events as a precaution "until the situation stabilizes," the State Agency for Youth, Fitness and Sports said in a statement.

Central Asian governments have been wary of the virus spreading. The Asian weightlifting championships, a key Olympic qualifier, were called off Friday. They were to have been hosted by Uzbekistan next month.