15 March 2020 – Following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of a state of national disaster due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Toyota National Championships for the physically disabled will not go ahead as planned from the 21-25 March in Nelson Mandela Bay.
SASAPD president, Moekie Grobelaar says “This may come as a shock, as this was one of the main events where athletes could still qualify for Paralympic squads and where talent would be showcased. These championships are a cornerstone in development for sportspeople with disabilities, it’s the #BirthplaceOfDreams. SASAPD have pledged to be responsible, thoughtful and transparent with our decisions, and despite doing everything possible to create a safe environment for our players and athletes, the risk is just too overwhelming and we cannot put lives at risk.”
This evening, in his public address, Ramaphosa announced that gatherings of more than 100 people are prohibited as 61 cases of the Coronavirus have now been confirmed in the country. Among the steps taken by government to mitigate the effect of COVID-19, schools will close on Wednesday (18 March) and reopen after the Easter weekend (13 April).
SASAPD is adhering to the presidents call that “the situation calls for an extraordinary response; there can be no half measures”.
SASAPD would like thank all those who have supported and prepared for the championships, our sincere gratitude and regret that the Championships will not be able to continue as planned.
Further updates will be made available in due course on our social media platforms.
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