World Athletics has advised that the Chinese city of Nanjing’s hosting of the World Athletics Indoor Championships, originally due to have been staged in March 2020, will be further postponed until March 2025 due to ongoing COVID-19 conditions in the country.
With China’s National Health Commission reporting an ongoing rise in Coronavirus cases, World Athletics said the decision to postpone the 2023 event was taken with the agreement of both the Nanjing organising committee and the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA).
The Championships, an early casualty of sporting events cancelled due to COVID-19, were first postponed until March 2021, and then to March 2023, as the pandemic continued.
World Athletics President, Sebastian Coe advised "we're disappointed that we have had to postpone this event again due to circumstances beyond our control, but we have done so to give certainty to athletes and member federations preparing for the 2023 competition season.
"Unfortunately, the timeframe will prevent us from relocating the 2023 event, but the indoor championships will return in 2024 in Glasgow.
"We have offered Nanjing the 2025 edition because we are mindful of the substantial preparations the LOC (local organising committee) has already done to host the event and we want to avoid potential financial losses for all parties."
Following the postponement, the next edition of the World Athletics Indoor Championships will now be in the Scottish city of Glasgow from 1st to 3rd March 2024.
Beyond 2025, the bidding process has already commenced for the 2026 edition.
Images: Indoor athletics (top, credit: Shutterstock/Adam Vilimek) and the Championships will be held at Nanjing’s Cube indoor sports centre (below, courtesy of LOC).
About the author
Nigel Benton
Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management
Born in the English county of Dorset, Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry and the www.ausleisure.com.au website - the go to news resource for industry leaders and professionals.
With a long-term commitment to communicating all that is best about the leisure industry (aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues) his career has been defined by an ability to develop and implement industry communications.
Starting his career working in heritage visitor attractions and then adventure travel in Africa and the Middle East, an interest in writing about his experiences led to his change of career into magazine journalism and publishing.
In addition to publishing, Nigel speaks on marketing communications at a range of industry events.
He was made a Life Member of the World Leisure and Recreation Association in 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London).
In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.
As of October 2024, he was inducted into the Australian Fitness Awards Roll of Honour at the 2024 AUSactive National Awards.
Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.
His philosophy on life is to be kind to all and to indulge those that you love.
His passions include family, Newcastle United and motorcycles (especially British ones) as well as caring for Stella the pug.
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