DOUARNENEZ/BRUSSELS/VIERSEN - Most of the billiard players in Europe and beyond will not come into action in the coming weeks due to the Corona virus and threats of contamination. Almost all tournaments, competitions and other matches have been canceled and postponed by the federations, UMB and CEB. The national and international federations have announced this news with immediate effect. Other countries, like France and Egypt, have postponed some of their cancellations until Monday. For example, the players in the Coupe d'Europe for classic teams in the French billiard arena of Douarnenez start their performance this afternoon (Friday). As far as known, tomorrow, Saturday, the third ranking event in the Egyptian capital Cairo will be launched and from 19-22 March, the Turkish championship for club teams is planned.
But like in all sports around the world, many events and competitions in billiards have been cancelled these days. Which also applies, that billiards cannot and should not be played en masse in the upcoming weeks. Today, Friday, was announced that the European Championship for artistic billiards in Miramar, Spain (23 to 26 of April) will be postponed, the same for the European Championship one cushion in Paiporta, Spain, on May 15 to 17. And Friday evening, later than 18.00, the German league was cancelled for its double weekend. Much too late for players like Michael Nilsson and others, being on their way for hours.
The cancellations apply to both national and international events. This week, the Junior 3-cushion European Championship in Brussels, which was planned from April 10-13, has been taken off the calendar. That already was done for the World Championship for national teams in Viersen, for which a new date was found: from 27 to 30 August at the same Festhalle location in Viersen.
The Survival Masters in Korea, scheduled for April 15-19, has been canceled. The European Championship 5-pins in Vienna, from March 19, is cancelled. The leagues in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Turkey and other European countries have been terminated and many billiard rooms have even closed their doors. The Dutch championship pentathlon, scheduled for this weekend in Haarlo, has been cancelled by the KNBB (Netherlands). The Dutch billiard federation has announced on its website that all events until March 31 are taken from the calendar and that the board is reassessing the situation after that date. The Belgian three cushion league for teams will stop for the next three weeks. Robert Monnissen from the federation: "But also individually will not be played until March 29 and later will be decided whether that stop will be extended." Many Belgian billiard rooms have closed their doors in recent days.
Paul Brekelmans (Netherlands) and his federation will judge from week to week. ''And we will also decide at a later stage how matches and events will be made up for the competition." Nick Tremoulis (Greece): "All events and games are postponed, team league and indivisual championships. It is a high risk in my opinion to say: don't handshake, but touch the same cloth and same rail which 20-30 more have touched. The events have been postponed indefinitely and we will further estimate the situation according to the directions of world and local health organization. There is no meaning to hold a championship where people with less fear or less danger due to there age will have an advantage.''
The Turkish federation announced by its president: "The first Grand Prix for the championship, later in April, the first tournament for the Turkish snooker championship and the provincial school championships have been cancelled for now. The club championship for teams will be played March 19-22.'' However, the president, Ersan Ercan, has announced all possible precautions.''
French President Jean Paul Sinanian announced: "We must take responsibility with our federation to counter the contamination by the virus. All matches will be cancelled from Monday. For the games which are scheduled this weekend, it is better to cancel, unless, it is not possible because players are already on the way." The Danish federation has announced a total stop at least for the next two weeks, the same for Spanish, Portuguese and of course the Italian federation.
The UMB, world federation, has not yet made a decision for the World Cup in Ho Chi Minh from 25 to 31 May.
Follow the developments on all billiard events in the coming weeks.