Coronavirus Pandemic: ITTF further extends suspension of events until August end

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) on Monday announced the further suspension of all its events and activities until the end of August in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

The ITTF World Tour Czech Open, which was originally slated to take place in Olomouc from August 25 to 30, has been cancelled. 

The decision was taken after the world table tennis governing body and Czech Table Tennis Association agreed that it will be impossible to stage the event in the wake of the travel restrictions and potential risks to health and safety

Meanwhile, the ITTF World Tour Hong Kong Open--which was originally scheduled to take place from May 5 to 10--was also postponed provisionally due to COVID-19.

The ITTF and Hong Kong Table Tennis are now working together to look for new dates towards the end of the year.

"The ITTF continues to explore the possibility of holding alternative events, which could be implemented for the final months of 2020, in case the COVID-19 pandemic does not allow the staging of full open international events as originally planned," the statement said.

Earlier in May,the ITTF had suspended all its events and activities until the end of July due to coronavirus.

The ITTF had previously cancelled the Australian Open and the South Korean Open which were slated to take place in June 2020.