Monday 26 July 2021
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The IDBF Council convened a meeting on Saturday, 24 July 2021 to consider the ongoing implications of COVID-19 on our Championships.

In that meeting, the IDBF Council decided that:

• The 15th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships (WDBRC), to be held in November 2021 in Hong Kong, China is officially cancelled. The Hong Kong Organising Committee (HKOC) were also in total agreement with the cancellation of the Championships
• The safety and welfare of athletes and everyone involved was paramount in the decision process
• A replacement event was considered but the continued risk to the health and safety of the athletes, race officials and everyone involved would still be present at another location
• The next IDBF Championships will now be the Club Crew World Championships in Sarasota, USA in 2022.

Meetings with the HKOC, IDBF members (national dragon boat federations) and the IDBF Executive Committee, were also held to keep everyone informed on the status of the Championships and the impact of the virus. Concerns discussed by member federations included:

• Restrictions on travel arrangements vary around the world and can be imposed by national governments at short notice – these decisions are outside the control of the IDBF or the HKOC
• Several countries who participate in every WDBRC have indicated that restrictions by their own government prevent them for taking part
• The vaccine rollout worldwide is patchy, with the young less likely to receive the vaccine

This year is the 30th Anniversary of the IDBF and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. Hosting the Championships in Hong Kong would have been of a cultural and historical significance – a salute to the home of modern-day dragon boat racing. The IDBF would like to wholeheartedly thank the HKOC for their hard work, dedication, and commitment in the preparation of the Championships. We look forward to returning to Hong Kong in the future.

The situation with the pandemic has had a significant impact on our sport throughout the world. Other than this year’s WDBRC being cancelled, the European Dragon Boat Federation have also decided, earlier this week, to cancel their 2021 European Nations Championships for similar reasons. The Asian Dragon Boat Federation and Pan American Club Crew Championships have also been postponed.

Let us all hope that in 2022, the world re-opens and that we can all meet each other again in person to celebrate our sport at the next Championship.

In the meantime, I hope that everyone will remain safe and healthy.

Yours in sport.

Mike Thomas
IDBF President

Enquiries
International Dragon Boat Federation
Email: idbfnews@dragonboat.sport

See past IDBF news releases or subscribe to IDBF News for updates.

The post Cancellation of the 15th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships – Hong Kong appeared first on International Dragon Boat Federation.

To help address these questions, we have put together a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

We hope that the FAQs provide some clarity on the decisions made and understanding behind the complex situation brought on by COVID-19.

Q1. What are the reasons behind the IDBF Council’s decision to cancel?

There is a strong probability that the pandemic will still be active in 2021. Until such time a vaccine is widely available, any large group activity is at risk. A vaccine and the global situation would need to be stable by late 2020 in order for athletes to effectively plan travel, and even earlier for the Organising Committee. When and if a vaccine is developed is subject for debate, but most reports suggest this will not happen in 2020.

Hence after much consultation and deliberation, taking into account the views of the athletes, our members and the current and future organising committees, the factors which have driven the decision to cancel were:

• Athletes did not want two world championships in any given year
• The economic effects of COVID-19 and people’s confidence in international travel will cause a reduction in the number of competitors for a CCWC in 2021
• Aix-les-Bains is not a purpose designed regatta course and requires costly and significant infrastructure works which have increased the organisational costs
• A reduction in the number of competitors could affect the overall financial viability of a championships in France
• Grants and sponsorship for 2020 may not be transferrable to 2021, while Hong Kong have agreed funding for 2021
• Travel restrictions may still be an issue for 2021, so a championship towards the end of the year has a better chance of success

Q2. Why was the event not postponed with our deposits transferred to 2021?

The view expressed by athletes from the Athletes Commission and supported by most national federations, was that it was not possible to hold two championships in 2021. With championships every year, postponement to a later year considering the views of athletes is not possible.

Travel restrictions may still be an issue for 2021, so a championship towards the end of the year has a better chance of success.

Q3. It was communicated that the €500 deposits was a part of the €1.4 million spent to run the Championships. Now the event has been cancelled, are we able to have the deposits refunded?

The budget to run the CCWC was around €1.4 million to organise the whole Championship. Only a proportion of this total budget has been spent, since the announcement was made in March that CCWC would not be held in 2020.

The IDBF acknowledges concerns raised by clubs regarding the refund of the €500 deposits, which were paid directly to the Organising Committee.

We are in talks with the Organising Committee and hope to come to an agreement that provides at least a partial refund.

Q4. Have you thought about the impact of the cancellation to European clubs who cannot afford or get visas to go to North America to compete in CCWC 2022?

The CCWC was in Europe 2014 Ravenna, 2018 Szeged and should have been France 2020 so it is the world outside Europe who has borne the travelling costs. One of the countries that always have high numbers in all our championships is Australia and they also have to incur significant costs every year.

Q5. Does the IDBF or Organising Committee carry any event insurance which will allow us to re-claim our hotel and travel expenses?

The IDBF insurers have informed us that we are not covered for event cancellation in these circumstances. The Organising Committee has confirmed that their insurance does not cover cancellation due to a pandemic. The IDBF insurance has also indicated that it will not provide cover for a similar situation in the future.

Q6. We have spent thousands of Euros on hotel accommodation. How can we get our hotel deposits returned?

We understand and acknowledge that getting accommodation deposits back is a challenge as each country has their own refund rules and laws that are different to what we would expect. The IDBF itself is also out-of-pocket, with a significant sum paid for hotel deposits.

One of the reasons why we made an official statement to cancel the event is to assist clubs with making claims from travel insurers or directly from hotels and airlines to have deposits returned.

Please contact your travel agent, online booking company or hotel directly for refund options. Check the cancellation policy of your hotel booking to make sure you are eligible for a refund. If you purchased any travel insurance, please check the policy terms and conditions or call your insurer for advice.

Q7. Our club qualified in 2019/2020 to attend the CCWC in 2020, will this qualification be carried over to 2022?

Qualification status is determined by each National Federation who provides IDBF with the list of qualifying clubs for each CCWC. Please contact your National Federation regarding their decision on the qualification process for 2022.

Q8. Who is the IDBF Council?

The IDBF Council consists of the IDBF Executive, Commission Chairs and five Continental Dragon Boat Federations and two associate organisations. They represent athletes and national federations who are members of IDBF. The Council comprises of 27 members.

The Commission Chairs represent: Paradragons, Athletes, Women, Youth, Sport for All, Entourage, Competition & Technical, Marketing & Media, Culture and Heritage, and Medical. The Continental Dragon Boat Federations comprise of European Dragon Boat Federation, Pan America, Asia, and Oceania. The associate members are the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation and the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission.

Enquiries

IDBF CCWC 2020

International Dragon Boat Federation

Email: ccwc.v@dragonboat.sport

See past IDBF news releases on COVID-19.

Subscribe to IDBF News for updates on CCWC2020.

The post FAQs – Decision on the 12th IDBF Club Crew World Championships (CCWC) appeared first on International Dragon Boat Federation.

An IDBF Council meeting was held on Friday, 1 May 2020 to consider the effects of COVID-19 on our future championships. The IDBF Council unanimously decided that:

• The 12th IDBF Club Crew World Championships (Aix-les-Bains, France) is officially cancelled
• No Club Crew World Championships will take place in 2021
• The current championships schedule from 2021 onwards remains the same:
• World Nations Championships – Hong Kong, China in 2021;
• Club Crew World Championships – Sarasota, USA in 2022; and
• World Nations Championships – Seville, Spain in 2023.

The IDBF Executive has been meeting weekly since mid-March to consider the different views gathered from athletes, national federations, and championship organisers during a six-week long consultation process. We acknowledge that any decisions made will not satisfy everyone.

The IDBF recognises and appreciates all the hard work, time and effort that the French Organising Committee has put in over the last few years and will gladly welcome them to re-bid for a future date. The situation with the pandemic has severely impacted sporting events worldwide with many being cancelled. Unfortunately, this year’s Club Crew World Championships could not take place for the same reasons.

We hope that these decisions will enable everyone to move forward and focus on the future.

Let us all hope that the dragon boat family worldwide will be able to get back on the water soon and enjoy our passion for the sport.

Please keep safe and continue to follow the advice of your government.

Mike Thomas

IDBF President

Related Information

Frequently Asked Questions – Decision on CCWC 2020

Enquiries

IDBF CCWC 2020

International Dragon Boat Federation

Email: ccwc.v@dragonboat.sport

See past IDBF news releases on COVID-19.

Subscribe to IDBF News for updates on CCWC2020.

The post Decision on Championships Schedule appeared first on International Dragon Boat Federation.

I hope that you are all well and continue to stay safe.

The IDBF Executive has been meeting weekly to address a number of significant impacts brought on by the global outbreak of COVID-19.

With the decision that the 12th IDBF Club Crew World Championship (CCWC) will not proceed as planned for 2020, the IDBF needs to make decisions about the championships schedule for 2021 and beyond. No date has been set for when the next CCWC will be held.

Review of Championships Schedule We appreciate your feedback and we are responding to enquiries from athletes and national federations. The needs and opinions of our athletes and members remains central to our approach and decision making process.

The IDBF is also involved in negotiations with the organising committees of future championships to review and assess the options of rescheduling. The issue is complex due to agreements that these organising committees have made concerning booking of venues, sponsorship and grants for championships they are scheduled to host.

Key concerns for everyone involved continues to be economic challenges, government restrictions on movements impacting training and travel, and health and safety without a vaccine for the virus.

CCWC Deposits for Aix les Bains The IDBF acknowledges concerns raised by clubs regarding the €500 administrative deposits which they had paid directly to the Organising Committee to cover running costs. All deposit monies are still being held by the Organising Committee. The IDBF do not have the deposits and are in talks with the Organising Committee to resolve concerns raised by clubs.

The IDBF is the only organisation determining the future of the IDBF championships. We will keep you informed as we work our way through this complex and challenging time.

Please keep safe and continue to follow the advice of your government.

Mike Thomas

IDBF President

Enquiries

IDBF CCWC 2020

International Dragon Boat Federation

Email: ccwc.v@dragonboat.sport

See past IDBF news releases on COVID-19.

Subscribe to IDBF News for updates on CCWC2020.

The post Progress Update appeared first on International Dragon Boat Federation.

The IDBF Executive continues to meet regularly to discuss the possible rescheduling of championships in the current program. At this stage, no date has been set for when the next Club Crew World Championship (CCWC) will be. This is yet to be determined.

There are many moving parts to organising championships and a multitude of factors to be considered. The views of athletes and organising committees remain integral to the decision-making process of the IDBF.

We are still in consultation with athletes, national dragon boat federations and championship organisers to determine the impacts that potential future dates may have on their plans. Some of the issues raised include:

• Athletes have expressed the opinion that they are unable to do two world championships in a year
• Working around continental and national championships already scheduled in 2021
• Potential clash with exam time for Juniors, U18 and U24
• Operational and logistical challenges for organising committees

The IDBF understands and appreciates that compromises and adjustments might need to be made. The rescheduling of championships may mean additional costs to qualifying clubs, organising committees and the IDBF. We are looking into those in great detail.

To ensure you receive accurate updates about CCWC and other IDBF Championship events, please follow and share only official news from the IDBF or your national dragon boat federation.

Thank you for your patience and resilience during these difficult times.

We wish you all a safe and happy Easter.

Mike Thomas

IDBF President

Enquiries

IDBF CCWC 2020

International Dragon Boat Federation

Email: ccwc.v@dragonboat.sport

See past IDBF news releases on COVID-19.

Subscribe to IDBF News for updates on CCWC2020.

The post Review of Championships Schedule appeared first on International Dragon Boat Federation.

After extensive consultation, the IDBF with the Fédération de Dragon Boat for France (FDB) and the Organising Committee have agreed that this year’s CCWC will not be held in 2020.

The main reason behind this decision is for the health and wellbeing of our athletes. Some of the factors which guided our decision include (but not limited to) the following:

• athletes in most countries are restricted in being able to train as a team and to prepare effectively
• some athletes will be affected by economic pressures due to potential loss of income through shorter work hours or time off without pay
• consideration of vulnerable family members
• the inability to effectively predict what travel restrictions may still be in force
• the volatility in the exchange rate will increase the costs to athletes

The IDBF Executive has been meeting frequently to discuss the COVID-19 situation and held dialogue with national dragon boat federations, race officials, athletes and clubs. The welfare of our race officials, volunteers, supporters and broader stakeholders who face similar family and financial challenges were also discussed.

We hope that this decision will be a relief to many and enable everyone to move forward on other priorities. As the world governing body for dragon boat sport, the health and welfare of the dragon boat community must be at the fore front of any decisions we make.

The feasibility and impacts of moving the Championship is complex and is now being closely considered. The Organising Committee and the City of Aix les Bains are still committed to hosting the Championships in 2021.

We appreciate and thank everyone for their understanding and patience during this time in particular the qualifying clubs, FDB, Organising Committee and Commissions.

For now, it is important that each and every one of us follow the advice of our governments, to do what we can individually, to help to contain the spread of the virus.

Please all take care and stay safe.

Mike Thomas

IDBF President

Enquiries

IDBF CCWC 2020

International Dragon Boat Federation

Email: ccwc.v@dragonboat.sport

See past IDBF news releases on COVID-19.

Subscribe to IDBF News for updates on CCWC2020.

The post The 12th IDBF Club Crew World Championships will not be held in 2020 appeared first on International Dragon Boat Federation.

Since our last statement on the COVID-19 virus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the virus a pandemic and has now stated that the epicentre of the virus, outside of China, is now in Europe.

The World Club Crew Championship (CCWC) in Aix les Bains, France (24-30 August) and the European Nations Championship (ENC) in Kiev, Ukraine (15-19 July) now face an unprecedented period of uncertainty about whether the events can take place.

The situation is changing daily as governments around the world take various measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The IDBF and European Dragon Boat Federation (EDBF) are both monitoring the rapidly changing situation very closely and its impact on our dragon boat community. Our thoughts are with those who have been affected and we thank all first responders and health workers who have been working tirelessly to keep the community safe.

The health and safety of everyone involved in these Championships is of paramount importance and both Federations are committed to making responsible decisions to ensure the welfare of everyone involved is looked after.

We also acknowledge that the preparation of many competitors and their training is now affected by the restrictions in different countries through the closure of sporting facilities and government imposed travel bans.

Travel arrangements

• Any team who has made travel or accommodation bookings should contact their travel agency or place of purchase (e.g. direct with airline, hotel or online travel websites) for information relating to cancellation or change fees and processes.
• If your team is yet to make any travel or accommodation arrangements, please consider any terms and conditions closely before accepting booking confirmations so that any deposits may be reclaimed.
• Many travel insurance policies do not cover pandemics. Please carefully review any policy product disclosure statements provided by travel insurance companies to ensure your team understands what is included and excluded, particularly coverage for coronavirus related impacts.

Both Federations will continue to observe and follow advice from WHO and relevant government departments concerning the restriction of movement of people or holding sporting events involving large number of people.

A decision on whether to proceed with CCWC and ENC Championships will be made by mid-May at the latest.

How to prevent the spread of COVID-19

We can all play a part in helping to contain the spread of COVID-19. WHO advises that every person must know the signs and symptoms and how to protect themselves and others. They recommend some simple but effective things that we can all do to reduce the risk of infection for ourselves and those around us. These are:

• Clean your hands regularly with an alcohol-based rub or soap and water.
• Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow if you cough or sneeze.
• Stay home if you’re sick.
• Avoid unnecessary travel and large social gatherings.
• Comply with the advice of your local or national health authority.

More prevention advice can be found on the WHO website.

We remain hopeful that both the IDBF and EDBF Championships will be able to take place if safe to do so, and we will continue to provide regular updates as the situation develops.

Mike Thomas

IDBF President

Claudio Schermi

EDBF President

Enquiries

IDBF CCWC 2020

International Dragon Boat Federation

Email: ccwc.v@dragonboat.sport

EDBF ENC 2020

European Dragon Boat Federation

Email: president@edbf.org and cc: secretary@edbf.org

See past IDBF news releases on COVID-19.

Subscribe to IDBF News for updates on CCWC2020.

The post CCWC and ENC 2020 COVID-19 Update appeared first on International Dragon Boat Federation.