Badminton horse tests will be running behind closed doors next year – some spectators are likely to attend if restrictions allow.
On Tuesday (October 27) the organizers announced that the decision would be taken “after much discussion”, but a “big match” will be held.
“Everything will be under constant review and we will be posting our loyal supporters and the community to come with the latest news and developments in the coming months,” a spokesman for the event said.
Organizers said the health and safety of all those involved in the event was their first priority.
Event director Jane Duckwell said: “We realize that this is not a situation that everyone wants, but we do realize it now by announcing our intentions.
“Offering the ‘Behind the Closed Doors’ event will not be without its challenges, but we look forward to bringing you a great competition.”
The 2020 event should have been Ms Duckwell’s first director following Hugh Thomas’ retirement, but it was canceled in March due to the corona virus. The event was previously canceled five times due to bad weather in 1966, 1975, 1987 and 2012 and foot and mouth disease in 2001. The weather forced Badminton to run as a one-day tournament in 1963.
Ms Duckwell said earlier H & H Cancellation is “terrible”.
“It removes pleasure from people’s lives, and it is very destructive to all people who are commercially involved,” he says. “But in the big picture of what’s happening, apart from the horrific impact on people’s livelihoods, it seems insignificant at the moment. A lot of bad things are happening in the world.”
William Fox-Pitt, a two-time badminton champion, said it was “wonderful” that badminton was planned to run next spring, given the current situation.
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“Losing this valuable event again would be a terrible disappointment, and the events that make it happen will be behind Jane and her team,” he said. “Of course it’s going to be a very different badminton.”
The 2021 event will run from May 5 to 9, with the Science Supplement Cup running on the first day. The British event announced that this was the final match, which was restructured in July 2020.
A spokesman added: “As the event runs behind closed doors, we want to make sure everyone can still enjoy all the live action via TV or live-stream. More news on this will be released in due course. ”
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