By Announced today by the Isle of Man’s Chief Minister Howard Quayle, TT 2020 has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus.
The last time the TT Races was called off was back in 2001, when the foot and mouth outbreak put pay to competitive action on the fabled, mythical Mountain Course.
Commenting via the TT Races official website, about the cancellation of TT affiliated competition for 2020, Laurence Skelly MHK stated:
“The decision to cancel has not been taken lightly and all options including postponement and delaying the decision have been considered in detail.
Representatives from the Isle of Man Government will now discuss the implications with all relevant businesses, stakeholders and individuals affected by this cancellation, which it recognises will be significant.
With the visitor restriction in place for the foreseeable future we wanted to make the decision now to give businesses, visitors and all involved stakeholders time to manage the impact going forward.
The Isle of Man, and the Isle of Man TT, are faced with unique challenges regarding COVID-19 and making this decision will provide certainty to teams, competitors, sponsors and stakeholders of the event and to visitors across the globe.
The decision also aims to provide reassurance for our residents and healthcare professionals that the health and well-being of the Isle of Man’s residents is the single biggest priority and focus of this Government.”
It’s also been confirmed recently that the Manx Grand Prix & Classic TT are at this moment in time, still anticipated to take place from the 22nd August.
This is of course though dependent upon how the situation worldwide develops with regards the Coronavirus.
Words by Stevie Rial
