Coronavirus: Fan ban at Alpine skiing World Cup finale
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Because of coronavirus, spectators will be barred from the last two races of the men’s World Cup, on Saturday and Sunday in Slovenia, where the overall champion will be decided.
“The government’s decision to hold the sports competitions without an audience applies,” the organisers of the races in Kranjska Gora announced on Monday.
“Due to the health situation in Europe and the last two weeks in Slovenia, the National Security Council met today and decided the following measure: any sporting event with more than 500 participants will be held without an audience.”
The resort is just 7 kilometres from the Italian border.
The Slovenian government tweeted on Monday that were “16 confirmed coronavirus infections in Slovenia.”
Because of the cancellation of the men’s and women’s World Cup finals in Cortina d’Ampezzo, in Italy, the giant slalom and slalom in Kranjska Gora are the final races of the season for the men and three skiers are still competing for the big crystal globe.
Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde holds a 54-point lead over France’s Alexis Pinturault and 161 over a second Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen.
But while Kilde is a specialist in the speed events, his two pursuers are both strongest in the slaloms and the weekend races are a giant slalom and a slalom. Victory in each race is worth 100 points.