Sports Tournaments & Events Impacted By The Coronavirus In 2020

The coronavirus outbreak has put the sports world in jeopardy.

2020 is a pivotal year for sports around the globe, especially between June and July. However, most of the events are now in danger due to the diseases reaching unforeseen levels.

Twelve countries will host the European Soccer Championship, a.k.a Euro Cup during June. At the same time, Colombia and Argentina will host the soccer Copa America. But also, the Summer Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo a few weeks later.

The coronavirus is already in South & North America, Europe, and of course, Asia, where it all began.

So, what could happen to these three events, and how will that affect our sports betting?

Will the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics be canceled?

Bovada put together some odds on whether the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics be canceled, postponed or relocated.

Will Tokyo 2020 Olympics Be Canceled?
YES	-280
NO	+185

Considering the odds, the people making the betting lines are expecting something out of the ordinary.

Dick Pound, a former Canadian swimming champion who is a senior member of the International Olympic Committee, mentioned the most likely scenario is to cancel the event completely. The logistics of relocation is almost impossible to pull off with the little time remaining for the Olympics opening date.

A lot of things have to start happening. You’ve got to start ramping up your security, your food, the Olympic Village, the hotels. The media folks will be in there, building their studios. You’re probably looking at a cancellation

– Pound said to Reuters

Japan already postponed J-League football until March 15. It is the first time the league stopped since the earthquake and tsunami hit the Pacific coast of Tōhoku in 2011.

This could be the second time the Olympic Games have been canceled since it began in 1896. The first time was in 1940 when it was supposed to be held – wait for it – in Japan. The cancelation was due to Japan’s war against China and the start of World War II.

Back in 2016, Brazil was under attack by the Zika Virus. There were talks about canceling the Olympic Games, but the event went on without any trouble.

Will 2020 Euro Cup Be Canceled?

Unlike the OCI, UEFA has been a lot more cautious with their comments. The Union of European Football Associations hasn’t said much about calling off the tournament.

The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship is the 16th edition of the competition. It’s also the first time it will be host, not by one, but by 12 countries.

UEFA picked 12 of the best stadiums across Europe to put together the event.

Italy May Be The Country Most Affected

Italy is the most affected country in the continent by the coronavirus disease. Over 400 coronavirus cases have been detected. Mostly in the Lombardy region, which capital city is Milan.

The Italian government banned sporting events in six regions of the country. Serie A games are played, but fans won’t attend the matches.

Inter and Ludogorets Razgrad played their Europa League game without any fans in the city of Milan just this past week.

UEFA May Relocate Euro 2020 Games Away From Rome

Rome is the host city for Italy at Euro 2020. It will hold three games in the group stage, alongside a quarterfinals match. For UEFA, it’s easier to relocate these four games than it would be for the OCI to move the entire Summer Olympic Games out of Tokyo.

We are at the waiting stage. We are monitoring country by country, and football must follow the orders of the individual countries,

– Italian Michele Uva, a member of the UEFA executive committee, told state broadcaster Rai

The good news is the official site of the UEFA is still selling tickets.

This probably means you can still bet on who will win Euro 2020.

Will Copa America Be Postponed Due To The Coronavirus?

The Copa America has fewer chances to get canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak, although, we shouldn’t rule it out just yet. It could still affect the games and betting on Copa America.

Different news outlets have reported there are possible coronavirus cases in Brazil and Chile, but there isn’t an official confirmation. South America is a part of the world where the outbreak hasn’t had a significant hit in the population, just yet.

So far, there are no coronavirus cases in Colombia and Argentina, the two host nations of the tournament.

About the Author

Alonzo Solano

Sports Analyst and Content Writer

Alonzo is a Sports Betting Analyst and casino games enthusiast who has covered Football extensively at SBS, but don’t be surprised if you read him on other sports. He's the host of the NFL Latino TV podcast.

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