USA Swimming to Cancel All Events For 30 Days Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic

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USA Swimming has taken extra precautions regarding events in the coronavirus outbreak. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

USA Swimming has officially pulled the plug on all events for the next 30 days regarding the coronavirus pandemic, sources have confirmed. That includes all championship meets including NCSAs. Moments later, the NCAA Championships were also cancelled.

The coronavirus pandemic ramped up this week with many American colleges and universities suspending classes and shifting to online schooling for the rest of the semester. Many major sporting events, including the remainder of the NBA season and the NHL season have been put on hold for the time being. Two NBA players from the Utah Jazz, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, have tested positive for COVID-19.

In a letter to its membership, USA swimming revealed that it is meeting daily to assess the situation but advises against events for the near future.

“We also strongly recommend that our Local Swimming Committees (LSC) and clubs suspend all USA Swimming-sanctioned competitions across the country for the next 30 days,” the letter writes. “Further information about the TYR Pro Swim Series at Mission Viejo, an officially approved FINA qualifying competition for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, will be shared within the next few days.”

Coaches at programs far and wide are now wondering what the best course of action is, Denmark’s director of swimming Lars Greenbach having sent all Danish swimmers home from the National Training Centre under Government guidelines. In the United States, coach Dia C. Rianda, a safety advocate, became the first to suspend a local program: practice at the Monterey Aquatics Swim Club is suspended pending further advice on the virus and in the interests of well-being of athletes and others.

The USA Swimming decision was one of many hard choices made on a day that included the cancellation of the Danish Open and Olympic Trials, the Swim Open, Stockholm, a Norwegian lockdown that cancelled sport, FINA postponements and cancellations, the cancellation of French Junior Championships and a plea from Italy to halt the Olympic Games to avoid Tokyo 2020 going ahead in July when many of the world’s best swimmers may no longer be in the kind of shape they would have been but for the pandemic and its knock-on effects.

An Extraordinary Day In Swimming History:

And that followed this:

Guidance on Water and Coronavirus 

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Maranda Bell
4 years ago

Just cancelled Fl swimming senior champs that was supposed to start at 4pm I have a Junior trying to get into college. So upset

Becca Haufe Collins
4 years ago
Reply to  Maranda Bell

Maranda Bell the timing for these kids is hard. My daughter is in the same boat. ?‍♀️

Sarah Vanderbles Campbell
Reply to  Maranda Bell

Maranda Bell mine too. ?

Karin Knudson O'Connell
Karin Knudson O'Connell
4 years ago
Reply to  Maranda Bell

Becca Haufe Collins same here with my junior son

Lisa Jacobs Miller
4 years ago
Reply to  Maranda Bell

Maranda Bell , mine too. My daughter was less then .2 seconds away from NSCA cuts in 2 events. She was hoping to get the at FL Senior Champs so she could go to NSCA. Wanted to get seen by the college recruiters. Just sucks ??

Becca Haufe Collins
4 years ago
Reply to  Maranda Bell

Karin Knudson O’Connell plus college visits will be affected with many schools sending students home. Not sure how my daughter will meet a team if they aren’t there.

Tina Anderson Murphy
4 years ago
Reply to  Maranda Bell

Maranda Bell right there with ya.

David Moreno
4 years ago

Really !?! Cuz Mission Viejo in California still holding a JO meet this weekend.

Bess Swanson
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

David Moreno probably not any more

Michelle Jensen
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

David Moreno not anymore

David Moreno
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

Michelle Jensen REALLY!!! When did that happen?

Missy DeConti Turner
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

David Moreno literally like 10 minutes ago.

David Moreno
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

Missy DeConti Turner I’m glad they did. Life is more than sports. This coming from a former division one swimmer.

David Moreno
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

Missy DeConti Turner ??

Missy DeConti Turner
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

David Moreno same! I’m currently an age group coach and our Mini Champs was the last to be cancelled when this message came out.

Michelle Jensen
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

David Moreno All USA swimming sanctioned events are canceled for the next 30 days. They just announced it an hour ago

C
C
4 years ago

They strongly suggest lsc’s do not have meets! Not banned according to YSA swimming wording.

David Moreno
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

Michelle Jensen yes I read that. That’s why I posted my comment. ??

David Moreno
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

Missy DeConti Turner I’m sorry to hear that. There will always be other meets in the future.

Missy DeConti Turner
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

David Moreno I’m absolutely fine with it. Better safe than sorry!

Wennie Yu
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

MV spring JO is cancelled!

Julie Tellier
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

David Moreno they canceled it at 10:30 this morning

Cat Poletti
Cat Poletti
4 years ago
Reply to  Julie Tellier

Not any more. My team left at 4 in the morning to go. When we got there, we got the email it was canceled

Cat Poletti
Cat Poletti
4 years ago
Reply to  David Moreno

Not any more. My team left at 4 in the morning to go. When we got there, we got the email it was canceled

Brad Jones
4 years ago

ISCA Junior Cup in St. Petersburg?

Marie Larkin Sinkiewicz
Reply to  Brad Jones

Everything is canceled

Robin Notley Shaffer
4 years ago

JO in Mission Viejo has been cancelled .

Valerie Stewart
4 years ago

Far Westerns in Pleasanton?

Sasha Kocyk Andrews
4 years ago

Valerie Stewart our coach pulled our team from Far Westerns. I think the coordinators will probably cancel.

Steve Schaffer
4 years ago

Valerie Stewart yes. All USA Swimming Sanctioned Meets.

Valerie Stewart
4 years ago

Steve Schaffer thank you!

Karin Knudson O'Connell
Karin Knudson O'Connell
4 years ago

Lucy Jhong is FW’s cancelled too for PLS?

Dia
Dia
4 years ago
Nicole Josephs
4 years ago

TrevandSar Vordermann

TrevandSar Vordermann
4 years ago
Reply to  Nicole Josephs

Nicole Josephs it’s 27 days away ? nice !!!

Crystal Biron Dauphinais

Tony Womac

Emma Warner
4 years ago

Nancy A. Lattanzi

Nancy A. Lattanzi
4 years ago
Reply to  Emma Warner

Emma Warner thank you. These are crazy times…stay safe??

Walter Abrego
4 years ago

Deanna Abrego

Deanna Abrego
4 years ago
Reply to  Walter Abrego

Only 30 days though

Walter Abrego
4 years ago
Reply to  Walter Abrego

For now

Anonymous
Anonymous
4 years ago

Does this mean that sectionals in OK is cancelled?

Gina Marcelli-Munk
4 years ago

This so sad for all of our swimmers who have been working so hard and were tapering for their sectional meet. I can’t believe USA swimming is doing this. I get canceling big swim meets. But let the teams have their own small meets if they have a pool for it.

Jennifer Greer Bennett

Gina Marcelli-Munk I completely understand but they is about safety for all. There’s no good races if they are sick.

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster

I think (hope) many clubs will adjust meets when this settles and hold more meets. It Stinks that the playing field isnt even now , and for my hs jr who never got a championship meet but college coaches should understand.

Brooke Lee
4 years ago

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster exactly! Our daughter is a junior, all High School meets have been cancelled also. What will the implications be for swimming in college ?

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster

Brooke Lee I think they will have more sc meets spring and summer and try to make up for it to level the playing field. Heart breaking but college coaches are going to understand if not great times…

Brooke Lee
4 years ago

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster I Hope so ?

Jeannine Juskalian
4 years ago

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster he had easterns

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster

Jeannine Juskalian wasnt a taper meet for mine as he just started training due to shoulder. Was counting on srs.

Jeannine Juskalian
4 years ago

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster ohhh didn’t realize, poor Andy I know he’s bummed.

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster

Jeannine Juskalian yup plus Easterns couldnt get free times he needs or Im (or the 200)..

Jeannine Juskalian
4 years ago

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster I know tyler is bummed. Is Andy still training

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster

Jeannine Juskalian yup as best he can.

Jeannine Juskalian
4 years ago

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster tyler to

Norrine Dittrich Armbruster

Jeannine Juskalian where do you go? I hear all gyms in Mont co closing.

Tim Lisowski
4 years ago

Question is, I have a swimmer who is 12 and has a birthday in 2 weeks. Will they honor their age group if they have the meet in 30 days?

Steve Schaffer
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Tim Lisowski really? That’s your concern? One meet for a 12 year old facing 6 more years of club swimming?

Craig Lord
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Tim Lisowski people are dying … that’s not an issue… it’s a small lesson in resilience ?

Tim Lisowski
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Craig Lord just a question. That is all. I get life lessons and resilience, but I have a 12 year old who is hoping he could still swim. That is all. He’s 12.

Tim Lisowski
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Steve Schaffer sorry. Just a question.

Becca Haufe Collins
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Tim Lisowski I get your question and it’s a good one if they reschedule it. Especially being at the top of their age group.

Tim Lisowski
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Becca Haufe Collins Thank you.

John Dussliere
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Steve Schaffer top five reasons to coach.

Eddie Ring
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

We have several kids on our team that are on the brink of aging up some of which were in contention to break state records in that age group. Losing that chance is a big deal to a kid that’s trained 8-10 sessions a week since September no matter what their age.

Susan Tinman Lisowski
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Eddie Ring it looks like we don’t have to worry about that in Illinois anymore. Illinois Swimming has canceled our Age Group Championship meet with no plans to reschedule. Steve Schaffer, while our kids are only 12 & 10 and have years of club swimming left, it is still disappointing to them….because they are kids and they have worked hard to get there. And, Craig Lord, yes it is a life lesson in resilience, but they are still allowed to be disappointed at a 12 & 10 years old. Stay healthy everyone!

Eddie Ring
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Susan Tinman Lisowski Same boat here in Louisiana. 14-under State was set to start tonight.

The future holds no guarantees for an athlete. A kid that had a chance to break a record at 12 isn’t guaranteed anything in the 13-14s.

Susan Tinman Lisowski
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Eddie Ring totally true!

Lisa Jacobs Miller
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Tim Lisowski , I get it. The cuts usually go up dramatically for 13.

Jeannine Juskalian
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Steve Schaffer be nice it may not matter to you but my kid was on fire at 12 so it mattered

Jeannine Juskalian
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Craig Lord as I said above be nice. People die everyday and a lot more than with this virus with the common flu so be nice. You had a young kid swimming at one time

Jeannine Juskalian
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Tim Lisowski don’t apologize everyone of us wants our kid to swim whether they are 12 or 18 they are being rude

Jeannine Juskalian
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Lisowski

Susan Tinman Lisowski perfectly stated

Heather Brouwer Johnson

Dave Johnson

Michael Venis
4 years ago

Kaz Boskovic Gus Bennett

Daryl Wells
4 years ago

Kelly Hernandez Kathy Whitson Chad Whitson

Kenzie Ann
4 years ago

Missy Bentz

Missy Bentz
4 years ago
Reply to  Kenzie Ann

Kenzie Ann I know!? So far Cali meet is still on. It’s a few days after that.

Doug Kintz
4 years ago

What will I do on weekends???

Marie Larkin Sinkiewicz
Reply to  Doug Kintz

Yardwork?

Doug Kintz
4 years ago
Reply to  Doug Kintz

could but probably not Marie

Tara Carraway Hicks
4 years ago
Reply to  Doug Kintz

Doug Kintz , live the good life! ?

Benjamin van der Wel
4 years ago

This is the right thing to do based on the clear science around pandemics & how to prevent deaths. But d*mn. My heat goes out to the kids whose lives are disrupted, their parents and family, and everyone who makes all these meets possible. ?

Alex John
4 years ago

Have the meets no spectators!!! Chlorine kills viruses. Keep swimming

Peter Paul Reich
4 years ago
Reply to  Alex John

Alex John
Exactly!

Timothy May
4 years ago

this is crazy

Robin Hayes
4 years ago

Ian Summerton

Ian Summerton
4 years ago
Reply to  Robin Hayes

Robin Hayes WOW

Michele Camperlengo
4 years ago

??

Greg-Natasha Barila
4 years ago

Josh Barila

Peter Paul Reich
4 years ago

So Disappointed in USA swimming

Anna Hoff
Anna Hoff
4 years ago

Same…

Gloria Sheffield Davis

Don’t wear white and blue

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