The world has been greatly impacted by the spread of the coronavirus. Due to the fear of germs spreading and in turn, the virus having higher odds of being exposed, many events across the country have been affected. Among those was the Arnold Sports Festival hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The former Governor of California made the announcement of the expo’s postponement.
The festival was set to run from March 5-8 in Columbus, Ohio. He wrote that “it’s a sad day” that he and his team had to make the decision, but that ultimately they can’t continue with it because “we can’t risk bringing 250,000 people together with #COVID19.”
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On Feb. 28 he put out a tweet, which was his most recent prior to Tuesday’s announcement, sharing his excitement about the upcoming expo.
It’s a sad day for me and everyone at the @ArnoldSports team. But we will always put our fans’ health first. After discussions with @GovMikeDeWine, @MayorGinther, and the CDC, we will be postponing the expo because we can’t risk bringing 250,000 people together with #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/Fuzcmapxiy
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) March 3, 2020
“I can’t wait to be back in Columbus, Ohio next week for the Arnold Sports Festival with 250,000 of my closest friends,” he wrote on Twitter. “85 different sports, 22,000 athletes, 80 nations. Our fitness crusade gets bigger and bigger every year.”
Meanwhile, the 2020 Summer Olympics appear to remain on track for their scheduled start despite rumors that the event may be pushed back. International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams had a press conference on Tuesday to discuss the issue.
“For us, the games are going ahead on the 24th of July, and we confidently expect to deliver them on that date,” Adams said, per CBS Sports. “All the advice we’ve been given is that that can go ahead.”
Many professional sports leagues, including the National Football League, are tackling this issue, as well.
Emily Kaplan with ESPN shared news that the National Hockey League isn’t expecting to have to cancel games but is planning “contingency plans” in case the virus strengthens.
“If it gets to that point, we will be ready,” said deputy commissioner Bill Daly.
The National Basketball Association also sent out a memo to its players suggesting they avoid any interactions with fans, including high-fives.
“The health and safety of NBA players, coaches, staff, and fans is paramount,” the memo read. “Working with infectious disease experts, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are providing the following information for players related to the coronavirus outbreak.”
