2021 Winter Universiade has been cancelled

The FISU has announced that the 2021 Winter Universiade, scheduled to be held between the 11th and 21st of December, will no longer take place.

The decision was made due to new restrictions on international arrivals that have been announced by Swiss authorities with regard to a number of countries where the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been identified.

“In the face of travel restrictions being imposed in Switzerland and all around the world, we have had no other choice but to cancel the Lucerne 2021 Winter Universiade. This decision was made with a very heavy heart. But the new travel restrictions mean that staging the event has now been made impossible,” said FISU Acting President Leonz Eder.

Lucerne 2021 had initially been scheduled for the beginning of 2021, but it was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. With the next winter edition of the FISU World Universiade scheduled for Lake Placid in 2023, another postponement of the competition is not possible.

“Holding the event in December was already a plan B,” expressed Eric Saintrond, FISU Secretary General-CEO, “so postponing again was not an option.”

The Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) regrets the cancellation of the tournament, while understanding the need for the taking of such a decision as the health and safety of the public is of the highest importance. The RIHF thanks the fans, coaches and everyone who prepared for the tournament and supported the teams.