British Swimming left with ‘no alternative’ but to cancel Summer Championships

British Swimming has confirmed its Summer Championships have been cancelled.

Chief executive Jack Buckner said they were left with ‘no alternative’ but to call off the event, which was due to take place at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge International Pool between 21-26 July,

The cancellation was agreed following the latest guidelines about social distancing and with pools across the country closed in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

With uncertainty about when those measures will be lifted, British Swimming said it was a ‘unanimous decision’ between itself, British Para-swimming and the home nations.

British Swimming said ‘it goes without saying that the health and wellbeing of our swimming community is the priority at this time and, as such, it is not right to focus on performance swimming’.

Jack added: “Following on from the Tokyo 2020 postponement, we have been left with no alternative but to cancel the British Summer Championships.

“Whilst we have no clarity around when social distancing measures will be lifted, or when athletes and coaches will be able to return to what they do best, we feel this is the only appropriate course of action.

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