No Irish team has been sent to compete in the elite European Track Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
The championships are now underway and were set to continue
until Sunday. However, Cycling Ireland has decided against sending a team due
to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A number of other nations have also opted out of sending
teams for the same reason, including France, Denmark and the Netherlands. Other
nations have also reduced the number of riders they have sent.
When the Irish team was unveiled for the World Road
Championships in Imola, Italy, in September, no women’s team was selected.
Cycling Ireland said at the time the decision had been
taken due to Covid-19 and a narrower focus for some of our top female riders on
the European Track Championships.
In reply to queries from stickybottle, Cycling Ireland
said conditions in Ireland and abroad had changed significantly since the road
Worlds, when it was intended to send an Irish team to the track Europeans.
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Cycling Ireland added it was unfortunate no team could be
sent but explained Ireland was now in Level 5 of the ‘Living with Covid-19’
plan.
It explained the pandemic had worsened elsewhere in
Europe, including Bulgaria, where the track Europeans are on.
The national governing body added the “risks associated
with travel were considered too great” when set against the reward and in terms
of Olympic qualification, as all slots had been allocated already.
“These athletes are fully focused on preparing for Tokyo,”
Cycling Ireland said of the top Irish track riders in contention for the
Olympic places secured for Ireland.
“We are in level 5 restrictions in Ireland and the
situation in Bulgaria is deteriorating. The decision was made together with
Sport Ireland and the athletes.”
It said its high performance staff had to make decisions in
consultation with NI Sport and Sport Ireland that were in the best interests of
riders.
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