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Athletics-China Diamond League meets cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions

(Reuters) - The Shanghai Diamond League and a second meeting in China in August will not take place due to strict travel restrictions and quarantine rules in place for entry into the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the league said on Thursday.

It added in a statement https://www.diamondleague.com/news/general/change-to-calendar-chinese-meetings-exploring-possible-new-autumn-dates-outside-of-2021-series that organisers of the two events, which were scheduled to take place on Aug. 14 and Aug. 22, are exploring if they can stage exhibition meets after the series finishes with the Diamond League Final in Zurich on Sept. 8-9.

"Due to the combination of travel restrictions and strict quarantine requirements in place for entry into China, as well as the Olympic Games and other Diamond League meetings, these events are not able to be rescheduled into a busy summer programme," the league said in a statement.

It added that the 2021 calendar is subject to further changes depending on the global health situation.

The Shanghai Diamond League was among a number of meetings cancelled last year.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)