HONG KONG, 6 August 2021: Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) and World Rugby confirmed Wednesday the cancellation of the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2021 that was scheduled for 5 to 7 November.
The 2022 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is scheduled for 1-3 April.
The two organisations blamed the decision on the “growing “uncertainty over emerging coronavirus variants and on-going travel restrictions globally.”
It’s the second time the organisers have scrapped the famous sporting after preparations for the April 2020 event halted and was then moved to November 2021.
HKRU’s press statement said: It “exerted significant efforts to stage the tournament in 2021, including consulting professional medical advisors, and planning to implement physically distanced seating, the full on-ground bubbling of teams and operations staff, and a split in schedule into daily time-limited sessions to allow for enhanced venue sanitising.”
However, the difficulties and uncertainties around travel restrictions and the rising global concern over emerging variants, combined with the pressing timelines behind staging one of Hong Kong’s premier international events – now just 92 days out from kick-off – made hosting the tournament unfeasible.
Continued restrictions around international travel have significantly complicated the participation of numerous teams for November, including those from high-risk travel areas that are forbidden from entering Hong Kong at present. Increasing domestic lockdowns and tightening quarantine restrictions around outbound travel present further complications for teams from across the world.
“We are, of course, disappointed not to host the world-famous Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens in 2021,” said HKRU chief executive Robbie McRobbie.
“Concerns over the Delta variant and intensifying travel restrictions have complicated matters significantly. Given these trends, the decision to cancel was painful, but not difficult, particularly with expectations high that with vaccination rates increasing daily, we can welcome the Sevens back in true rugby style in April 2022.”
No tickets were placed on sale for the 2021 tournament. Ticketing information for the April 2022 event will be released in January 2022.
RUC members holding tickets for the November 2021 event can roll them over to April 2022, or they can apply for a full refund.
