World Sailing has cancelled the 2020 Hempel World Cup Series Genoa event that was due to be held in the Italian city from 11 - 19 April 2020 due to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Italy, World Sailing has been in regular contact with the Federazione Italiana Vela (FIV), the local organisers, and the Italian Government, receiving updates and closely monitoring the situation. The World Sailing Board has also consulted the World Sailing Medical Commission prior to making this decision.

The decision was made to ensure the health and well-being of the sailors, support personnel, officials and volunteers, a top priority for World Sailing.

Hempel World Cup Series Genoa was to act as the final opportunity for Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification for African, Asian and European sailors in a number of the Olympic Sailing Events. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has granted World Sailing an extension of the qualification period to 30 June 2020.

World Sailing is now working in close collaboration with the IOC and Event Organisers to reschedule the remaining African, Asian and European Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifiers and to ensure that all quota places can be allocated.