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Hong Kong quarantine blamed as 2023 World Dragon Boat Championships move to Thailand
- International Dragon Boat Federation confirms ‘difficult decision’ after special meeting of member nations
- It is the latest event to be cancelled in Hong Kong, a day after Hong Kong Marathon was called off and Oxfam Trailwalker was denied a permit by the government
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The 2023 World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, which were due to be held in Hong Kong next August, have been moved to Thailand because of the city’s quarantine requirements for inbound travellers.
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Confirmation of the decision came from the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association in a post on Facebook.
“The International Dragon Boat Federation held a special membership meeting this morning,” it said. “Due to the current quarantine and isolation arrangements for visitors to Hong Kong still being stricter than in other countries, it was approved by the conference that the 2023 World Dragon Boat Championships will be held in Thailand.
“The association regrets this decision, but will continue to work hard for other opportunities to host international events.”
The IDBF said it had approved the switch after a vote by its member countries, describing it as a “difficult decision”. The races will instead be held in Pattaya.
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