Official statement of the Organizing Committee of the Donosti Cup regarding the COVID-19 outbreak

We still consider that there is time enough to celebrate the 2020 Donosti Cup in July as all of us wish, but as you may be seeing, the situation created by this virus all over the world is exceeding all the forecasts and none at this moment can be sure about the situation we will find us in some months.

For us, as we already told you, health and security of all the teams is the first thing, and considering the events, we decided to make a decision about the celebration or not of the 2020 Donosti Cup by May 5 the latest, just 2 months before the beginning of the tournament.

If the deadlines that the Sanitary Authorities and the Government manage are fulfilled, by April, the social isolation measures should finish and along May, we would start to return to normal on the economic activity, teaching, sports, etc. The support and the donations that different companies and the most famous clubs, coaches and players of the Spanish League are doing in the last days, are going to contribute to overcome the virus sooner.

If that was really the case and these deadlines were met, we would not see any problem to hold the 2020 Donosti Cup in July. But, we should confirm that these deadlines are met and that we have all the guarantees to be able to celebrate the tournament because we cannot take any risk that may endanger the health of your players.

The fact that big sports events like the Tokyo Olympic Games have been cancelled, is not going to have an influence on our decision because, as you know, these events have different characteristics and other interests and factors other than ours. What we will consider, as it is evident, are the WHO, the Spanish Health Service Ministry and the Health Basque Agency advices. And of course, we will also be alert for the evolution of the sanitary crisis in the different countries that plan to participate in the 2020 Donosti Cup.

We want to remind you again that in case of cancelling the tournament, or in the case that any team decided to cancel their participation, we will refund you the full amount that each club may have done. You do not have to be worried about this because this year, we are not going to charge any cancellation fee nor now nor further on.

We keep working with the hope and excitement of celebrating the 29 edition of the Donosti Cup, and make happy again thousands of players, but, as it is logical, we cannot be external to the situation lived in so many countries due to the COVID-19 outbreak and we have to act accordingly. In this sense, we want to take this opportunity to ask you to follow the advices that the health authorities are giving you in each country, and to express our gratitude to thousands of people risking their lifes every day to help others.

And do not forget that, as the proverb says, “after the storm there is always calm”.