Special Olympics cancels Alaska Winter Games due to virus concerns

By Anchorage Daily News

Updated: March 10, 2020 Published: March 10, 2020

Hundreds of athletes from Ketchikan, Mat-Su Valley, Anchorage, and Tanana Valley competed in figure skating, unified floor hockey, alpine skiing and snowboarding events over the weekend during the Special Olympics Alaska Winter Games.

The Special Olympics Alaska Winter Games scheduled for this month are canceled due to concerns about the spread of CORVID-19, organizers say.

Special Olympics International made the decision to suspend all training activities and competitions through the end of March.

The winter games, planned to run March 15-17 in Anchorage, would have brought together “hundreds of athletes and volunteers from across Alaska,” according to a written statement from Special Olympics Alaska.

According to their site, Special Olympics Alaska provides year-round athletic training in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.