Skating championships may be canceled

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 14 (UPI) -- The World Figure Skating Championships, scheduled for next week in Tokyo, have been postponed due to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, officials said Monday.

The International Skating Union didn't set a new competition date and said the championships may be canceled for 2011. The ISU is also looking into postponing or canceling the World Team Trophy event, set for April 14-17 in Yokohama.

The World Figure Skating Championships had been scheduled for March 21-27 at Tokyo's Yoyogi Stadium, which was undamaged by last week's earthquake. However, continuing issues, such as the situation with Japan's nuclear plants, which were damaged, led to at least a postponement, ISU officials said.

If canceled, it would be the first time the championships haven't been conducted since 1961 when a plane crash killed the U.S. team headed to the competition. That team is to be inducted into the skating Hall of Fame this year.

An ISU statement reads, "Taking into account the continued critical developments in Japan, the ISU's primary concern for the safety of all participants, spectators … the ISU in consultation and agreement with the Japan Skating Federation and in line with the advice of the Japanese authorities, has concluded that the staging of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2011… is not possible and the championships will not be held during that time."

A magnitude-9 earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, causing a tsunami, and northern sections of the country were devastated. Thousands of people were killed and a series of nuclear plants were among the thousands of buildings damaged.