Almost entire 2020 Border Summer Games programme is axed

Virtually all the individual race meetings Borders Summer Games athletics series have been called off, with decisions pending on two others.

Borders Athletics yesterday issued a Facebook message which said, in light of the current COVID - 19 Global crisis, and following guidance received from the Scottish Government and local authorities, it regretted to announce the cancellation of a number games for the 2020 season, extending into mid-July.

These included the Three Bridges at Peebles on May 3, Earlston (May 10), Hawick (June 7), Selkirk (June 13), Peebles (June 21) , Kelso (June 28), CERF (July 3), Jedburgh (July 11) and St Ronans (July 18).

A decision on the final two games, at Langholm and Morebattle, will be made during April.

A spokesman added a meeting was due on April 6 to discuss the position at Langholm, which was under the auspices of Dumfries and Galloway Council, while organisers at Morebattle were hoping at this stage that the crisis may have abated sufficiently by the time their event was approaching.

Borders Athletics’s statement added: “In the current crisis, the safety and well being of our athletes, officials and spectators are of paramount importance. Take care and stay safe.”

The organising committee from Jedburgh Border Games – “the blue riband meeting of Scotland’s summer circuit” – issued a public notice explaining its event had been called off.

It said: “Due to the coronavirus outbreak, and acting on advice from the authorities, the Jedburgh Border Games, which were due to take place on Saturday, July 11 have been cancelled. The thoughts of the committee are with everyone at this difficult time.”

Earlier this week, Scottish Athletics recommended that all formal and group training sessions were cancelled for the time being, although the situation would be reviewed on a week by week basis, with a number of Borders athletics groups taking the advice on board.