The 2020 Isle of Man TT has been cancelled altogether following a crunch meeting with the Manx Government due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
The event had been thrown into fresh doubt in recent days amid a number of events being cancelled or postponed, prompting organisers to consult teams over the prospect of shifting it from its May 31 – June 10 date to August.
However, the decision has instead been taken to cancel it altogether citing a need to restrict movement and travel on the island, as well as a commitment to ‘protect the population against the pandemic’.
It marks the first time the event has been canned for almost two decades when the foot and mouth crisis forced authorities to act in 2001.
Full statement from Isle of Man TT organisers below
The decision has been taken following confirmation that the Island has stepped up its measures to protect the population against the pandemic.
Laurence Skelly MHK, Minister for Enterprise, commented: ‘The decision to cancel has not been taken lightly and all options including postponement and delaying the decision have been considered in detail. Representatives from the Isle of Man Government will now discuss the implications with all relevant businesses, stakeholders and individuals affected by this cancellation, which it recognises will be significant.
‘With the visitor restriction in place for the foreseeable future we wanted to make the decision now to give businesses, visitors and all involved stakeholders time to manage the impact going forward. The Isle of Man, and the Isle of Man TT, are faced with unique challenges regarding COVID-19 and making this decision will provide certainty to teams, competitors, sponsors and stakeholders of the event and to visitors across the globe.
‘The decision also aims to provide reassurance for our residents and healthcare professionals that the health and well-being of the Isle of Man’s residents is the single biggest priority and focus of this Government.’
The Department for Enterprise will, in due course, issue full refunds for all Official Tickets including Grandstand tickets, Hospitality Packages and other Official Event Experiences purchased through iomttraces.com.
The Department’s Motorsport Team is continuing to work with the Manx Motor Cycle Club for the successful delivery of the 2020 Classic TT Races and Manx Grand Prix which is due to begin on 22nd August 2020 and will continue to review the delivery of the event against prevailing global conditions.
The Department for Enterprise and Treasury are looking at various options to support businesses affected by the cancellation and will be introducing a range of support measures, the first of which will be announced in Tynwald tomorrow.
