Organizers of the 2020 Friendship Four Tournament have confirmed it will not be played in Belfast Ireland this year due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
The annual ice hockey tournament, which brings some of the best NCAA programs to Belfast every year, was due to be played at the SSE Arena in November, with Army West Point, Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart competing.
Concerns existed over both the safety of the players due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the feasibility of the event given all four colleges would have been required to quarantine under government guidelines when they arrived in Northern Ireland.
It also seems unlikely that spectators would have been able to attend at the SSE Arena under those same government guidelines, which would have left the teams playing in front of an empty arena.
Great Britain, and Northern Ireland have experienced some setbacks dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and are being extra cautious with its borders. Visa’s for travel to and from the United States are not being processed at this time.
