China has withdrawn as host of the 2023 Junior and Under-23 Canoe Slalom and Wildwater Sprint World Championships ©ICF

China has pulled out of hosting another event due to the country's strict COVID-19 policy, with the 2023 Junior and Under-23 Canoe Slalom and Wildwater Sprint World Championships set to be relocated.

The Chinese Canoe Association (CCA) confirmed that it could not be sure certain coronavirus restrictions would be lifted in time for next July after a site visit to the venue in Miyi County.

A deadline of July 15 for new bidders has been set after the International Canoe Federation (ICF) reopened the process.

"We are grateful to the CCA for the efforts it made to prepare what we are sure would have been a wonderful World Championships for our young paddlers," said ICF Canoe Slalom Committee chair Jean-Michel Prono.

"We also appreciate that CCA has taken this decision early enough to allow us to find a new host for next year. 

"This will be a fantastic opportunity for a federation to showcase the future of our sport, just one year from the Paris Olympics.

"I would encourage all potential hosts to contact me as soon as possible, so we can talk through how we can ensure this event can go ahead.

"And of course we will look to return to Asia as soon as possible with a World Championships or World Cup, as we know this is a region where canoe slalom is growing fast."

China has adopted a strict "zero COVID" policy as it tries to eradicate coronavirus completely.

China's strict zero-COVID policy means it is not a realistic host of sporting events for the foreseeable future ©Getty Images
China's strict zero-COVID policy means it is not a realistic host of sporting events for the foreseeable future ©Getty Images

The Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games and the Chengdu 2021 Summer World University Games have both been postponed amid tough rules which have forced major cities such as Shanghai into all encompassing lockdowns. 

This year's Asian Youth Games in Shantou have been cancelled completely, with China currently not a reliable choice as an event host.

As the country typically hosts numerous international competitions, its absence from the market leaves problems for sport with many also believing that the zero-COVID policy is unrealistic. 

"CCA and local Governments have great interest and enthusiasm in the development of canoeing sports in China and we were very honoured to have the chance to host ICF events," a CCA spokesperson said.

"CCA officials early last week especially went to province Fujian to inspect the local condition of the host of international competitions, and got to know that it is still very difficult to say that the travel restrictions will be totally removed in the next year.

"To ensure the event runs smoothly, we totally understand and agree to reallocate the competitions."