The protests in the city have led to the cancellation of many international high-profile sports and entertainment events.
A demonstrator holds up a black flag with a slogan that reads "Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our times" as he and other masked protesters gather outside the High Court premises in support of activist Edward Leung, jailed for taking part in the 2016 Mongkok riots, during an appeal hearing for his period of sentence in Hong Kong on October 9, 2019. - Leading independence activist Leung was jailed for six years on June 2018 for his involvement in the 2016 Lunar New Year riots in Hong Kong's Mongkok district, then one of the city's worst protest violence in decades, as semi-autonomous Hong Kong has been battered by four months of increasingly violent pro-democracy protests sparked by opposition to a now-scrapped bill allowing extraditions to China. (Photo by Mohd RASFAN / AFP)
Amid unprecedented political unrest in the city, the Hong Kong Squash Open became the latest international sporting event to be called off.
Notably, the city of Hong Kong is shaken by as many as four months of pro-democracy protests which have seen many violent clashes happening between demonstrators and policemen. Disruptions have also been caused to the city transportation system.
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Consequently, the protests have led to the cancellation of many international high-profile sports events. Hong Kong’s Premier squash event, which was scheduled to be played in December, became the latest event to be cancelled.
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“Hong Kong Squash has decided, after careful consideration and extensive discussions with our key stakeholders, to postpone the 2019 Everbright Sun Hung Kai Hong Kong Squash Open… to next year,” the organisers said in a statement released by them.
The Hong Kong Squash Open, held annually, is one of the Professional Squash Association’s World tour platinum events and the last time the tournament was called was way back in 2003 during the SARS outbreak.
The political scenario in the city has made the organizers reconsider their decision of organising International Sports events in the city. The WTA Hong Kong Open tennis tournament, a friendly football match and even several much-anticipated entertainment events like pop concerts and stand up comedies have been either postponed or called off.
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