2022 Winter Wizolympics Canceled
While the historic sporting event known throughout the magical world as the Wizolympics was able to be held in summer 2020 despite the virus spreading through the Muggle world, the International Wizolympic Committee made the difficult decision to cancel the winter 2022 event, which was scheduled to take place this month in Beijing, China.
Due to the resurgence of the virus among Muggles, the wizarding world is doing its part to stop the spread both within the magical community and among our Muggle friends, relatives, and neighbors. Many athletes had their training regimens interrupted and qualifying events postponed or canceled. Luckily, wizards, whose immune systems differ from our Muggle counterparts, have their own methods of preventing infection. The World Healers Organization for Magical Persons (WHOMP) has developed a potion, free of charge and readily available in local apothecaries or by owl order, that greatly reduces the chance of catching the virus and the severity of illness. WHOMP highly recommends magical people of all ages seek out a potion in their area and contact their nearest Healer if they have questions. Bubble-Head Charms are still suggested when mingling with others.
Despite these precautions and the lesser impact the virus has on wizards, the Wizolympic Committee still decided it was in the best interest of athletes, spectators, and the global community, both Muggle and magical, for the Games to not go forward this year. We’re sure wizards around the world will miss such exciting events as Bob Sledding (in which all athletes on the sled must be named Bob), Snowman Battle (featuring competitors building and enchanting figures out of snow which proceed to fight each other), Wizard Curling (identical to the Muggle sport of the same name but actually invented by wizards prior to the International Statute of Secrecy), and Yeti Toss (entrants select a yeti to throw them as far as possible).
Wizolympic Commissioner Adelaide Berger made the following statement:
While we all recognize and stand by the value of the Wizolympic Games in bringing together wizards from around the world, it is in keeping with the ethos of the Games that we made the difficult choice to put the well-being of the athletes and the public first. The Wizolympic flame remains lit in our hearts, which yearn for the next time we can safely convene for the outstanding show of athletic and magical prowess we can always expect from these Games.
Cliff Stunning Galleon medalist Brianne O’Donoghue weighed in on the cancellation:
It’s obviously incredibly disappointing for us athletes. We’re just stunned. Positively stunned. The announcement hit me like the freezing cold water I plunged into in Sochi in 2014. But this just means more time to train and perfect our falling. We’ll be back in 2026 ready to dive in again and take home another Galleon.
To make up for the lack of new Wizolympics content this year, we’ll be sharing coverage from the last winter Wizolympics in Sochi, Russia, in 2014, reliving the most thrilling, awe-inspiring, and absurd moments. The winter Wizolympics were also not held in 2018 due to reasons that Committee members either refuse to discuss or cannot seem to remember. An official cancellation was never announced, nor was there major public outcry at the time. The wizarding community seems to have collectively forgotten about the Games in 2018 when they were due to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Was Forgetfulness Potion involved? Mass Memory Charms? Rest assured, we will be investigating. In the meantime, please enjoy highlights from the 2014 Games, and we look forward to welcoming the Wizolympics to Paris, France, in summer 2024.
