The Kamloops International Baseball Tournament has been cancelled for the second straight year

Photo: Jeff Putnam City of Kamloops

The 2021 Kamloops International Baseball Tournament has officially been cancelled.

British Columbia's longest-running baseball tournament announced the cancellation for the second straight year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We looked at this decision from every possible angle, with hopes of giving Kamloops fans and our longtime sponsors something to look forward to,” tournament committee president Wayne Harper, said in a press release.

“But in the end, there was no way to plan ahead without knowing when restrictions on gatherings would be lifted, not to mention the travel restrictions that currently prevent U.S. teams from travelling to Canada to compete. It was the difficult decision, but under these circumstances, we believe it was the right decision and the responsible decision.”

“We’ve had so much support from this city over the years, and we remain grateful for the long-standing relationships we’ve built with fans and businesses, but the past year hasn’t been easy for all of us. We hope we can welcome everyone to the ballpark in 2022 when we as a city are back on steady ground and the pandemic is over.”

All teams participating have been informed of the cancellation.

“The teams couldn’t be more understanding,” said Harper. “They’ve been so good to us over the years and they feel the same frustration as we do, but they also know the decision was made for the right reasons."

“In the meantime, Kamloops, stay safe, be responsible and we hope to see you back at the ballpark soon."

This would have been the 47 tournament in its history.