KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The biggest annual amateur sports event in Missouri has been canceled for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Show-Me State Games organizers announced Wednesday that all summer activities have been canceled, including the Show-Me State Games scheduled for July 17-19 and July 24-26 in Columbia.
“Our mission is to promote health, fitness, family and fun,” Show-Me State Games Executive Director Dave Fox said. “While we are disappointed that we won’t be able to host our sporting events, we believe we are upholding our mission by putting our participants and the community’s health first.”
The decision was made “to protect the health and safety of athletes, spectators, volunteers, officials and the community,” according to a release announcing the cancellation.
Typically, the Show-Me State Games, which draw as many as 35,000 participants and are the largest state games in the country, involves 40 sports and draws competitors from all age groups from across the state, but 20 sports already had been canceled “due to health and safety guidelines and facility availability.”
Organizers said the withdrawal of athletes, concerns over how to monitor and enforce social distancing as well as mask usage, and difficulty in recruiting and training volunteers also contributed to the decision to cancel the 2020 event.
Athletes and teams who have already paid entry fees will receive a refund.
