COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships for the second consecutive year ©CWF

The Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships have been cancelled because of the COVID-19, it has been announced.

The event was due to be held in Singapore from October 20 to 24.

It had been due to be a qualifying event for next year’s Commonwealth Games with the winner in each eligible group gaining direct qualification to Birmingham 2022.

But the Singapore Government has grown increasingly concerned about the potential for overseas competitors taking part in sport events transmitting coronavirus and has banned major sports events.

Canada's Olympic gold medallist Maude Charron would have been among competitors eligible to compete at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Singapore ©Getty Images
Canada's Olympic gold medallist Maude Charron would have been among competitors eligible to compete at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Singapore ©Getty Images

Earlier this week it was announced the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series event, scheduled for Singapore on October 29 and 30, had been cancelled.

It is the second consecutive year the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships to be cancelled after the 2020 event in Nauru had to be scrapped.

Singapore had been awarded the Championships, due to feature senior, junior and youth athletes, in January.

Three Olympic medallists from Tokyo 2020 were eligible for the Championships, including Canada’s Maude Charron, winner of the 64 kilograms gold.