The decision was made during a meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired by Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK, today. The meeting had been called to discuss the coronavirus and ways to protect people living on the Isle of Man.

The TT was due to take place between May 30 and June 13, however the event has been under threat for the last few weeks due to the coronavirus. The cancellation of the TT was made as part of the Isle of Man's plans to step up its measures to protect the population against the pandemic.

"The decision to cancel has not been taken lightly and all options including postponement and delaying the decision have been considered in detail," Laurence Skelly MHK, Minister for Enterprise said in a statement. "Representatives from the Isle of Man Government will now discuss the implications with all relevant businesses, stakeholders and individuals affected by this cancellation, which it recognises will be significant.

"With the visitor restriction in place for the foreseeable future we wanted to make the decision now to give businesses, visitors and all involved stakeholders time to manage the impact going forward. The Isle of Man, and the Isle of Man TT, are faced with unique challenges regarding COVID-19 and making this decision will provide certainty to teams, competitors, sponsors and stakeholders of the event and to visitors across the globe.

"The decision also aims to provide reassurance for our residents and healthcare professionals that the health and well-being of the Isle of Man’s residents is the single biggest priority and focus of this Government."

Fans who have bought official tickets, including grandstand seats, hospitality packages and all other official event experiences through iomttraces.com will be issued full refunds - according to The Department for Enterprise.

The department also say that they're working with the Manx Motor Cycle Club to try and ensure that the 2020 Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix, due to begin on August 22, goes ahead as planned. The event will be under constant review as the Isle of Man continue their battle against coronavirus.

The Department for Enterprise and Treasury are looking at various options to support businesses affected by the cancellation and will be introducing a range of support measures, the first of which will be announced in Tynwald tomorrow.

Source: motorcyclenews.com