2020–21 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final

The 2020–21 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final would have been a figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the Chinese Skating Association, and the final event of the 2020–21 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It was scheduled to be held concurrently with the 2020–21 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final was scheduled to be held at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, from 10–13 December 2020.^[1] Medals would have been awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance at the senior and junior levels. However, the competition was cancelled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020–21 Grand Prix Final
Type:	Grand Prix
Season:	2020–21
Location:	Beijing, China
Host:	Chinese Skating Association
Venue:	Capital Indoor Stadium
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Background

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating is a series of seven events sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU) and held during the autumn: six qualifying events and the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. This allows skaters to perfect their programs earlier in the season, as well as compete against the skaters with whom they will later compete at the World Championships. Skaters earn points based on their results in their respective competitions and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are invited to compete at the Grand Prix Final.^[2] Likewise, the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP) is a series of seven international figure skating competitions exclusively for junior-level skaters. The locations of the Junior Grand Prix events change every year. Skaters earn points based on their results each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are then invited to compete at the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.^[3]

On 9 July 2020, the General Administration of Sport of China announced that no international sporting events would be held in China in 2020 except for test events for the 2022 Winter Olympics.^[4] The Chinese Skating Association was scheduled to host several events during the season, including the 2020 Grand Prix Final. The Grand Prix Final, scheduled to be hosted in Beijing, was event exempt from the government's ruling due to its status as the test event for the Olympic Games.^[5]

On 20 July, the ISU officially cancelled the Junior Grand Prix series due to travel and quarantine restrictions in place owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[6] On 4 August, the ISU confirmed that the Grand Prix series would proceed as scheduled during the fall, but each event would feature domestic skaters, skaters already training in the host nation, and skaters assigned to that event for geographic reasons in an effort to limit travel during the global pandemic.^[7]

On 30 September, the ISU announced the postponement of the 2020 Grand Prix Final. They believed that hosting the competition on from 18 to 20 December, conflicting with year-end holidays and national championships, could have impacted a number of participants given global travel restrictions and potential quarantines.^[8]

On 13 November, an adapted sports testing program developed by the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and the international winter sports federations replaced all scheduled Beijing test events. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the ISU announced that it would evaluate the possibility of finding alternative locations outside of China to host the 2020 Grand Prix Final.^[9] On 10 December, the ISU announced the definitive cancellation of the Grand Prix Final, along with the 2021 European Figure Skating Championships, due to "the worsening worldwide Covid-19 pandemic situation and the consequent increasing risks for organizers and participants".^[10]