Overview
- Organisers postponed the May 8 season opener in Doha, rescheduling it for June 19 at Khalifa International Stadium "should conditions allow."
- The series will now begin on May 16 in China after the Qatar date moved off the calendar.
- Officials cited security risks in the Middle East and said they will keep monitoring conditions to ensure a safe event.
- The venue shift addresses Qatar’s extreme June heat, since Khalifa Stadium uses cooling technology and hosted the 2019 World Athletics Championships.
- The new Doha slot falls between Oslo on June 10 and Paris on June 28, and coverage notes other sports have faced disruptions, including canceled Formula 1 weekends in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April.