The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships is the second significant ISU event in China to be cancelled in quick succession ©Getty Images

The International Skating Union (ISU) Four Continents Figure Skating Championships - due to take place in Tianjin fewer than two weeks before the Winter Olympics begin in the same country, China - have been cancelled.

The coronavirus pandemic, particularly associated travel restrictions, has been blamed for the cancelation. 

A replacement host is being sought by the ISU, but this news will add further questions about how, if indeed at all, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics are able to proceed.

China's borders are largely closed and all non-residents must self-isolate for 21 days upon entering China under the current rules.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has indicated that the first playbooks for Beijing 2022, like those which underlined the coronavirus countermeasures athletes, officials, media members and other Games-related personnel had to follow at Tokyo 2020, will be published next month.

The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships were scheduled to run between January 17 and 22 next year in Tianjin Olympic Centre Skating Stadium.

Tianjin is roughly 130 kilometres from Beijing, and the Winter Olympics are due to open on February 4.

South Korean capital Seoul staged the last Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, in February 2020 ©Getty Images
South Korean capital Seoul staged the last Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, in February 2020 ©Getty Images

This is not the first major figure skating event the Chinese Figure Skating Association has pulled out of staging in recent weeks.

The Cup of China, one of six regular-season ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating legs and set for Chongqing in November, was cancelled last month.

Turin has stepped in to host a replacement competition, and the ISU is soliciting offers from its members to follow the Italian lead and stage the 2022 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in the original window.

A replacement host will be chosen by the ISU Council on October 1.

This year's Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, set to be held in Sydney in Australia, also ended up being cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis.