Shanghai Dragons relocates players and coaching staff to South Korea due to coronavirus

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Shanghai Dragons will move its players and staff from China to South Korea due to concerns of the coronavirus, the team announced today. The relocation comes just over one week before the Overwatch League’s third season begins, making the Shanghai-based team the second org to move its players out of the country because of the virus.

“Our priority is to ensure the safety of all our players and staff along with providing the best possible environment for them to practice in,” the team wrote in its official statement. “As such, after taking into consideration our match and practice schedule, we will be temporarily relocating all our players and coaching staff to Korea effective immediately.”

The Shanghai-based team was scheduled to host its first home games of the season on Feb. 15 in Shanghai. As for now, the event is still scheduled; neither the Overwatch League nor the team itself have cancelled or delayed the event, but concerns over the coronavirus outbreak call into question whether the event will be rescheduled.

The Overwatch League team addressed these concerns in their announcement today. “We have maintained close contact with the league throughout the past few weeks and hope to be able to provide you with updates soon,” the Shanghai Dragons wrote.

The Guangzhou Charge was the first of the league’s four Chinese teams to relocate its training base to Korea after concerns over the coronavirus outbreak grew.

The Overwatch League returns for season three on Feb. 8 with the series between the Toronto Defiant and the Paris Eternal at 12pm CT.