Moscow replaces Tokyo as figure skating worlds host

The Russian figure skating federation executive director Valentin Piseyev says Moscow has been chosen as the replacement venue for this year's world championships.

On Thursday Valentin Piseyev told The Associated Press that the Figure Skating World Championships will be held from April 25 to May 1 at Moscow's Megasport arena. Moscow already hosted the skating worlds in 2005, but at a different venue.Soon after the announcement, Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin started to form the appropriate organizing committee.The year’s biggest figure skating event was initially supposed to be held in Tokyo in the end of March. But after the disastrous earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear crisis, which followed, Japan decided to give its right to host the competition to another country. Six nations including Russia, the USA, Canada, Finland, Croatia and Austria bid to replace Japan.Meanwhile, France, the 2012 host, has expressed its readiness to let Japan organize the championships next year.