SINT WILLEBRORD - Dick Jaspers had to cancel for the Grand Prix in Capelle, where he was supposed to start this Thursday. The Brabant billiard player returned from the European Cup in Porto on Monday morning, didn't feel too well and tested positive for Corona on Monday night. Today, Tuesday, he cancelled his participation in the Grand Prix in Capelle aan den IJssel. ''I don't feel really sick, just coughing and feeling a bit tired. But of course I don't want to be a risk for others'', Jaspers said on Wednesday morning.
His participation in the World Games, which start tomorrow in Birmingham, Alabama, is not in danger yet. Jaspers leaves on Sunday with Paul Brekelmans as UMB referee, together with Frenchman Hervé Lacombe. The billiard players will only start on Wednesday July 13, with a total of sixteen players from the world top, playing a knock-out tournament. Dick Jaspers starts on Wednesday, July 13 at 11.30 against the American Pedro Piedrabuena.
The World Games are an event for non-Olympic sports, in which about 3600 athletes participate. It is the eleventh World Games, billiards is on the schedule for the fifth time since 2001. The billiards tournament is played at the Sheraton Hotel in Birmingham. Dick Jaspers played in all five previous editions of the World Games. ''In the first three I played the final, the third final I won in Taiwan against Torbjörn Blomdah. I remember it was a terribly bad billiard. At the last World Games in Poland I lost the match for third place to Sameh Sidhom''.
Never before had Jaspers tested positive for Corona, despite traveling a lot. ''Yes, once, before the Masters, but that turned out to be a mistake in the test. So I could still participate in the Masters''. Jaspers thinks he got the infection in Porto. ''We won the European Cup and gave each other enthusiastic hugs. Then you run a risk. But I also went to the World Cup in Vietnam, where you are all very close to each other.''
''I am always very careful'', Jaspers assures. ''But of course it can happen once. I had an early flight from Porto on Monday morning at five o'clock, but the day before I was a bit coughy. Monday I decided to do a self-test anyway. And indeed: it was positive.''
The plan was to quietly prepare for the Grand Prix this week and then travel to America on Sunday. ''Of course I am assuming that the World Games will not be a problem. It is a pity that I had to cancel the Grand Prix. I would have liked to participate, because after the World Games we will have a very quiet period until we play another World Cup in August.''
In the Grand Prix, Gerwin Valentijn, who was the best loser in the last qualifiers, will replace Dick Jaspers.