Who has the authority to cancel a Sprint?

The authority to cancel a Sprint is held by the Product Owner. This role is responsible for managing the Product Backlog, including prioritizing items and defining what can be achieved in a Sprint. If there’s a significant change in the project or market conditions, or if the Sprint goal becomes irrelevant, the Product Owner can decide to cancel the Sprint to reassess and realign with the product's vision and priorities.

The Product Owner makes this decision based on their understanding of the needs of stakeholders and the value the product is delivering. By canceling a Sprint, the Product Owner ensures that the development efforts are focused on delivering the most value rather than simply completing tasks that no longer hold importance.

While the Development Team and Scrum Master play vital roles in the Scrum framework, they do not have the authority to cancel a Sprint. The Development Team may recognize issues or concerns during the Sprint, but it is ultimately the Product Owner who determines the course of action. Stakeholders can provide feedback and express concerns, but they do not have the jurisdiction to cancel a Sprint either.