European Athletics Championships cancelled because of coronavirus

The 2020 European Athletics Championships in Paris have been cancelled amid the coronavirus crisis.

The event was due to be staged at the French capital's Charlety Stadium from 25-30 August.

Great Britain topped the medal table at the 2018 championships in Berlin.

"We had hoped in these troubled times to offer European athletes a major event to aim for at the end of this summer," said European Athletics interim president Dobromir Karamarinov.

"The health and safety of all athletics' stakeholders - including athletes, fans, officials, partners and everyone connected with the sport - is paramount."

A statement on the European Athletics website said: "The decision to cancel was driven by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the associated risks linked to the current situation, which are far from being under control, as well as the existing ban on mass gatherings in France."

The Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo have been postponed until next year, while the World Athletics Championships in Oregon have been moved to 2022 because of the global pandemic.

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