World Athletics postpone Indoor Championships over coronavirus outbreak

In the last 24 hours, 26 people have died in China, bringing the death toll to 132, due to the coronavirus outbreak

World Athletics have postponed the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing due to the coronavirus outbreak in China.

The event was due to be held in the Chinese city between March 13 and 15 but has been postponed for 12 months.

A statement on the World Athletics website reads: "It is with regret that we have agreed with the organisers of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing (13-15 March 2020) to postpone the event to March 2021.

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"We know that China is doing all it can to contain the new coronavirus and we support them in all their efforts but it is necessary to provide our athletes, member federations and partners with a clear way forward in what is a complex and fast-moving set of circumstances.

"The advice from our medical team, who are in contact with the World Health Organisation, is that the spread of the coronavirus both within China and outside the country is still at a concerning level and no one should be going ahead with any major gathering that can be postponed.

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"We have considered the possibility of relocating the event to another country and would like to thank the cities that have volunteered to host the championships. However, given concerns still exist regarding the spread of the virus outside China, we have decided not to go with this option, as it may lead to further postponement at a later date.

"The indoor season for athletics falls within a narrow calendar window (up to the end of March) and we believe we will be able to find a suitable date in 2021 to host this event. We would like Nanjing to be the host given the extensive planning and preparation they have put into this event.

Coronavirus has affected more than 6,000 people in China

"We have chosen not to cancel the championships as many of our athletes would like this event to take place so we will now work with our athletes, our partners and the Nanjing organising committee to secure a date in 2021 to stage this event."

There have been almost 6,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in China, with the death toll standing at 132. More than 50 cases have been confirmed outside China.

The Foreign Office updated its advice on Tuesday to warn against all but essential travel to mainland China, saying it may become more difficult for British nationals in other provinces to leave.

On Wednesday, British Airways announced it was suspending all flights to and from mainland China with immediate effect.