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Reuters
Reuters
Health

FIFA postpones Congress for three months over coronavirus

FILE PHOTO: The logo of FIFA is seen in front of its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland September 26, 2017. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

FIFA has postponed its annual Congress, due to be held in Ethiopia in June, for three months due to the coronavirus outbreak, the world soccer body said on Wednesday.

FIFA said in a statement that its 70th Congress, where delegations from all 211 of its member national associations are due to meet, will take place in Addis Ababa on Sept. 18.

"Numerous international bodies and public health authorities have advised against the organisation of international events," the statement said.

"Concerns over the health and well-being of participants, as well as travel restrictions in many countries, have resulted in the cancellation or postponement of many such events in various parts of the world," it added.

A FIFA Council meeting due to be held in Zurich on March 20 -- previously scheduled for Asuncion -- would now take place in June or July, it added.

(Reporting by Michael Shields and Brian Homewood; editing by John Stonestreet and Toby Davis)

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