An Olympic boxing qualifying tournament in London that had already decided to ban spectators midway through competition has now been cancelled altogether.
The Boxing Road to Tokyo event, being held at the Copper Box Arena in the Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park, began on Saturday and was due to run until March 24.
Spectators were allowed to attend over the weekend, but the decision was made late on Sunday night to move behind-closed-doors as the coronavirus outbreak worsened.
Boxing went ahead today but will be abandoned following this evening’s session after the IOC Boxing Task Force decided to suspend all of its events until May.
The organisers say they took the decision “amid increasing global travel restrictions and quarantine measures, in order to allow participants from over 60 countries to adjust their travel plans and return home”.
The statement added: “The BTF will continue to evaluate the situation daily, aiming to complete the distribution of the remaining Tokyo 2020 boxing quota places in May and June.
“The BTF’s priority remains the qualification of athletes on the field of play, and it will inform all stakeholders as soon as more information is available.”
.jpg?w=600)
