The 2020 European Athletics Championships in Paris have been cancelled but there is set to be track and field action in Oslo at an 'Impossible Games' Diamond League event in June.
European Athletics announced on Thursday that the Championships will not take place at the Charlety Stadium from August 25-30 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Paris 2020 Local Organising Committee (LOC) and Federation Francaise d'Athletisme (FFA) made the decision to call the event off at an extraordinary LOC Executive Committee meeting.
European Athletics interim president Dobromir Karamarinov said: "We had hoped in these troubled times to offer European athletes a major event to aim for at the end of this summer.
"Unfortunately, today we were informed by the LOC and French athletics federation that, after discussions with the relevant French national and local public health and safety authorities, they were no longer able to proceed with delivering the championships this August and were forced to cancel the event.
"Whilst we regret announcing the cancellation of our European Athletics Championships, it is worth reiterating that in these unprecedented times the health and safety of all athletics' stakeholders including athletes, fans, officials, partners and everyone connected with the sport is paramount. We will always do what is best for the members of our athletics family and the wider public."
A further two Diamond League meetings scheduled to take place in June were postponed earlier in the day but plans for an exhibition event in Oslo on June 11 were revealed.
There is due to be a world record attempt from world 400 metres hurdles champion Karsten Warholm on home soil and a pole vault battle between world record holder Mondo Duplantis and Renaud Lavillenie.
The hour-long event, which will be shown live by Norway's public broadcaster NRK, will ensure a full observation of the country's coronavirus regulations and social distancing rules.
Organisers stressed that a full programme is yet to be confirmed and is subject to change.
