Indian boxers training in Italy for next month’s Olympic qualifiers were given the option of flying out early due to the novel coronavirus threat in that country, but the team has decided to stay put as its training base in Assisi is “far” from the epicentre of the outbreak.

The Indian team, comprising 13 boxers and about the same number of support staff, is currently in Assisi, a hill town in the central Italian region of Umbria. The coronavirus outbreak in Italy has so far affected the northern Lombardy region, leaving seven dead and 229 infected.

“We are staying put in Assisi, we have a scheduled training tomorrow,” India’s high performance director Santiago Nieva said from Assisi. “We have spoken to the Italian authorities and realised that there is no need for concern for us right now.”

Meet postponed

World team table tennis championships, due to take place next month in the South Korean city of Busan, were postponed on Tuesday following a leap in coronavirus cases. The International Table Tennis Federation said the event, originally planned for March 22-29, had been provisionally rescheduled for June 21-28 following an emergency meeting with local organisers.

Japan’s J-League postponed its cup competition on Tuesday. “J-League will provide its maximum cooperation for the prevention of the spread (of the virus) and anti-infection measures,” a statement issued by the league said.

The latest decision was made as the clock ticks closer to the Tokyo Olympics, which start in five months’ time on July 24.

Closed-door matches

Upcoming matches in Italian Serie A and the Europa League will be played behind closed doors to combat the spread of coronavirus, the Italian sports minister announced in Rome. Italy reported its seventh death from the virus on Monday.