Beijing, March 13 (IANS): World wrestling governing body the United World Wrestling (UWW) announced on Friday that the European, Africa & Oceania, and World Olympic Games qualifiers have all been postponed amid the Covid-19 epidemic.

UWW president Nenad Lalovic said in his letter to all National Federations that "the UWW Executive Committee has been convened via phone conference on 10 March 2020 to discuss the situation with the Covid-19 epidemic, impacting the holding of our qualification events for the Games," Xinhua news reported.

"In the meantime, the Hungarian government has declared a state of emergency and has taken several measures to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus, including the prohibition of indoor events of more than one hundred participants. As announced, this event has been postponed."

According to Lalovic, the European qualifier in Budapest has been postponed until May (exact dates to be decided). The venue remains unchanged. The African-Oceania qualifier in El Jadida, Morocco has been postponed until May 2020. The World Qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria has been postponed to the beginning of June 2020.

The Asian qualifiers are still being discussed, but the UWW plans to move the event to the end of May.