Israel cancels all sports events due to COVID-19 outbreak

Israel's sports and health ministries announced on Friday the cancellation of all sports events in the country as part of the efforts to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The ministries' statement said the "decision is intended to maintain public health and will take immediate effect".

Earlier on Friday, the Israeli Professional Football League (IPFL) and the Israel Basketball Super League announced the stopping of all professional leagues in the country.

The IPFL said "football is a major part of Israeli society and its stop signifies the severe crisis that is affecting us."

"However, we are confident that responsible behavior will enable us to deal with the virus and return to a reinforced routine," it added.