Coronavirus: Dubai World Cup horse race postponed

ISTANBUL

The Dubai World Cup horse race was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"To safeguard the health of all participants, the higher organizing committee of the Dubai World Cup 2020 has decided to postpone the 25th edition of the global tournament to next year," the Dubai Media Office said in a statement on Sunday and shared on Twitter.

The Dubai World Cup is the world's richest horse racing with $12 million.

As the world struggles to contain the rapidly spreading virus, organizers of sports events across the globe have been forced to cancel or alter their plans.

Many international sports events were canceled or rescheduled, and some were or will be played without the audience.

The virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 170 countries and regions around the globe, while the tally of confirmed cases has topped 318,000, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The global death toll is over 13,500, causing a chain reaction as governments placing countries on lockdown to stem the spread.

China, Italy, Iran, and Spain continue to be the most-affected countries.

Despite the rising number of cases, a vast majority of people contracting the virus suffer mild symptoms before making a recovery.