Football legends match as part of events to mark the Uganda-France Friendship Week has been indefinitely postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The game between Uganda football greats and a selection of former African stars had been slated for March 22 at the Mandela National Stadium.
Headlining the match were the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Didier Drogba, El Hadji Diouf, Geremi Njitap, Yaya Toure, Benjani Mwaruwari, Emmanuel Eboue, Khalilou Fadiga and Tresor Lomana LuaLua.
But with public gatherings around the world heightening the risk of the coronavirus spreading, the match has been postponed.
President Museveni has postponed next Years Election to 2023 Due to CORONAVIRUS
— Lacto (@CaptainWamba) March 15, 2020
We cannot Risk the life of millions of people of Uganda we will have our elections in 2023 - Museveni😂😂😂😂😂😂😂some opportunities!!!?? pic.twitter.com/CgWieHj1d3
French Ambassador to Uganda, Jules-Armand Aniambossou, said all events that were part of festivities to celebrate the Uganda-France Friendship Week have been called off.
"We visited the places [that] were planning to organise the different [events] but following the risk assessment from the Ministry [of Health] we were told we could not organise the events," said Aniambossou as per New Vision.
"To organise successful celebrations we need to work with the Ugandans and going by the mood in France currently we cannot go on and we have to respect all the guidelines, the reason we had to postpone and plan for something bigger with our sponsors in the coming months."
"Government has decided to ask travelers from the affected countries not to come to Uganda because the high cases they are reporting can easily be imported into the country," Uganda’s health minister said. https://t.co/ho64Cr5s3Y
— CNN Africa (@CNNAfrica) March 12, 2020
The virus has swept across the globe from China, with more than 167,000 cases confirmed worldwide and nearly 6,500 deaths as a result of what has now been declared a pandemic.
Sport has been dramatically affected by the disease, with football suspended in countries and other major events postponed or cancelled.