The Under-23 Wrestling World Championships have been cancelled due to COVID-19 ©Getty Images

United World Wrestling (UWW) has announced the cancellation of the Under-23 World Championships after the move was approved by its Executive Committee.

The decision was made in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused travel restrictions and led to health concerns worldwide.

Initially scheduled to take place between November 23 and 29 in Tampere in Finland, the event is the latest wrestling competition to be affected.

Previously, UWW decided to cancel all of its events in September and October.

The Executive Committee also agreed to keep other international tournaments currently scheduled for November and December in place.

They stressed, however, that organisers must implement health and safety conditions for all participants and personnel.

Wrestling competitions that do go ahead in 2020 and 2021 could limit spectators to prevent the spread of the virus ©Getty Images
Wrestling competitions that do go ahead in 2020 and 2021 could limit spectators to prevent the spread of the virus ©Getty Images

This includes hand sanitation and social distancing measures.

No decision has yet been made about the Senior and Junior World Championships scheduled for Belgrade in mid-December.

The UWW Senior World Wrestling Championships for 2020 are still expected to take place in the Serbian capital from December 12 to 20.

"For now, the Executive Committee decided to keep the dates of the World Wrestling Championship in Serbia in December, but with a reservation on the epidemiological situation in the country and in the world at the time of the start of the competition," said Mikhail Mamiashvili, vice-president of UWW, according to Russian state news agency, TASS.

In July, it was revealed that both the Senior and Junior World Championships would be hosted in the same city, a week apart.