SPORTEL confirmed the annual sports marketing convention, which had been scheduled for February 22 to 24 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, would not go ahead "due to the current health situation".

Organisers had moved the event from its traditional October slot to February in the hope it could be staged.

SPORTEL said it would prepare a series of webinars to replace the sessions that had been on the agenda for next month's convention.

SPORTEL chief executive Laurent Puons had insisted they would not hold the entire event remotely as the organisation wanted to "preserve our DNA".

"A 100 per cent digital or hybrid concept is not adapted to our event, which above all promotes exchanges and networking," Puons said last year.

SPORTELMonaco gathers top level executives from a wide range of firms, including broadcasters, television networks, International Federations, marketing agencies, production companies, rights owners and satellite providers.