All sporting activity in Italy suspended until April 3 due to coronavirus outbreak

All sporting activity in Italy has been suspended until April 3, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) has confirmed.

Some Serie A matches have been played behind closed doors in the last few weeks, including Juventus' win over Inter on Sunday night.

The Italian government were asked to issue a decree which has forced a halt to Serie A until April 3.

Juventus are due to host Lyon in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie next week.

Additionally, Inter Milan are in the last 16 of the Europa League and are due to face Getafe on Thursday. Roma travel to Sevilla for their first leg.

While European competition does not fall under the remit of CONI, it remains to be seen whether the games will take place on Italian soil.

Euro 2020 is scheduled to open in Rome on June 12, while each Serie A team still has at least 12 fixtures left to play.

The Six Nations has been hit hard by cancellations due to the coronavirus outbreak with all Italy's fixtures in the competition postponed.

France vs Ireland has also been cancelled ahead of the weekend with Wales’s vs Scotland currently the only match scheduled to go ahead.

England had been due to face Italy in Rome.

Northern Italy is still the part of Europe most affected by the coronavirus, with over 7,000 infections detected so far and more than 300 deaths.

Meanwhile France has seen over 1,000 outbreaks of the virus, including more than 300 deaths.

As things stand, the Cheltenham Festival is scheduled to go ahead as planned with sell-out crowds expected to descend on the racecourse over the next four days.