Toulon Tournament cancelled for 2020 after 'difficult decision' amid coronavirus pandemic

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The competition that helped launch the careers of Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and James Rodriguez will not go ahead in December as hoped

Traditionally one of the great showcases for bright young footballers, the competition - more commonly known as the Toulon Tournament - has seen international teams vie for the trophy since 1975, having previously included club sides.

However, for the first time since the competition was inaugurated in 1967, it will not run this year.

A statement published by the organisers reads: “Last April, when we announced the postponement of the Maurice Revello Tournament’s 48th edition, initially planned to be held from 1st to 14th June, the Organising Committee took the time to reflect: should we totally skip this year 2020? Or should we try to reschedule the 48th edition at the end of the calendar year?

“We had opted for the second option, aiming to reschedule the Maurice Revello Tournament 2020 in December which is obviously an unprecedented challenge.

"This lapse of time allowed us to rework on the organisation of our event and meanwhile to set up all the specific arrangements related to Covid-19 in order to ensure the safety of everyone involved in this event.

“Supported by our major partners, the project started to take shape as several national teams - Japan, Chile, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Vietnam and Indonesia - agreed to take part in this rescheduled tournament planned to be held in December.

"However, as you have seen, the sanitary situation is deteriorating again in Europe and especially in Southern France, with an upsurge in the number of positive Covid-19 cases.

“The situation has led the French government to set up a curfew in different departments including Bouches-du-Rhone, the home of the Maurice Revello Tournament.

"Now, it’s no longer a question of delivering an international sport event but to follow, as citizens, the government’s recommendations in order to protect the athletes, managers and all the persons necessary for the proper functioning of such an organisation.

“As a result, after consulting with our major partners, we took the difficult decision to purely and simply cancel the 48th edition of the Maurice Revello Tournament.”

Brazil are the defending champions, in a tournament which has previously been graced by the likes of Jean-Pierre Papin, Alan Shearer, James Rodriguez. Javier Mascherano and Thierry Henry.

2020-10-26 18:00:06

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