Following recommendations from Government agencies as well as the World Health Organization (WHO), the COB asked for staff to work at home with only absolutely necessary work to be conducted at its headquarters.

The measures also impact the sports facilities run by the COB, such as the Time Brasil Training Center at the Maria Lenk Water Park which will remain closed for at least the next two weeks.

COB President Paulo Wanderley added that safety comes first. 

"Although COB's mission is to develop and represent the high-performance sport of Brazil with excellence, the institution's priority at the moment is the health and well-being of athletes, technical commissions and all those involved with the sport", Wanderley said.

COB director general Rogério Sampaio added: "I was an athlete and I know that this is the most difficult moment that they can go through in his career: not being able to train under normal conditions and not competing."

"But we need to understand that this is an unprecedented crisis and that all precautions are necessary."

Other events cancelled by the COB include the 100 Days Festival for Tokyo, due to take place in April in Brasilia, and the Olympic Meeting on May 2 in Rio de Janeiro.

There have been more than 252,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the globe, with more than 10,000 people dying as a result. 

In Brazil, seven people have died as a result of COVID-19, with 647 cases being reported to date making it the worst-affected nation in South America.