Italy became the latest country to withdraw from the European Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships ©Getty Images

Italy has become the latest country to withdraw from the European Gymnastics Championships in the artistic and rhythmic disciplines because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

Kyiv in Ukraine is due to host the Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships between November 26 and 29.

The men's European Artistic Gymnastics Championships are then set to take place from December 9 to 13 in Turkey, with the women's scheduled to follow from December 17 to 20.

Italy will not send a delegation to any of the events due to the ongoing "logistical and health difficulties" caused by the pandemic.

Germany announced it was withdrawing from the European Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships last month, with Britain also pulling out of the artistic contest. 

Russia is among the other nations to have declined to send athletes to both competitions. 

Russia has also pulled out of the European Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships ©Getty Images
Russia has also pulled out of the European Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships ©Getty Images

Ukraine has reported more than 420,600 cases of COVID-19 and at least 7,700 deaths from the virus.

The figures in Azerbaijan are considerably lower as the country has recorded around 58,200 cases and more than 760 deaths.

A rise in coronavirus cases across Europe has sparked fears over sports events on the continent, but both the European Artistic and Rhythmic Championships are set to go ahead.

Qualification for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, now set to take place in 2021, will not be on offer at the events.

The European Gymnastics Executive Committee decided in September it did not want to put pressure on federations to travel to the Championships.