The qualification event in Rio de Janeiro has been postponed once more ©Getty Images

World Rowing has postponed the Americas Continental Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta for Tokyo 2020 over coronavirus concerns.

The event was provisionally planned to be held in late January in Rio de Janeiro, but that will no longer be the case.

Coronavirus cases remain high in Brazil and only the United States has recorded more deaths.

World Health Organization and World Rowing infection-prevention measures designed to ensure a minimal-risk regatta cannot be assured at this stage, which led to the postponement, World Rowing said.

A new date "between late February and late March 2021" is now under consideration.

However, "the environment is constantly changing", World Rowing's statement added.

Varese is set to host the European rowing qualifier for Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images
Varese is set to host the European rowing qualifier for Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images

More than 172,000 COVID-19 deaths and 6.29 million cases have been reported in Brazil.

The African Continental Qualification Regatta is the only regional qualifier for Tokyo 2020 to have gone ahead so far as it was staged in Tunisia in 2019.

The Asia and Oceania regatta is currently scheduled for April 2021, but a location is yet to be announced.

The European event is currently scheduled for April 5 to 7 in Varese in Italy before the Final Qualification Regatta, set for May 16 to 18 in Lucerne in Switzerland.