Paris (AFP)

Storm Ciara disrupts the organization of sports competitions in northern Europe. Numerous professional football championship matches have been reported in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Great Britain.

After the postponement decisions ratified on Saturday in the Netherlands and Belgium, the English and German championships also took a few hours to kick off preventive measures, while gusts of up to 140 km / h are expected in northern Europe.

The German championship match between Mönchengladbach and Cologne, scheduled for 3.30 pm, has been postponed, "the safe movement of supporters after the match cannot be guaranteed," said Borussia Mönchengladbach, fourth in the Bundesliga.

The day's flagship meeting between the leader, Bayern Munich, and its runner-up, the RB Leipzig, scheduled for 6 p.m., remains scheduled.

In England, only two meetings were on the program.

Manchester City have agreed with West Ham to postpone the match for the 26th day of the Premier League "in the interests of the safety of supporters and security personnel," the club said.

On the other hand, the other match planned between Sheffield United and Bournemouth seems to him to be held, although Manchester and Sheffield are only fifty kilometers apart.

In London, a 10-kilometer race involving 25,000 runners was canceled.

On Saturday, the Dutch and Belgian officials preferred to anticipate the postponement decisions.

The four matches scheduled for Sunday in the Dutch league, including those at the top of the table between AZ Alkmaar (2nd) and Feyenoord (3rd), and FC Utrecht (7th) and Ajax Amsterdam (1st), have been postponed.

Same decision in Belgium where four meetings scheduled for Sunday were also postponed, including the one between Standard de Liège (4th) and the leader, FC Bruges.

In France, no meeting has been canceled, the storm should only affect the north of the country, where 35 departments have been placed in orange vigilance. The match of the second day of the Six Nations Tournament against Italy at the Stade de France has been maintained, as well as the three Ligue 1 football matches, including PSG-Lyon scheduled at 9:00 p.m.

The Ciara storm which will affect part of Europe, in particular the United Kingdom and Ireland, will generate strong winds as well as heavy rains.

Cancellations and delays in air, rail and sea transport have been recorded and national metrological organizations warn of damage to homes and possible power outages.

© 2020 AFP