Ronaldo postpones London appearance after Manchester attack

LONDON: Football star Cristiano Ronaldo has postponed a schedule appearance in London on Saturday following the Manchester terror attack.

Real Madrid forward Ronaldo, once a Manchester United player, had been due to promote SIXPAD training gear at a press conference at the InterContinental Hotel on Saturday.

But this event has now been called off for the time being after the British government raised the UK´s national terror threat level to critical following Monday´s suicide bomb at the Manchester Arena that killed 22 people and injured dozens more.

"Following the upgrading of the UK´s terror threat, it is with regret that we have had to postpone Saturday´s public appearances with Cristiano Ronaldo," said a SIXPAD statement issued Friday.

"Safety is of paramount importance and given the high profile and public nature of this event we´ve taken the tough decision to postpone all activity until a later date," it added.

Numerous sporting bodies have reviewed their security arrangements in the light of Britain´s deadliest terror attack for 12 years, with two showpiece events of the English sporting calendar -- football´s FA Cup final and rugby union´s Premiership final -- both due to take place in London on Saturday.