Cristiano Ronaldo postpones UK appearance after Manchester attack

London (AFP) – 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.