Inter Milan have cancelled a pre-season tour of England because of safety fears after the London suicide bombing campaign, the Italian club said on Saturday.
"The club has decided to cancel the team tour in England so as not to further stretch the already severely occupied security services," Inter said on their website.
"Football takes a step back because of the increasingly serious events which touch the sensitivity of everyone," Inter added.
Inter were due to play Portsmouth, Leicester City, Norwich City and Crystal Palace, all in the last week of July.
The only match that would have taken place in London would have been against Crystal Palace.
London's mayor Ken Livingstone hit out at Inter's decision, telling Sky News: "I think that it is a very silly thing to do because it is playing the terrorists' game. They want to change the way we live."
He added: "The terrorists, I am sure, will be celebrating their decision. The idea there might not be an attack back home (in Milan), that they are more safe there than here, is a complete illusion.
"The truth is, as we have seen from the horrifying news from Egypt, nowhere in the world is safe."
Four British-born suicide bombers killed 52 people and injured 700 others in attacks on underground trains and a bus in London on July 7. The British capital was struck again this week when another four bombs appeared to have failed to detonate properly.
On Saturday, at least 83 people were killed and 200 injured when car bombs ripped through the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in the worst attack in Egypt since 1981.
The Italian government has said Italy, a U.S. ally in the war in Iraq, could be the next target for terrorists. Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu has said terrorism is "knocking on Italy's door".
The English clubs let down by Inter were damning in their criticism.
Crystal Palace said in a statement they were "saddened and angered by the late decision", particularly given other international sporting events in the capital such as cricket's Ashes test had gone ahead.
Norwich chief executive Neil Doncaster said the Italians were "giving in to the terrorists".
"We find Inter Milan's decision hugely disappointing and totally wrong ... Pulling out at this late stage causes considerable inconvenience to our supporters," he said.
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