The Beirut International Marathon has been postponed because of the assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, local Naharnet news website reported on Wednesday.

Lebanese women react as the coffin of Lebanon's Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel passes in a street in Bekfaya, Mount Lebanon November 22, 2006. Gemayel, an outspoken critic of Syria, was assassinated near Beirut on Tuesday. Posters of Gemayel are hanging in the foreground.[Reuter]

"We are just postponing, not canceling the marathon," spokeswoman Zeina Dacache was quoted as saying.

"He (Gemayel) was a good leader and it would be wrong for us to be seen celebrating our event. But we plan going ahead with it at a future date," She added.

Gemayel, an anti-Syrian politician, was shot dead Tuesday in Jdeideh, northeast of Beirut.

The 4th Beirut Marathon, under the slogan "For the Love of Lebanon," was going to be held on Sunday November 26.

It was scheduled to include three separate running contests: a 42-kilometer International Marathon, a 10-kilometer Fun Run and a 5-kilometer Mini Marathon.