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Coronavirus Pandemic : How is it affecting sports worldwide?

German amateur side SG Ripdorf/Molzen II sacrificed a tight defence for social distancing as they fielded only seven players as a coronavirus precaution in a 37-0 loss to local rivals SV Holdenstedt II.

The preparations for Sunday’s match in Lower Saxony’s 3. Kreisklasse – the 11th tier of German football – were complicated when it emerged that Holdenstedt players had been in contact with an opponent infected with Covid-19 in a previous match.

While all members of the Holdenstedt squad later tested negative for the virus, Ripdorf, from Uelzen in Lower Saxony, did not feel the conditions were safe and were able to field only seven players – the minimum number required for a match.

“We are thankful those seven players volunteered, otherwise the club would have faced a 200-euro fine for abandoning the match,” Ripdorf co-chair Patrick Ristow told ESPN. “That’s a lot of money for us, especially amid the pandemic.”

Holdenstedt showed no mercy and scored a goal nearly every two minutes, while their opponents watched on from a safe distance.

“When the game kicked off, one of our players passed the ball to the opponent and our team walked to the sidelines,” Ristow said.

“The Holdenstedt players did not understand. But we did not want to risk anything. For the rest of the match, our players returned to the field but they only stood on the pitch.”


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The match result has since created a stir on social media but Ristow said Ripdorf only focused on what was best for the wellbeing of all the players on the pitch.

“There is no perfect solution for it. And we went down this route,” he added. “We wished Holdenstedt no harm.”

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...nce-from-opponents-lose-37-0?CMP=share_btn_wa
 
Coronavirus: Plans for fans to return to sport events in October called off

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed plans for fans to return to watch live sport events in England from 1 October will not go ahead.

The plans were placed under review after a rise in coronavirus cases earlier this month.

The UK's Covid-19 alert level has moved to 4, meaning transmission is "high or rising exponentially".

Cabinet office minister Michael Gove told BBC Breakfast plans for a staged return of fans would be "paused".

In an address to the Commons later on Tuesday, the Prime Minister announced new restrictions, including the halting of the phased return of fans.

"We have to acknowledge that the spread of the virus is now affecting our ability to reopen business conferences, exhibitions and large sporting events," he said.

"So we will not be able to do this from October 1 and I recognise the implications for our sports clubs which are the life and soul of our communities, and my right honourable friends the Chancellor and the Culture Secretary are working urgently on what we can do now to support them."

The Prime Minister also said current restrictions are likely to remain in place for the next six months.

The pilot programme, which was to trial events of up to 1,000 spectators, has also been paused.

Bath's Premiership game with Gloucester on Tuesday (17:30 BST) had been part of the pilot scheme but will now go ahead behind closed doors.

The majority of sports in England have been played behind closed doors since the coronavirus lockdown in March, including Premier League football, the FA Cup final, England's Test cricket matches and two Formula 1 races at Silverstone.

Sport events that took place with full crowds in March shortly before all fixtures were postponed and the UK locked down have come under scrutiny.

The impact of Liverpool's Champions League fixture with Atletico Madrid on the spread of coronavirus is being investigated by the city's council, while there have also been calls for an investigation into whether the Cheltenham Festival should have gone ahead.

The government defended its decision to allow such events to proceed before restrictions on mass gatherings were introduced.

"People look back now at the beginning of the pandemic at some of the major sporting events then and ask the question why were they allowed to go ahead," added Gove.

"What we must do is look at sporting events now with caution but we also recognise that sport is a vital part of this nation and we're looking at everything we can do to support our athletes, our great clubs, through what will be a challenging time."

Julian Knight, the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee, said "if we don't find a route map with smart solutions to allow sports and live events to gradually reopen, we risk decimation of our sporting and cultural infrastructure".

The leaders of more than 100 sports bodies have written to the prime minister to ask for emergency funding, warning of "a lost generation of activity" because of coronavirus.

Sport England has handed out £200m for emergency cases, but many in the sector believe more is needed.

Earlier this month, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters told BBC Sport it was "absolutely critical" fans were allowed back inside stadiums as soon as possible and failure to do so would cost clubs £700m during the 2020-21 season.

English Football League clubs lost £50m in gate receipts last season and estimate a £200m loss if there are no fans this season.

The Rugby Football Union is braced for a £50m loss in revenue, while the England men's squad have accepted a 25% pay cut for the next 12 months.

Rugby Football League chief executive Ralph Rimmer urged the government not to delay the return of crowds, with clubs facing a potential impact on revenues of "up to £2m per week".

At the end of August, 2,500 people watched a friendly between Brighton and Chelsea at the Seagulls' Amex Stadium - the first time fans had been allowed into a Premier League ground in almost six months.

About 300 spectators were allowed to watch last month's World Snooker Championship final between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Kyren Wilson at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, but original plans to admit fans for all days of the tournament were reversed.

Arsenal's 9-1 victory over West Ham in the Women's Super League on 12 September saw up to 1,000 fans attend.

More than 2,500 spectators bought tickets for the first day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster on 9 September, the first crowd at a British horse racing fixture in six months - but the rest of the meeting was then held behind closed doors.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/54246745
 
Scotland v Israel: Armstrong, Tierney & Christie out after positive Covid test

Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie will all miss Scotland's Euro 2020 play-off semi-final against Israel after the former tested positive for Covid-19.

Armstrong was the only member of the squad to return a positive test.

But Arsenal defender Tierney and Celtic attacker Christie must self-isolate for 14 days from Tuesday after being identified as close contacts.

They will also miss the Nations League ties with Slovakia and Czech Republic.

Christie will also be unavailable for Celtic's Old Firm meeting with Rangers on 17 October, while Tierney will miss Arsenal's visit to Manchester City the same day.

Southampton midfielder Armstrong tested negative after arriving at the Scotland camp on Monday.

However, a subsequent Uefa test came back positive, meaning he must self-isolate for 10 days from Tuesday.

"While this is obviously disappointing news the most important thing is the health and safety of the individuals involved and the wider group," said Scotland manager Steve Clarke.

"We have informed the respective clubs from whom we have borrowed the players and backroom staff and we now have to prepare for a huge match ahead tomorrow."

Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell confirmed that the rest of the squad have "returned two rounds of negative tests" and will continue to prepare for the upcoming matches, with Slovakia visiting Hampden on Sunday and the Czechs on Wednesday.

A team masseur and a physiotherapist are also self-isolating after being deemed as close contacts by the Lothian Health Protection Team.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54453593
 
Coronavirus: No crowds at sport 'positively hateful' but necessary - Oliver Dowden

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden says he accepts that keeping spectators away from sports venues is "positively hateful" but necessary to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Plans for supporters to return from 1 October were postponed because of a rise in infections.

Crowds may not come back until the end of March at the earliest.

"The very clear advice was that at this stage of the disease, we should be imposing restrictions," Dowden said.

Football supporters and governing bodies have criticised the continued ban on crowds at sporting events.

Speaking to MPs at a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Wednesday, Dowden said: "We are doing things that are positively hateful, but the reason we are doing it is to secure public safety."

Professor Jonathan Van Tam, the government's deputy chief medical officer, has said closed and crowded spaces may increase transmission of the virus.

Photographs of a show at the London Palladium, where Arsene Wenger was holding an event, sparked questions about why crowds cannot return to sport.

Audiences on Sunday and Monday were pictured wearing masks and separated by empty seats.

Dowden said he "accepted people's frustrations at the inconsistency" of the rules between the two events.

"If we had socially distancing for sport that is a lot of people coming week in and week out going to sports stadiums up and down the country," Dowden said.

"There are actually very few socially-distanced indoor performances going on. They are not massively financially viable.

"If people are unhappy with indoor performances going ahead with social distancing that is a separate question of whether you stop them, as it were."

The English Football League said it was "deeply frustrated" at the continued delay to fans returning.

"While we recognise that the UK is facing a significant public health crisis, football and football supporters should be treated fairly," a statement to the Telegraph read.

"From the league's position, it seems illogical that socially-distanced events are taking place indoors at arts and music venues when football clubs have been prohibited from doing the same in outdoor stadiums.

"Football is one of the most heavily regulated areas of crowd management and we know from the successful staging of eight pilot events that clubs are able to introduce appropriate measures that will meet social distancing, rule of six and test and trace requirements."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/54539010
 
Australia's three biggest golf tournaments fell victim to the coronavirus pandemic Friday in an "unprecedented blow" to the sport.

The men's and women's Australian Open and the PGA Championship, all due to be played in February, will now no longer take place.

It will be the first time since 1945 that the men's Open, won previously by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Rory McIlroy, will not tee off.

"It's unprecedented and a real blow for Australian golf and its fans," said PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman after what he called "months of exhaustive consultations".

Australia has closed its international borders to most travellers as part of its effort to suppress the coronavirus pandemic, and even people moving between some of the country's different states and regions can be subject to a mandatory two-week quarantine.

PGA officials considered a raft of options to deal with the restrictions, including players entering a hub and competing while serving a strict quarantine period, as well as restricting crowd numbers and movement. But ultimately none proved viable.

"Even with multiple contingency plans, it has reached a point where decisions have to be made and this, regrettably, is the one we've had to take," said Kirkman.

The Australian Open and PGA Championship were originally slated for a late November and early December window, at Melbourne's Kingston Heath and Brisbane's Royal Queensland, respectively.

Both were postponed in recent months in the hope a time slot in the late southern summer -- potentially near the Women's Australian Open -– would buy time to host them.

But the impacts of Covid-19, particularly assembling international fields and ensuring the safety of players, spectators and officials, forced the hand of organisers.

"We look forward to bringing all three tournaments alive again when they return as normal for summer 2021-22," Kirkman said.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-ne...ian-open-cancelled-for-first-time-in-75-years
 
Hopes of a reprieve for grassroots sport before a second national lockdown this week have been dashed by the prime minister. While elite sports have been given the go-ahead to continue during the shutdown due to start on Thursday, community sports and facilities have been forced to shut, even those which operate outdoors.

Reports had suggested that golf, tennis and possibly outdoor swimming pools might be afforded a late exemption but, answering parliamentary questions on the new restrictions, Boris Johnson knocked back any such hopes.

Asked by the Conservative MP for Bracknell, James Sunderland, whether golf courses could remain exempt, Johnson said: “I must apologise to my honourable friend for not being able to offer the house a huge list of exemptions to the rules we’ve set out.

“Because once you unpick at one thing alas the effectiveness of the whole package is compromised. That’s why I want everyone to work together for the next four weeks to get the R rate under control so that we can open things up again in time for December.”

The second lockdown has been predicted to be cataclysmic for much of the leisure industry, after enduring a prolonged shutdown in the spring and early summer followed by extensive and expensive adjustments to make facilities “Covid secure”.

Neil Randall, the UK CEO of Anytime Fitness which runs 165 gyms in the UK, said: “As a sector, we cannot take this lying down. We are a direct solution to the public health crisis and are being held back from playing the integral role we know we can play in the nation’s recovery.”

Randall said his industry had “welcomed members back safely into gyms for over four months” cited figures from the British Leisure Industry body, UK Active, showing that in the week of 5-11 October there was an incidence rate of just 2.88 cases per 100,000 gym visits.

Jane Nickerson, the chief executive of Swim England, concurred with Randall, saying the situation was “horrendous” and warning of further pool closures.

“We’ve proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that indoor leisure and swimming pools have a very low transmission of this virus and are safe places for people to go and exercise,” she said.

“We’ve lost 200 swimming pools already following the first lockdown, I think an awful lot more can follow suit.”

In other news, it has been confirmed that amateur football clubs competing in the first round of the FA Cup will be allowed to play on, as the Cup is defined as an elite event.
 
England cricket great Ian Botham warned about the devastating impact of coronavirus on sport and charities during his maiden speech in the House of Lords on Tuesday.

Botham, who sits as a non-party-political crossbench peer took up his seat in the unelected upper house of parliament last month.

"It's no secret that I'm a passionate and strong-willed man who will fight for the causes close to my heart -- be it sport, charity, countryside and the world we are now living," said Botham.

The 64-year-old former England captain, one of cricket's great all-rounders, said that he had seen the negative impact of Covid-19 in his position as chairman of northeast county side Durham.

"We need to get these grounds open again to spectators in a controlled and safe manner," said Botham, speaking by video link.

A noted fundraiser for efforts to tackle leukaemia and a supporter of Brexit, Botham said the coronavirus was also affecting charities in their work.

"The impact of this will not only be felt now but also threatens to slow progress achieved in research," he said.

https://sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/bo...ords-171357882.html?__twitter_impression=true
 
Fans return to matches: Government exploring potential return for December

The government is exploring the potential for fans to return to sports venues in some parts of England as early as next month.

According to sources, Prime Minister Boris Johnson privately indicated to MPs on Monday that re-opening turnstiles as soon as possible was "a personal priority".

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is working on allowing fans into stadia in areas where rates of infections are deemed sufficiently low - possibly before Christmas.

Sports had previously been told to brace themselves for the threat of having no crowds until April.

On Tuesday, the government said it had held "constructive" talks with football leaders on the return of fans, along with issues such as governance reforms, financial sustainability, and greater diversity.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, who hosted a 90-minute 'virtual future of football' summit, said: "I want to work together with football to make progress on important issues for the game's long-term future.

"Discussions to continue as we start our fan-led review of governance."

Any proposals to link access to sports grounds with the tier-system that was in place before the second national lockdown came into force earlier this month, are yet to be finalised or approved by the Cabinet Office.

But officials are known to be increasingly keen to come up with a plan that would enable a phased return of fans in Tier One and possibly Tier Two areas of the country, if the lockdown is lifted, as hoped, in early December.

In a devastating blow to cash-strapped sports bodies, plans for a partial return of spectators from 1 October were scrapped amid a rise in coronavirus cases.

Turnstiles have been closed since March, despite sports insisting that pilot events with socially-distanced crowds have been achieved safely.

There has been further controversy because some arts venues, such as the O2 and Royal Albert Hall, will be allowed to host audiences of up to 5,000 people next month, leading to accusations of inconsistency and favouritism from the sports industry.

Last week during a parliamentary debate on the issue, the government refused to say when it expects spectators to be allowed back inside sports venues in England. Almost 200,000 people have signed petitions calling for fans to be able to return.

However, there are fears that opening stadia could lead to a greater risk of transmission.

"Everyone's saying, 'can I get back to my stadium?'" Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said last week.

"You times that by multiple levels, leagues and sports, and all of a sudden we've got a whole scale far beyond what is acceptable at this moment in time."

But, in what will come as a major boost to sport, there now seems to have been a shift in approach.

The Premier League's failure to reach a financial bail-out agreement with the EFL was also discussed at the summit, with ministers known to be increasingly frustrated at the deadlock.

Reform to the system of parachute payments for relegated clubs was mooted at a meeting designed to get the sport's authorities to work together after recent tensions over the potential rescue package and the emergence of radical restructure proposals.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54977370
 
Talks are ongoing over the return of fans to football stadiums, after a summit yesterday between the government and the FA, the Premier League, the EFL and other fan groups.
 
UK sports to get £300m pandemic rescue package - but football will miss out

The government is expected to announce which sports will benefit from a reported £300 million coronavirus rescue package today.

Elite football - the Premier League and English Football League - is set to miss out along with cricket, but both rugby and horse racing are among those expected to receive financial assistance.

The government has repeatedly said professional men's football is wealthy enough to support itself through the crisis, but the EFL - whose clubs have been badly hit by the loss of matchday revenue - is yet to agree terms of a bail-out with the Premier League.

Football as a whole will not completely miss out on state funding, however, with the Women's Super League set to be named as one of the beneficiaries.

The National League - the competition immediately below the EFL - has already received support to enable it to begin its 2020-21 season.

In all, it is believed 11 sports will receive funding in packages made up of grants and loans, with basketball and netball among the others to be included in the rescue.

Sports minister Nigel Huddleston has said he will be providing an update in the House of Commons on Thursday and the announcement is expected in the afternoon.
 
As lockdown ends - fans can get back into sports grounds

Fans in Tier 1 and Tier 2 will be able to get back into stadiums soon, as restrictions are eased once more across the country.

Sky's Martha Kelner, who is at Wycombe Wanderers, says: "It's been 266 days to be precise since we've had fans watching football league matches on this scale.

"Yes we have had some trial matches... but this really does feel like the start of a new dawn."

Wycombe Wanderers (in Tier 2) will be welcoming 1,000 fans back to Adams Park for the first time in nine months this evening.

Kelner adds that fans will be dispersed across three stands, family groups will have to seat one seat apart and alcohol won't be served.

Up to 2,000 fans, or 50% capacity (whichever is lower) will be allowed into outdoor grounds in Tier 2, while grounds in Tier 1 areas will be allowed up to 4,000 fans or 50% capacity.

However, in Tier 3 - fans have to stay out of stadiums.
 
The Premier League has reached a £50m agreement over a bailout for EFL clubs in League One and Two.
 
EURO 2020 AND Wimbledon 'to give people hope' in post-lockdown summer - London Mayor

Euro 2020 and Wimbledon could be the "catalysts to give people hope" during an "exciting" post-lockdown summer, according to Sadiq Khan.

The mayor of London believes major sporting and cultural events in the capital could be a "springboard to a recovery" but insisted they must be done safely, with UK-based fans rather than those from overseas expected to attend.

Football's European Championship was delayed by a year due to the pandemic, with UEFA still hopeful of staging the tournament in 12 cities - including London and Glasgow.

Wimbledon was not held in 2020 and scenarios are being drawn up for the tennis tournament to take place at full capacity, reduced numbers or behind closed doors.

Asked about the prospect of a summer of major events going ahead in London with fans in attendance, Mr Khan said: "I think it is possible and I'm hoping there will be a really good summer.

"I think Euro 2020 will be fantastic, we have the seven games in London. I think we can use Euro 2020 as a springboard to a recovery, particularly if it's domestic fans only. I want to see Scots coming down to London to watch the Scotland-England game and it can be really exciting.

"Similarly, I am looking forward to cultural events, to open-air theatres, to street carnivals, to Wimbledon.

"It'll be very different this year for obvious reasons because we've got to recognise that international travel is not the same as previous years. But those could be the catalyst to give people hope and to engender a sense of positivity, but it's got to be done safely."
 
Outdoor sports including football, golf and tennis will be allowed to resume in England from 29 March, according to vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi.

Prime minister Boris Johnson is due to announce a four-part plan to lift the coronavirus lockdown later on Monday.

Zahawi said outdoor sports - including organised adult and children's sport - would return, but declined to say when gyms would reopen.

"Outdoor is safer and therefore we prioritise versus indoor," he told LBC.

"Outdoor sports - tennis, golf, outdoor organised team sports, grassroots football - will go back on 29 March."

When asked whether gyms and fitness centres could reopen, Mr Zahawi added: "At the moment, it's outdoors versus indoors. Outdoors is the priority because it's where the transmission rates are much, much, much lower."

Covid-19: Boris Johnson to unveil 'cautious' plan to lift England's lockdown
The prime minister is expected to share his finalised road map to lift lockdown in an address to MPs at 15:30 GMT before leading a news conference at 19:00.

Schools will reopen from 8 March, when recreation in a public space between two people will also be allowed.

From 29 March outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed, including in private gardens.

Venues such as gyms, tennis courts and golf courses have been closed across England since lockdown was announced on 4 January.

In Scotland, outdoor non-contact sports like golf and tennis are currently permitted and the government hopes to publish a route out of lockdown in the coming week.

Under Wales' current restrictions, sport and leisure facilities are closed but up to four people from two different households can meet to exercise outdoors.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced minor easing of restrictions and said he hopes the "stay-at-home" requirement can end within three weeks.

Indoor and outdoor sports facilities are closed in Northern Ireland, where lockdown has been extended until 1 April, with a review of current measures on 18 March.
 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/06/new-zealand-suspends-quarantine-free-travel-from-nsw-over-two-sydney-covid-cases

New Zealand will pause quarantine-free travel from New South Wales from midnight Thursday (NZST), after two community Covid cases were detected in Sydney.

The NZ Covid response minister, Chris Hipkins, told reporters the suspension would initially last 48 hours, while the source of infection in the two Sydney cases was investigated.

Hipkins said the pause would be “under constant review”, and if more information came to light that prompted officials to reopen sooner or to extend the pause, then they would do so.

At this stage, it applies only to New South Wales, not all of Australia, and will not affect those flying from New Zealand to NSW – only those coming in the opposite direction.

Hipkins said the government was aware it would cause disruption for travellers, but was erring on the side of caution. “We’ve weighed this up very carefully,” he said.

“I’m confident we’ll know more in the next 24-48 hours,” he said.

A man in Sydney tested positive for the virus on Wednesday. On Thursday, Australian health officials confirmed that his wife had also tested positive.

Genomic testing has linked those cases to a likely case at the border – but officials have not yet been able to find a clear chain of transmission. That has raised concerns that there could be a “missing link” case between the border and the community cases, which has not yet been identified.

A statement from the minister’s office said that anyone in Australia who has been at one of the exposure sites was subject to the requirements of the NSW government and should not travel to New Zealand. It also directed any New Zealanders who had been at one of the hotspots to isolate, and get tested.

On Thursday, the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced new restrictions for gatherings for greater Sydney.
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Sports stadiums and events across England will be able to operate at full capacity from July 19 after the government set out the next stage in the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, alongside chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, outlined the latest proposals at a press conference on Monday.

With social distancing set to end, full stadiums will be permitted for the start of the football season in August.

Mandatory mask-wearing will also be scrapped - although guidance suggests people might choose to do so in "enclosed and crowded places".

There will be no compulsory use of Covid status certification, the so-called domestic vaccine passports, although firms and events will be able to voluntarily use the system if they see fit.

It means fans will be able to attend if required tests are met and will also be able to stand, cheer and sing without breaching any regulations

A decision on whether or not to go ahead with all the proposals will be made on July 12 following a review of the latest available data.

Officials have already acknowledged coronavirus cases and deaths would continue to increase - albeit at a much lower level than before the vaccination programme - but it was now necessary to find a new way to live with the virus.

SKYSPORTS
 
BBC: Bayern Munich v Barcelona in Champions League will be behind closed doors.

Bayern Munich will host Barcelona behind closed doors in the Champions League on 8 December as rates of coronavirus infection rise in Bavaria.

Minister-president of Bavaria Markus Soder said earlier this week he was planning such a move, saying "football has a great role-model function".

Bayern have qualified for the knockout stages as Group E winners, with Barcelona and Benfica battling it out for the second spot in the last 16.

Barcelona would progress with a win.

However, a draw or defeat would open the way for Benfica who would make the knockout stages ahead of the Catalans with a win over Dynamo Kiev.

Barcelona lost 3-0 in their meeting with Bayern at the Nou Camp in September, and their last visit to Allianz Arena was a 3-2 semi-final second-leg defeat in March 2015.

However, Barcelona progressed to the final courtesy of their 3-0 first-leg win and went on to beat Juventus in the final to land their fifth and most recent Champions League title.
 
Omicron? Covid-19 Forces India Out Of Hockey Women's Asian Champions Trophy

The India women's hockey team joins Malaysia, who faced a similar fate after being hit by the dreaded Covid-19 virus in the Asian Champions Trophy. India had thrashed Thailand 13-0 in their opener.

The Indian women’s hockey team was on Thursday forced out of the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy after one of its players tested positive for COVID-19, joining Malaysia which was also compelled to withdraw after being hit by the dreaded virus in Donghae, South Korea. (More Hockey News)

A day after the cancellation of its matches against defending champions Korea and China respectively, an Asian Hockey Federation source told PTI that the Indian team is no longer competing in the event.

The side is currently in quarantine and the identity of the player who has tested positive has not been revealed. “Last edition's runners-up India are out of the tournament due to a positive case in the squad. India will no longer participate any further in the tournament,” the AHF source said.

While India were scheduled to take on hosts Korea on Wednesday, they were slated to meet China on Thursday. “With the health and safety of the players being paramount, the Indian Women’s Hockey Team's match against China on 9th December will not take place,” Hockey India had tweeted on Wednesday.

The pandemic had cast its shadow on the tournament on Monday itself when India's second match against Malaysia was cancelled due to COVID-related issues. Malaysia were eventually forced out after one of its players, Nurul Faezah Shafiqah Khalim, tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival.

India had earlier thrashed a lowly Thailand 13-0 with drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur scoring five goals. India are the highest-ranked team taking part as they sit ninth in the International Hockey Federation's women's rankings.

The Women’s Asian Champions Trophy was originally scheduled for 2020 but was postponed multiple times because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.outlookindia.com/websit...f-hockey-womens-asian-champions-trophy/404469
 
PARIS: The coronavirus is once again disrupting global sport, forcing the cancellation of English Premier League matches and the scrapping of a one-day cricket series.

AFP Sport looks at the state of play around the world as authorities scramble to cope with the surging pandemic.

Football:

Five of the 10 Premier League matches scheduled for this weekend are off. The clubs are due to meet on Monday to discuss the crisis, with differences emerging over whether to temporarily halt the season as a firebreaker for infections or to carry on. Brentford manager Thomas Frank has called for a “circuit break” as positive tests multiply during the busiest time in the English football calendar. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said it could soon become impossible to maintain the schedule as squads become over-stretched by Covid absences and injuries.

Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic has expressed his fear that the already-delayed Africa Cup of Nations, due to kick off in Cameroon next month, could be called off due to the renewed threat of Covid-19 and the possibility that European clubs might not release players for the tournament.

Real Madrid have reported a number of positive tests, with Gareth Bale and Luka Modric among the players affected. Under Liga protocols, a club must have at least 13 players, at least five of them first-teamers and one a goalkeeper, available to play a match. The club also reported cases in its basketball team.

Cricket:

Covid has forced the cancellation of the one-day series between Pakistan and the West Indies. Five members of the West Indies touring party — including three players — tested positive for Covid on Thursday, in addition to previous positive cases.

Australia captain Pat Cummins was forced to sit out the second Ashes Test after being in close contact with somebody who tested positive for Covid-19. Under South Australia state’s strict bio-security rules the fast bowler was required to isolate for seven days but has now been permitted to head home, where he must remain until the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

The Indian cricket team arrived in Johannesburg on Thursday and headed straight for their bio-secure base at the start of a curtailed South Africa tour. India will play three Tests and three one-day internationals despite a surge in coronavirus cases in South Africa, but four planned T20 internationals have been dropped from the original schedule.

Rugby Union:

European rugby chiefs have postponed seven matches in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions between UK and French sides due to strict coronavirus travel rules. Three matches had already been cancelled due to Covid outbreaks.

The English Premiership announced on Friday that 47 players and seven members of staff, from nine different clubs, had tested positive for coronavirus in its latest round of weekly testing. That was sharply up from the previous week, when just five players and staff in total tested positive.

NFL:

The National Football League on Friday postponed three weekend games amid a Covid-19 surge that has “seen a substantial increase in cases across the league.”

Saturday’s game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Cleveland Browns was moved to Monday, while Sunday’s meeting between the Washington Football Team and Philadelphia Eagles, and the Seattle Seahawks v Los Angeles Rams game have been moved to Tuesday.

The NFL had earlier announced enhanced virus safety protocols

NBA:

The NBA has boosted its coronavirus measures after a surge in cases. The new measures will include more testing and mask wearing for players and staff, according to reports. Increased daily testing will begin December 26 and last two weeks.

NHL:

The National Hockey League said Friday it was postponing a game Saturday between the Boston Bruins and the Canadiens in Montreal because of Covid-19 concerns.

It is the 11th game postponed this season. That includes four Calgary games postponed as the Flames deal with a Covid outbreak that has 19 players under Covid protocols.

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/12/18/sporting-world-battles-surging-covid-cases/
 
<B>BBC TIMELINE —

Covid: How sport is being affected by surge in cases.</b>

A surge in Covid-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant is causing disruption to sporting events around the world.

There have been postponements in the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and Women's Super League (WSL).

European and domestic rugby has been hit, while NFL and NBA games have also been postponed after Covid outbreaks in the United States.


Here's an overview of all the sporting events affected this month:

25 December

RUGBY UNION: Newcastle's Premiership match against Sale on 26 December has been postponed because of an outbreak of Covid cases among the Sharks squad.
RUGBY UNION: Positive Covid cases in the Cardiff squad has caused the postponement of their United Rugby Championship game against Scarlets on 26 December.
FOOTBALL: Championship game between Luton and Bristol City, scheduled for 26 December, called off on Christmas Day because of Covid cases in the Hatters' squad.
FOOTBALL: Carlisle's League Two game with Rochdale at Brunton Park has been called off because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the home side's squad.


24 December

FOOTBALL: Premier League game between Burnley and Everton on 26 December is called off because of Covid cases and injuries in the Toffees squad.
FOOTBALL: Swansea City's Championship match against Luton, which was due to be on 29 December, has been called off because of Covid-19 cases in the Swans squad.
RUGBY UNION: The United Rugby Championship match between Ulster and Connacht on 26 December has been postponed because of a number of positive Covid-19 cases within the Ulster squad.


23 December

FOOTBALL: The Premier League announces it has postponed Liverpool's game against Leeds United and the match between Wolves and Watford. More EFL matches are also off.


22 December

FOOTBALL: The Scottish Premiership winter break is brought forward from 4 January and will begin after fixtures on 26 December.


21 December

ALL SPORT: Outdoor events in Scotland limited to 500 people, meaning most festive sport will be "effectively spectator-free".
FOOTBALL: Three Championship games on 26 December and eight more in the EFL are called off.
RUGBY UNION: The United Rugby Championship game between Munster and Leinster on 26 December is postponed because of Leinster's Covid cases.


20 December

ALL SPORT: Festive sport in Wales, including horse racing's Welsh Grand National, to be held behind closed doors.
FOOTBALL: Cardiff's home game against Coventry and Stoke's trip to Barnsley are both postponed in the Championship plus five scheduled matches in League Two are called off.
FOOTBALL: The Premier League and EFL chose to fulfil festive fixtures rather than introduce a 'circuit breaker' despite ongoing disruption caused by Covid-19 cases.
FOOTBALL: Premier League says there were a record 90 new positive Covid cases from tests on players and staff between 13 and 19 December.
RUGBY UNION: The United Rugby Championship match between Ospreys and Dragons scheduled for 26 December is called off because of Covid-19 cases.
TENNIS: Rafael Nadal tests positive for Covid-19 after returning home from the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.


19 December

BASKETBALL: The NBA postpones five games due to take place between 19 and 21 December, including two matches involving Brooklyn Nets.


18 December

FOOTBALL: Aston Villa's Premier League game against Burnley, due to be played on 18 December, is postponed.
FOOTBALL: Arsenal's Women's Super League game against Brighton, due to be played on 19 December, is postponed.
RUGBY UNION: Sale's match with Saracens in the Premier 15s, due to be played on 19 December, is called off after the visitors reported a number of Covid-19 cases.


17 December

AMERICAN FOOTBALL: The NFL postpones Cleveland Browns-Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks-Los Angeles Rams and Washington Football Team-Philadelphia Eagles.
FOOTBALL: Manchester City's WSL game against Reading and Chelsea's match against West Ham, both due to be played on 19 December, are postponed.
FOOTBALL: 19 fixtures across the three divisions of the English Football League due to be played on 18 December are postponed.
RUGBY UNION: Seven European matches due to be played between French and British teams this weekend are postponed because of France's new travel rules.
TENNIS: The Battle of the Brits - an exhibition organised by Jamie Murray and featuring Andy Murray scheduled for 21 and 22 December - is postponed.


16 December

CRICKET: Australia Test captain Pat Cummins is ruled out of the second Ashes Test against England after being deemed a close contact to a positive case.
CRICKET: Three-match one-day series between Pakistan and West Indies, due to begin on 18 December, postponed until June 2022.
FOOTBALL: Leicester's home Premier League match against Tottenham is postponed.
FOOTBALL: Manchester United's home match with Brighton on Saturday is postponed.
FOOTBALL: Wales captain Gareth Bale is among a group of Real Madrid players to test positive.
FOOTBALL: Games postponed across all three divisions of the EFL, which announces tighter protocols and more regular testing.
FOOTBALL: Four more Premier League games are postponed, meaning half of the weekend's fixtures are off.
FOOTBALL: Chelsea boss Emma Hayes says the "worry and anxiety" of Covid-19 cases in her squad "played a major part" in their Women's Champions League defeat by Wolfsburg.
RUGBY: Montpellier awarded 28-0 win for Friday's scheduled Champions Cup game because of Leinster's Covid cases.
FORMULA 1: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc tests positive for a second time.
BASKETBALL: The National Basketball Association is to introduce stricter coronavirus protocols over the Christmas and New Year period as teams are left depleted by rising cases in North America.


15 December

FOOTBALL: Burnley's Premier League match with Watford is called off three hours before kick-off after an outbreak in the Hornets squad.
FOOTBALL: Leicester City's home game against Manchester City in the Women's Continental League Cup is postponed.
FOOTBALL: Saturday's Championship matches between Reading v Luton and Millwall v Preston are postponed.
RUGBY UNION: Saracens call off Saturday's European Challenge Cup game against Pau, with all players, coaches and support staff going into isolation.


14 December

ALL SPORT: 'Covid passes' are introduced in England for any event with more than 10,000 people.
FOOTBALL: Premier League reports 42 positive tests - the most recorded in the league over a seven-day period.
FOOTBALL: Manchester United postpone Premier League match against Brentford.


13 December

FOOTBALL: Manchester United shut down their Carrington training ground after a Covid-19 outbreak.
TENNIS: Britain's Emma Raducanu tests positive and withdraws from the Mubadala World Tennis Championships.


12 December

FOOTBALL: Sheffield United's Championship game with Queens Park Rangers is postponed because of an outbreak at QPR.


11 December

RUGBY UNION: Three Leinster players and a member of staff test positive before the side's Heineken Champions Cup win over Bath.


9 December

FOOTBALL: Tottenham's Europa Conference League match against Rennes is called off after a number of cases at Spurs. They also postpone their Premier League match against Brighton.
FOOTBALL: Premier League clubs are told to return to emergency Covid-19 measures.
 
<b>BBC — Chester FC: Probe into Covid rule break at Welsh ground.</b>

<I>An investigation is looking into whether an English football team broke Covid rules - because their ground is in Wales.

In Wales, restrictions mean most matches are being played behind closed doors.

However, since rules came into force on 26 December, Chester FC has held two games with each attracting more than 2,000 fans.

The Welsh government said the club was in Wales and must follow Welsh rules.</I>

Club officials say they have been informed of potential breaches of Welsh Coronavirus Regulations for fixtures held on 28 December 2021 and 2 January 2022.

In a statement the club said they have been told they "may commit further potential breaches if it continues to play home fixtures with crowds while the current restrictions in Wales remain in place".

"It was agreed that all parties would seek further legal advice given the complex issues and future implications of any outcome," they added.

"Chester Football Club's stadium is in Wales therefore Welsh regulations apply," a Welsh government spokesperson said.

"As the enforcing authorities Flintshire County Council and North Wales Police are dealing with the matter."

Chester's Deva Stadium is in Flintshire, with the border between Wales and England running through the car park to the east of the stands.

Wales has been in Level Two Coronavirus restrictions since 26 December, which means all sporting events effectively have to be played behind closed doors.

The number of spectators is limited to 50, in addition to those taking part.

Stewarding and policing costs mean that it can be impractical for clubs to allow a handful of fans through turnstiles.

However, there are no crowd limits in England.
Since the rule changes in Wales, Chester FC's home ground has hosted two games in National League North (the sixth tier of English football).

The match attendance for Chester FC's home game against AFC Fylde on 28 December was reported to be 2,075 and against Telford on 2 January was 2,116.

Chester's 1-1 draw against Telford saw the biggest attendance in the National League North.

Despite the geographic conundrum, matchday policing at the Deva Stadium is carried out by Cheshire Constabulary.

Chester fans have argued on social media that the border runs through the clubhouse and that the stadium has a Chester postcode.

The club's next home game is against Brackley Town on the 15 January.

Large crowds that usually attend the festive rugby derbies in Wales were locked out because of the ruling.

However, the majority of matches fell victim to Covid, with only the Scarlets versus Ospreys going ahead on New Year's Day.

The ruling also affects Wales' top football sides such as Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County and Wrexham AFC.

Wales are due to host three games in this year's Six Nations rugby championship - with 72,000 fans expected in Cardiff for the first against Scotland on 12 February.

However, the Welsh Rugby Union has said it is exploring the option of moving games over the border to England - where there are no limits on fans.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed there will be no change to the rules for the next week at least.

He said the government would review the situation "every week" to see if it is possible to play games "at home safely", adding "of course that's what we want to do".

However, he said "it's not so much what happens in the stadium itself" where the stadium "is properly regulated".

"It's the way people get to the stadium, it's the way they leave the stadium and the way people behave around the stadium," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"These are risky contexts."

— — —

The UK can be quite the ridiculous country.
 
The Asian Games due to take place in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in September have been postponed indefinitely because of Covid-19, organisers said on Friday. The Games were scheduled to be held from September 10 to 25 but have now been delayed as China tries to stamp out a large resurgence in infections in several parts of the country.

Hangzhou lies less than 200 kilometres (120 miles) from the country's biggest city Shanghai, which has endured a weeks-long lockdown as part of the ruling Communist Party's zero-tolerance approach to the virus.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said in a statement that the decision to postpone "was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the Games".

New dates for the Games, which typically attract more than 10,000 athletes from across the region, will be announced "in the near future", the statement said.

The World University Games, scheduled to begin next month in Chengdu and already delayed once from last year, have also been postponed again until 2023, organisers said.

The International University Sports Federation (FISU) said rescheduling was the best option given "continued uncertainty over conditions".

Organisers said last month that Hangzhou, a city of 12 million in eastern China, had finished constructing some 56 competition venues for the Asian Games and Asian Para Games.

At the time, they indicated that they planned to hold the event under a virus control plan that "learns from the successful experience" of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which were held in February in a strict Covid-secure bubble.

But doubts had persisted over whether the Games would go ahead, with an OCA official telling AFP last month that there was a possibility of postponement.

On that occasion, the Olympic Council of Malaysia stepped in to say the events would proceed as planned -- though Friday's announcement showed that confidence to be misplaced.

Taiwan's star weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun, a gold medallist at last year's Tokyo Olympics, told AFP she had already accepted the news.

"With the coronavirus outbreak getting more and more serious, I was more or less mentally prepared for this," she said.

Hangzhou was poised to become the third city in China to host the continental competition after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.

Some events were due to be held in other provincial cities including Ningbo, Wenzhou, Huzhou, Shaoxing and Jinhua.

The OCA also said that the Asian Youth Games, scheduled to be held in December in the Chinese city of Shantou, would be cancelled having already been postponed once.

Resolutely fight

Almost all international sport has ground to a halt in China since Covid emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

The Beijing Olympics was an exception but it was held in a strict "closed loop" with everyone inside it -- including athletes, staff, volunteers and media -- taking daily Covid tests and not allowed to venture into the wider city or have contact with the public.

China has stubbornly stuck to its zero-Covid policy, imposing strict lockdowns, quarantines and mass testing programmes even while other countries start to reopen as the threat of the pandemic recedes.

Hangzhou last week beefed up virus curbs after logging a handful of cases, ordering around three-quarters of its population to get tested every 48 hours to access public spaces and transportation.

Officials in the city -- home to some of China's biggest companies including technology giant Alibaba -- said the moves would ensure "the virus has nowhere to hide or settle".

Beijing has touted the zero-Covid strategy as proof that it values human life above material concerns and can avert the public health crises seen in many Western countries.

Top Chinese leaders on Thursday again vowed to "unwaveringly adhere" to zero-Covid and "resolutely fight against" criticism of the policy, despite a growing public outcry.

NDTV
 
China has withdrawn as host of the 2023 Asian Cup because of Covid-19.

The 24-team competition was to be held across 10 cities from June next year.

But the country is dealing with its worst coronavirus outbreak since the pandemic began.

"The AFC acknowledges the exceptional circumstances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to the relinquishment (by China) of its hosting rights," the governing body said in a statement.

It added it would announce details about the hosting of the tournament "in due course".

Shanghai in particular, where the new Pudong Football Stadium was unveiled in October 2021, has been under a tough lockdown for the last month.

Earlier this month, September's Asian Games, also due to be held in China, were postponed because of the country's coronavirus situation.

BBC
 
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