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Coronavirus Pandemic : How is it affecting sports worldwide?

Two major sporting events held in March "caused increased suffering and death", the scientist leading the UK's largest Covid-19 tracking project has said.

Data gathered from millions of volunteers found coronavirus "hotspots" shortly after the Cheltenham Festival and Liverpool's Champions League match against Atletico Madrid.

Professor Tim Spector said rates of cases locally "increased several-fold".

The government said many factors could influence cases in a particular area.

Less than three months ago sport across the UK was continuing as normal, despite the impending threat of coronavirus - which had already prompted some European countries to stage such events without spectators, or completely call them off.

Sports governing bodies in the UK were taking their cue from Prime Minister Boris Johnson who declared in early March that people should "as far as possible, go about business as usual".

On the first weekend in March, there was a full programme of football in both England and Scotland, five horse racing meetings, and Six Nations rugby at Twickenham between England and Wales - which the prime minister himself attended.

It was a different matter elsewhere. A forthcoming Six Nations match in Dublin had already been postponed, along with the Chinese Grand Prix and football matches in virus-stricken northern Italy.

The UK government's stance remained consistent. Just 24 hours before Cheltenham opened its gates to 250,000 spectators on 10 March, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden rebuffed growing calls for a ban on mass outdoor gatherings.

He told the BBC: "There's no reason for people not to attend such events or to cancel them at this stage."

But Prof Spector from King's College London said "people will have probably died prematurely" because of the decision.

So did these events contribute to a surge in coronavirus cases?

It's impossible to say for certain, but figures seen by the BBC Radio 4's File on 4 programme show in the last week of March, Liverpool and Cheltenham were among the areas with the highest number of suspected cases.

The figures come from the Covid-19 Symptom Study, and show an estimated 5-6% of the population, aged 20 to 69, having symptoms in those two regions.

Not to be confused with the government's contact-tracing app, the research draws on information uploaded by more than three million volunteers around the UK, who submit daily reports identifying whether they have any of the 15 symptoms associated with Covid-19.

Irish journalist Melanie Finn recalls the stark difference in approach on either side of the Irish Sea, as she flew in to the Cheltenham Festival from Dublin.

"We had already cancelled the St Patrick's Day celebrations, and that in itself was huge for us," she said.

"People were in shock. No-one could believe that was happening. That was an indicator of how serious the Irish government was. When we flew out of Dublin Airport it was literally like a ghost town."

Melanie said that racegoers at Cheltenham, on the other hand, believed the UK government would have cancelled the event if they had thought it was unsafe.

She said people ignored basic safety rules: "It was like the last days of the Roman Empire, and I think there was a little bit of a sense that if it was open, by God they were going to party."

She was so concerned by what she saw that she asked her employer to fly her home midway through the festival.

A week later she developed the symptoms of Covid-19 and had to take two weeks off work.

The Jockey Club had previously defended the decision to go ahead with the festival, telling the Guardian on 2 April that it had followed "clear and ongoing guidance" from the government and science experts.

It added: "We promoted the latest public health advice and introduced a range of additional hygiene measures at the event, including hundreds of hand sanitiser dispensers and extra wash basins."

On 11 March - the second day of the festival - the World Health Organization declared coronavirus a pandemic.

'Jumping all over each other'
Later that evening, Liverpool hosted Atletico Madrid in a Champions League football match at Anfield.

Around 3,000 visiting fans were allowed to travel to Merseyside and mingle in bars and restaurants, despite the fact Madrid was the epicentre of the outbreak in Spain, and at that point accounted for almost half of the country's confirmed cases.

Liverpool supporter Joel Rookwood, who has been ill for eight weeks, believes he contracted Covid-19 that evening, and recalled how when goals were scored, spectators were oblivious to the risk of transmitting the virus.

"The celebrations were some of the most physical that I've experienced," he said. "People were jumping all over each other."

The Spirit Of Shankly, a Liverpool supporters group, said it raised concerns about the arrival of fans from Madrid at a council-chaired safety meeting two days before the match but were told it would go ahead in accordance with government advice.

But Liverpool FC would not have been able to unilaterally call off the match - to decide which of the two clubs progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals. That decision would have had to come from one of football's governing bodies, such as the competition's organiser Uefa.

Prof Spector said: "I think sporting events should have been shut down at least a week earlier because they'll have caused increased suffering and death that wouldn't otherwise have occurred."

In a statement, the government said: "There are many factors that could influence the number of cases in a particular area, including population density, age, general health, and the position of an area on the pandemic curve."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52797002
 
Rory McIlroy believes this year's Ryder Cup will be postponed until 2021.

The Northern Irishman is one of a number of players who previously called for the biennial event between Europe and the US not to be played this year if spectators are not able to attend.

Whistling Straits in Wisconsin is set to host the event from 25-27 September.

"My personal hunch is that I don't see how it is going to happen, so I do not think that it will happen," the world number one told BBC Sport NI.

"I think the majority of players would like to see it pushed back until 2021 so that they can play in front of crowds and have the atmosphere that makes the Ryder Cup so special.

"The players are the ones that make the Ryder Cup. If they are not on board with it and don't want to play then there is no Ryder Cup.

"I see it being pushed back until 2021 and, honestly, I think that will be the right call."

Europe have won seven out of the past nine Ryder Cups, including the last event in France in 2018.

McIlroy joined Americans Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff in taking part in a charity skins game in Florida earlier this month, which was played with no spectators in attendance.

Competitive golf across the world has been suspended since 12 March because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the PGA Tour is set to resume on 11 June, behind closed doors, at the Charles Schwab Colonial event in Texas.

McIlroy, who is set to play in all of the first three PGA Tour tournaments upon golf's return, revealed he would have no concerns about travelling to Europe later in the year.

"It's a tough one. There are a lot of things up in the air, but if there are some big events in autumn time, then I can," McIlroy responded when asked if he would consider playing in Europe later this year.

"Maybe if Wentworth gets moved to October, which they are thinking of, then I could see myself going over and playing that event.

"I was just as disappointed as everyone else that The Open got cancelled this year. I think it would have been a good date in September if we were able to play it.

"I wouldn't have concerns about travelling to Europe. I think if you stick to the guidelines then I don't see any reason why we should feel scared to travel."

The postponed 2020 Irish Open was due to take place this week at Mount Juliet Estate, with a possible rescheduled date in autumn being considered.

McIlroy, who did not play in last year's event at Lahinch, said he is unsure if he will take part in this year's tournament if it goes ahead.

"I don't know, I really don't know," he continued. "I haven't looked past the PGA Tour play-offs [scheduled for September]. All I have pinpointed for the back end of the year at the minute are the majors, everything else is really up in the air.

"I would like to see the Irish Open played but I imagine if it was then it would be behind closed doors, meaning the public would not get to see the big names compete up close and in person."

McIlroy made headlines across the world before the charity skins match when he criticised US President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus crisis.

The 31-year-old says he is comfortable offering his opinion on issues if asked, but that it is not because of his position at the top of the world rankings.

"It has nothing to do with me being number one in the world, it is just me being more comfortable with who I am and what I believe in," he added.

"Whether I was number one in the world or number 100, if I'm asked my opinion then for the most part I'm happy to share it."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/52790223
 
Officials in Strasbourg have appealed for hundreds of spectators who attended an illegal football match at the weekend to be tested for Covid-19.

An estimated 400 people played in or watched the game and the authorities, who fear a second wave of the pandemic, have called on them to attend a testing centre for anonymous screening.

The match was played on Sunday between teams from two of the city’s districts – Neuhof and Hautepierre – in a local stadium in defiance of rules that limit public gatherings to a maximum of 10 people.

“We must absolutely avoid another virus cluster in Strasbourg and protect those who took part as well as their families,” local prefect Josiane Chevalier said.

She described the event as “incomprehensible, irresponsible and very serious”, but said the aim of the massive testing operation was not punishment. “This isn’t a trap. Our number one priority is health,” Chevalier added.
 
Australia's rugby league football to kick off as COVID-19 cases slow

Australia's National Rugby League football competition, a bruising body contact sport, will on Thursday resume after a two-month hiatus as the number of coronavirus cases in the country slows and social restrictions are eased.
 
Indonesia has reported 687 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, down from a peak of 973 a week ago.

It also confirmed 23 new deaths from the virus, taking total fatalities to 1,496 and infections to 24,538, according to health ministry official Achmad Yurianto.

In Malaysia, authorities reported 10 new coronavirus cases in the past day and no new deaths. Its number of fatalities remains at 115, with cases at 7,629.
 
Global infections exceed 5.7m

The number of people infected by the coronavirus has exceeded 5.7 million, according to data compiled by the John Hopkins University.

The US is home to to 29.8% of the 5,707,163 people with the disease around the world, the data shows, way ahead of Brazil (7.2%), Russia (6.6%), the UK (4.7%), Spain (4.1%) and Italy (4%).

The true number of infections is likely to be much higher, however, given the vast number of unrecorded and asymptomatic cases.
 
Italy's Serie A will return on 20 June, the country's sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora has confirmed. The league was suspended on 9 March but players returned to individual training earlier this month before group sessions restarted this week

The England and Wales Cricket Board has extended the shutdown on domestic cricket until at least 1 August. The season, due to start on 12 April, was postponed until 28 May and then 1 July. England are set to begin a three-Test series against West Indies on 8 July

The Boston Marathon has been cancelled for the first time in its 124-year history. The race had initially been postponed from 20 April to 14 September but Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the race could not be held because of public health fears
 
The Football Association has announced the FA Cup final will be held on 1 August with the quarter-finals given provisional restart dates of 27-28 June
 
Professional sports matches have been given the go ahead to take place in Sweden without spectators from 14 June.

Elite athletes of all levels will be able to compete. They will be allowed to travel to different parts of the country for competitions and training, as long as they are symptom-free.

Sweden currently bans gatherings of 50 people and has issued general guidelines against travelling more than one to two hours from home.

However, Sweden’s Minister for Culture and Sport, Amanda Lind, told a news conference that the decision shouldn’t be seen as “us rolling back the recommendations”.

The director of Sweden’s Public Health Agency, Johan Carlson, said that he expected the current ban on large public gatherings to remain in place throughout the summer, indicating that sports fans will have to wait some time before they can attend matches.
 
The UK government has given its approval to professional sport resuming behind closed doors in England from Monday.

Most sporting governing bodies, including the Premier League, have already been making plans for when competitions would resume.

So which events could we be able to watch over the next couple of months?

1 June: A horse racing meeting at Newcastle and Snooker’s Championship League event in Milton Keynes among the first to resume
17 June: Premier League football matches are set to restart with Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal
26 June: The ‘Battle of the Brits’ tennis event between the nation’s leading men’s players, including Andy and Jamie Murray
8 July: England's three-Test cricket series against West Indies is set to start on 8 July
22 July: Golf’s European Tour season is set to resume in July with a six-week 'UK Swing' tournament
Late July/early August: A British Grand Prix double-header at Silverstone
 
Domestic competitive sport behind closed doors will be allowed from Monday, the UK government says.

The 'phase three' guidance paves the way for live sport to return on 1 June for the first time since mid-March.

It is up to individual sports to assess the risk, and consult athletes, coaches and support staff.

Horse racing and snooker will each resume competitive action on Monday, while the Premier League is due to restart on 17 June.

Clubs in England's top flight returned to 'phase two' contact training on 25 May.

"The wait is over. Live British sport will shortly be back on in safe and carefully controlled environments," said the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden.

"This guidance provides the safe framework for sports to resume competitions behind closed doors. It is now up to individual sports to confirm they can meet these protocols and decide when it's right for them to restart."

Speaking at the daily UK Government coronavirus briefing, Dowden added: "Football, tennis, horse racing, Formula 1, cricket, golf, rugby, snooker and others are all set to return to our screens shortly."

The key protocols that must be adhered to:

All competition delivery partners and user groups involved, from the teams and athletes, to the support staff, officials and media, must travel individually and by private transport where possible

Prior to entering the competition venue, they are expected to carry out a screening process for coronavirus symptoms. Anyone with known or suspected Covid-19 will not be permitted to enter and should be placed, or remain, in isolation

Social distancing should be maintained by all groups where possible. This includes the competing athletes and support staff on the bench and field of play, such as during any disputes between players and referees, or scoring celebrations

Dressing room usage should be minimised. However, showers can be used

Competition delivery partners and elite sports organisations should appoint a named Covid-19 officer to be responsible for oversight of all planning and communications

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters "welcomed" the decision, adding: "We have provisionally planned to restart the Premier League on 17 June, but there is still much work to be done to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

"If all goes well, we will be thrilled to resume the 2019-20 season in just over two weeks' time."

Four Premier League games will be broadcast, free to air, live on BBC Sport when the season resumes.

With tension between Premier League clubs wanting to play at their own stadiums, and police forces requesting neutral venues, Dowden said the police and local authorities will determine where matches will be played.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, the UK's deputy chief medical officer, said fans congregating outside stadiums as football returns is "clearly a police matter".

"There has to be enough understanding that the venue can cope with the segregation and the organisation and the social distancing right up from the kick-off until the final whistle to make that the safest possible experience for everybody there," he said.

"And that's going to be a crucial factor in choosing these venues."

The government has also announced that people will be able to exercise outside with up to five others from different households from Monday, provided that social distancing guidelines are followed.

This means people who play team sports can meet to train together and do things like conditioning or fitness sessions, although physical contact is not allowed.

It will also allow parents to accompany their children to coaching sessions carried out on a one-to-one basis or in small groups.

The updated public guidance will be published on Monday.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/52862637
 
Gian Piero Gasperini, coach of Italian football club Atalanta, has said he thought he would die as he suffered coronavirus symptoms.

He has described feeling ill and frightened when his side played their second Champions League match at Spanish side Valencia in March.

The first encounter between the teams had taken place in front of thousands of fans on 19 February inside Milan's San Siro stadium. Many Atalanta supporters had travelled from Bergamo, in the northern Lombardy region, which was one of the epicentres of the pandemic in the country. Some experts believe that game was one of the key causes of the spread.

Gasperini said he felt ill on the day of the second encounter in Spain and his condition worsened in the days that followed, when he was at the team's training ground.

He added: "An ambulance passed every two minutes. There is a hospital nearby. It seemed like a war zone.

"At night I thought: 'If I go in there, what happens to me?'

"'I can't go now, I have so many things to do'... I was saying it jokingly, to lighten things. But I really thought so."
 
Major League Baseball players have rejected an offer from clubs over pay and the season schedule, according to reports.

Players had been warned by club owners that the effects of the pandemic, including a delay from the original 26 March start date and having to play behind closed doors, would require additional salary cuts.

The players agreed to be paid on a prorated basis on games completed in March.

They have now proposed that they receive a higher percentage of their salaries while committing to play a 114-game regular season starting on 30 June, instead of the 82 games proposed by owners.

This would see the regular season end by 31 October and could extend the World Series beyond Thanksgiving on 26 November.
 
Top Ukrainian football team quarantines as 25 test positive

A top-flight football team in Ukraine has been quarantined for at least two weeks after several players and coaching staff contracted coronavirus.

Premier League side Karpaty's game against Mariupol on Sunday was cancelled after the positive tests, and the Lviv-based team's training sessions have also been called off during the period of quarantine.

Media reports said 25 members of the club had returned positive tests out of 65 who were tested.

Karpaty said in a statement that the team hoped to resume matches once the quarantine period was completed, and asked the recently-resumed league not to stop other fixtures. It called on clubs to be as responsible as possible in testing players, coaches and staff.
 
LAHORE: Three-time Mr. Asia and five-time Mr. Pakistan Olympia Yahya Butt is in a local hospital fighting coronavirus for the last three weeks.

Talking to Dawn, the bodybuilder said that although he was currently in ICU, his health was improving. He informed he had been admitted to three hospitals due to his condition and was now at the Lahore University Hospital.

Yahya retired from Punjab Police a few years ago to turn his focus back on bodybuilding. He was earlier running his own gym and was advising a sports manufacturing company on producing gym equipment.
 
This weekend's protests are not limited to central London. Several hundred marchers gathered in Newcastle while thousands more watched an online protest organised in the North-East.

Demonstrators at the Earl Grey Monument in Newcastle city centre were handed masks if they did not have one, and there was hand sanitiser available.

Meanwhile, an online protest organised by Stand Up To Racism - North East drew an audience of several thousand who listened to speakers including Janet Alder, whose brother Christopher died in police custody in Hull in 1998.

In Sheffield, hundreds of people gathered on Devonshire Green to protest and hold a minute's silence. During the gathering, which included speeches, they chanted: "No justice, no peace, no racist police."
 
Two people at two Championship clubs have tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of EFL testing
 
New Zealand will allow full crowds in stadiums when its domestic rugby union season resumes on Sunday, after the government lifted all domestic Covid-19 restrictions

Some Premier League clubs have begun playing friendlies at their home grounds as the competition moves towards its restart on 17 June.

Two people at two Championship football clubs in England have tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of testing

French rugby club Pau has dismissed former New Zealand fly-half Tom Taylor for leaving France in March without permission during the pandemic

In tennis, men’s world number one Novak Djokovic has called the coronavirus safety protocols, planned for the US Open, "extreme"
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Here's a round-up of some of the latest news in sport as it starts to return:

A key vote will take place today where English Football League clubs will decide how the remainder of the season is concluded.

The Championship, like the Premier League, is set to resume later this month while League Two is set to end the season now. The situation is League One, however, is a little less certain

The Spanish La Ligawill use virtual images of fans in stands with added "fan audio" made by the makers of the Fifa computer game when it returns to action on Thursday.

Six-time Olympic cycling champion Jason Kenny is among the first dozen GB cyclists who have returned to training at the Manchester velodrome after a two-month hiatus

Royal Ascot may be taking place without spectators next week - but organisers hope people will still dress up at home to raise money for charity
 
What's the latest sports news?

A group of major sports has "started working" with UK government experts on how the return of fans after the lockdown might work. No timescale has yet been set for crowds being allowed, but representatives of football, cricket, rugby and horse racing have been part of discussions

West Indies captain Jason Holder says his players feel safe after arriving in England and "at some point", some kind of normal must return.
West Indies landed in the UK on Tuesday for their three-match Test series which begins on 8 July at bio-secure venues

A game in Spain which started last December before being stopped because of offensive chanting was finally completed on Wednesday as the country's football season restarted. The concluding 45 minutes of the second-tier match between Rayo Vallecano and Albacete were played without fans, with Rayo winning 1-0 as fans in surrounding flats celebrated on balconies

Holders Bayern Munich beat Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday to set up a German Cup final against Bayer Leverkusen, in Berlin's Olympic Stadium on 4 July
 
More than 22,000 fans attend New Zealand rugby match

New Zealand became one of the first nations in the world to welcome hordes of fans back into a packed sports stadium, thanks to the country's remarkable success in eliminating the coronavirus.

A capacity crowd packed the Forsyth Barr stadium in the city of Dunedin to welcome the return of professional rugby, three months after the sport's professional tournaments were shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.

Almost 20,000 tickets had been sold before the opening match in Super Rugby Aotearoa between the local Highlanders and the Hamilton-based Chiefs, and walk-ups filled the stadium to its capacity of 22,800 before the kick off.
 
Taking pay cut to help FA a no-brainer, says England football boss Southgate

England manager Gareth Southgate has said it was an easy decision to accept a 30-percent wage cut to help the Football Association (FA) mitigate the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Football was suspended in March due to the outbreak and England's friendlies against Italy, Denmark, Romania and Austria were cancelled. Euro 2020 was also pushed back by a year.

The FA said the lack of international matches and domestic cup games would cost it 100 million pounds ($125.42m) and Southgate was among the senior figures to take wage cuts for three months starting in April.
 
For the first time in her 68-year reign, the Queen will not be in attendance as Royal Ascot begins behind closed doors,

Strict coronavirus protocols mean racehorse owners are not allowed at the Berkshire track for Britain's biggest flat racing fixture and the Queen is set to watch the action from nearby Windsor Castle.

Punters who would usually attend the five-day meeting, which normally attracts a total of nearly 300,000 spectators, are being urged to wear a hat, dress up at home and make a donation to frontline charities.

The first race, the Buckingham Palace Handicap, was due off at 13:15 BST with Frankie Dettori aboard favourite Daarik.
 
Tennis: US Open confirmed for 31 August

Governor Andrew Cuomo has confirmed that the US Open will take place in New York City's Queens borough but without any spectators.

The US Tennis Association's (USTA) signature Grand Slam event is due to run from 31 August to 13 September.

In a tweet, Cuomo said that organisers would "take extraordinary precautions to protect players and staff, including robust testing, additional cleaning, extra locker room space, and dedicated housing & transportation".

Some players have already expressed concerns about playing in the tournament.

The US Open is normally the fourth and final Grand Slam, but will be only the second this year.

The French Open could now start just one week after the end of the US.

Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since 1945.
 
Two top Brazilian football clubs have said they will defy orders to resume the state championship season in Rio de Janeiro over coronavirus concerns.

The Rio de Janiero state football federation (FERJ) has scheduled the first matches for Thursday, to be played behind closed doors. Players will also be tested before and after the matches.

But Botafogo and Fluminense say they will take legal action against the league, arguing that the matches would put the health of their players at risk.

Botafogo president Nelson Mufarrej called FERJ's order "disconnected from reality" and the club said it would play its two outstanding games in July at the earliest.

On average more than 1,000 people have died of Covid-19 every day in Brazil over the past week. Behind the US, it is currently the worst-affected country in the world, reporting at least 923,189 infections and 45,241 deaths.
 
Brazil sees return of football at empty Maracana stadium

Brazilian football resumed after a three-month hiatus on Thursday night, with Flamengo beating Bangu 3-0 at an empty Maracana stadium in the first game of the restarted Rio de Janeiro state championship.

The match marked the return of Brazil's state leagues, most of which were halted in March as the novel coronavirus spread.

Most of the other state championships, which are usually played between January and April before the national leagues take place in the second half of the year, have not yet set a date for resuming.

The resumption in Brazil has caused controversy, with two top clubs, Botafogo and Fluminense, saying they will not turn up for scheduled games this weekend.
 
Poland is one of the first countries in Europe to let football supporters back in stadiums from today to watch matches.

The stadia can be 25% full, and the rules state that every fourth seat can be occupied by a fan, with exceptions for people who live in the same household.

Supporters must wear face coverings whilst walking to and from their seats, and disinfectant will be available for their hands.

Only home supporters are allowed in the grounds for the matches and tickets must be purchased online.

Poland has recorded far fewer coronavirus cases and deaths than many western European countries, but some epidemiologists have criticised the government’s decision to allow fans back into grounds as an unnecessary risk.
 
The world players' union Fifpro wants a mandatory mid-season break of between 10-14 days to help players cope with the demands of a revised calendar.

After a three-month break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, domestic seasons in England, Spain and Italy have resumed.

All are due to finish at the end of July, with Uefa's Champions League and Europa League tournaments in August.

Spain intends to begin its 2020-21 season on 12 September and the Premier League is likely to follow suit.

That leaves a gap of three weeks between the Champions League final on 23 August and domestic seasons starting up.

And that gap will feature two international matches, marking the start of a campaign that will not be completed until the European Championship final on 11 July.

Work on the domestic calendar in England is yet to start, although there are already suggestions clubs in European competition may not enter the EFL Cup.

Fifpro is alarmed that there has been no consultation with players' representatives about the schedules they will be facing.

In addition to the winter break, it wants a minimum three-week break between seasons for players, followed by a retraining period.

"A mandatory mid-season break of between 10 and 14 days is more important than ever during what will be a highly-congested match schedule for many players over the next two to three years," outlined Fifpro.

"In addition, the minimum contractually-agreed holiday periods need to be respected. In most countries this is at least three weeks, followed by a retraining period to avoid injuries.

"It is not acceptable that altering competition calendars leads to pressure to breach these rights."
 
Two Major League Baseball teams have closed their training facilities after players and staff members tested positive for coronavirus.

The Philadelphia Phillies shut down their facilities in Clearwater, Florida after five players and three staff members returned positive tests.

The Toronto Blue Jays also closed their base in Dunedin, Florida after one player displayed symptoms.

Florida is one of several US states to see its infection rates surge recently.

Last week, more than 2,600 new cases were recorded in a single 24-hour period, its second highest daily figure since the outbreak began.

The start of the 2020 MLB season was postponed in March, and last week the league's commissioner Rob Manfred said he was "not confident" it would go ahead.

Ice hockey side Tampa Bay Lightning also closed their training facilities after three players and some staff members tested positive.

NHL teams were cleared to start training last week. It is hoped the league will resume with a 24-team play-off taking place in two 'hub cities' for the Stanley Cup.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/baseball/53118746
 
Aussie rules game postponed after player fails COVID-19 test

The Australian Football League has postponed a game between Essendon and Melbourne because a player who recently returned from Ireland has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Australian rules AFL competition was into the second weekend of matches after restarting in the wake of the shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic.

AFL chief exectuive Gillon McLachlan says Essendon player Conor McKenna tested positive but remained asymptomatic.
 
French stadiums to allow football fans in from July 11 - government

Stadiums in France will re-open to fans on July 11 as the country continues to lift measures imposed to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, the government said.

A maximum of 5,000 fans, however, will be allowed in the arenas - a restriction that could be eased later in the summer with the new season due to start on the weekend of August 22.

The French Cup and League Cup finals could now be played with spectators and fans will also be able to watch their teams play pre-season friendlies.
 
Iraqi football legend Ahmad Radhi dies due to coronavirus

Iraqi football legend Ahmad Radhi has died at a hospital in Baghdad as a result of complications from the new coronavirus, Iraqi media reported.

The 56-year-old was considered a national star, known for scoring one World Cup goal in Mexico in 1986, when Iraq's national football team, the Lions of Mesopotamia, qualified for the games.

Radhi spent most of his career in the Iraqi league, representing Al-Zawra'a and Al-Rasheed, winning five league titles and topping the scoring charts twice.
 
Dynamo Moscow reports coronavirus cases, game postponed

MOSCOW (AP) — Dynamo Moscow said Sunday that three of its players had tested positive for the coronavirus as its game on the Russian soccer league’s restart weekend was postponed.

Dynamo said the team and staff were confined to its training base after the positive tests for forward Clinton N’Jie and midfielders Charles Kaboré and Sebastian Szymanski. All other players tested negative in samples taken Saturday, the club added.

Dynamo was due to play third-place FC Krasnodar on Sunday but Krasnodar agreed to a postponement. The Russian Football Union set July 19 as the new date for the game.

It’s the second game to be disrupted by the coronavirus since the Russian league restarted Friday after a three-month pause.

On Friday, Sochi beat FC Rostov 10-1 after Rostov was forced to field youth players, some as young as 16. Rostov’s entire first team is in isolation because of a suspected virus outbreak in the squad and Sochi refused to postpone the game.

The different approaches of Sochi and Krasnodar to coronavirus cases in their opponents’ squads mean that the virus has already affected the battle for Russia’s three Champions League places. Krasnodar is third in the table and Rostov is fourth.

The title race is all but decided as Zenit St. Petersburg extended its lead Saturday with a 4-0 win over CSKA Moscow.

Dynamo already reported coronavirus cases last month. The club said then that one player and one coach had been diagnosed with the virus, that two people had “borderline” results and two more people had antibodies indicating they previously had the virus.

https://apnews.com/19cf8d7df9b1101f3541df0483fe9005
 
Serbian football champions Red Star Belgrade said five of their players have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Marko Gobeljic, Njegos Petrovic, Dusan Jovancic, Marko Konatar and all felt unwell ahead of the final Serbian Superleague round against Proleter on Saturday and did not appear in the stadium.

Branko Jovicic showed no symptoms but returned a positive test, Red Star said on its website. The rest of the players and the management were also tested and none were positive, they added.

Red Star celebrated the third consecutive championship after the win against Proleter at home. Around 18,000 fans, many of them packed closely together, attended the match and celebration afterwards.
 
New York City Marathon canceled

Runners will have to wait for another year to participate at the world’s largest marathon as the New York City Marathon scheduled for November 1 has been canceled.

The organizers, in coordination with Mayor Bill de Blasio's office, decided that the race posed too many health and safety concerns for runners, volunteers, spectators and others.

"While the marathon is an iconic and beloved event in our city, I applaud New York Road Runners for putting the health and safety of both spectators and runners first," the mayor said in a statement. "We look forward to hosting the 50th running of the marathon in November of 2021."
 
New addition to cancelled events list: Berlin Marathon 2020

Another major event has been cancelled because of the pandemic: this year's Berlin Marathon in Germany.

Organisers say the event - originally scheduled to take place on 26-27 September - will not go ahead citing Covid-19 restrictions and health concerns.

They say holding the marathon was not possible given the German government's social-distancing rules. And, following a review, they decided the event could not be held at a later date this year either.

"As hard as we have tried, it is currently not possible to organise the BMW Berlin-Marathon with its usual Berlin charm," the organisers said.

"Your health, as well as all of our health, is our first priority."

Around 45,000 runners usually take part in the marathon every year in the German capital.

Earlier, we reported that this year's marathon in New York had been scrapped also because of the pandemic.
 
Davis Cup and Fed Cup rescheduled for 2021

The Davis Cup and the Fed Cup - the world cups of men's and women's tennis respectively - have been rescheduled for 2021.

The inaugural 12-team Fed Cup finals, which were due to have been held in April, will instead take place in Budapest on 13-18 April 2021.

And 18 teams will compete for the Davis Cup in Madrid from 22 November 2021.

The International Tennis Federation said the ongoing coronavirus pandemic meant it was not possible to reschedule the events this year because of venue availability and the risk of the virus spreading at an indoor sporting event.
 
The Football Association is to make 124 positions redundant because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

English football's governing body - a not-for-profit organisation - says it is planning for potential financial losses of about £300m.

Eighty-two staff members will lose their jobs, while 42 vacancies will not be filled.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said the organisation faced a "significant" financial challenge.

"It might seem that football has weathered the storm by getting the top flight men's game playing again," he said.

"However, unfortunately the past few months have impacted the FA severely and we have lost a significant amount of money that we can never recoup.

"We also anticipate that many of our future revenue streams will be affected for a considerable time."

The FA has lost all revenue from events due to be held at Wembley Stadium since March, and from events, such as music concerts and NFL matches, which the stadium was set to host later this year.

In addition, it has lost all revenue from hospitality - about £35m per year - at Wembley, which it anticipates "will probably take years to recover".

"Proposing redundancies is the toughest cost-saving measure that any organisation can consider implementing, but we believe that we must now adapt and future-proof the organisation to ensure our cost base reflects a future with significantly lower revenues," said Bullingham.

"We have a responsibility to preserve our core functions that regulate and serve English football. We also have a duty to support our men's and women's senior teams in their efforts to win major tournaments.

"That means we have set out in our proposals some difficult choices because we do not think we can afford to do all the things that we did before. We believe the impact of this crisis is to force us to focus more than ever on our key priorities."

He added: "The next few weeks will be very tough for everyone at the FA and our aim is to ensure that we emerge in the strongest possible state and be ready for better times in the future."

In the FA's financial statements to the year ending 31 July 2019, its directors were remunerated £1.1m.

Former chief executive Martin Glenn earned £814,000 while chairman Greg Clarke took £184,000.
 
The Africa Cup of Nations, which was scheduled to take place in Cameroon in January, has been postponed until 2022.
 
Fans will be allowed to attend the French Open when it begins in September, the French Tennis Federation has said.

A statement published on the tournament's website (in French) said ticket sales would begin from 9 July. The reservations would remain flexible, with ticket seats only confirmed to buyers in mid-September.

Up to four people will be allowed to sit together, with one seat left free between each group, up to a total of 50-60% of the normal capacity. According to the AFP news agency, this represents up to 20,000 people on each day of the tournament, which runs from 27 September until 11 October.

More tickets may be released closer to the time if the public health situation permits, the tournament said, while some of the original tickets may be reimbursed if the situation deteriorates.

Almost 30,000 people have died with coronavirus in France, and there have been more than 200,000 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.
 
Tiafoe tests positive for COVID-19, withdraws from Atlanta event

US tennis player Frances Tiafoe has tested positive for COVID-19 and been forced to withdraw from the All-American Team Cup exhibition tournament in Atlanta.

Tiafoe played in the first session on Friday and beat Sam Querrey in straight sets at the event in which the top eight American players are participating.

"Unfortunately, I tested positive late Friday for Covid-19 and have to withdraw from the All-American Team Cup special event in Atlanta this weekend," Tiafoe said on Twitter.
 
New quarantine exemptions will allow major sporting events, as well as TV and film productions, to go ahead this summer, the government has said.

Some sports teams and production crews will not have to quarantine upon arrival in England if they are essential to the event or production.

The scheme gives the green light for Formula One, international football, golf and snooker tournaments to return.

Ministers said darts, horse racing and other sports are expected to follow.

The government's new quarantine exemptions mean Silverstone will be able to stage races in August, while Champions League and Europa League football, the PGA British Masters Championship and the World Snooker Championships will go ahead.

Announcing the scheme, which applies to England only, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "The British summer of sport is back on."

Under the new rules, sports authorities, event organisers and the film and TV industry would need to follow "stringent protocols" to become exempt from the 14-day quarantine rule.

At the moment, most travellers to the UK must quarantine for two weeks. However, from 10 July, people arriving in England from dozens of countries deemed "low risk" will not have to isolate.

Those who earn exemption by following the new rules will have to live and work in controlled "bubbled" environments and must be tested for coronavirus regularly.

People working in the film industry will be required to remain for 14 days within a bubble that includes only their accommodation and production location.

The scheme will apply to individuals coming into England specifically to work on film and television productions which qualify as British under one of the government's cultural tests or official co-production treaties.

It comes as the culture secretary is under increasing pressure to provide further support to the performing arts.

The government's plan for the return of live theatre and music, announced last week, was dismissed by many in the industry as inadequate amid calls for financial help and a timetable for reopening.

Actors' union Equity said that without investment to save jobs and venues, such guidance would be "meaningless".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53295779
 
Local lockdowns return in Spain, and German states mull lifting mask rules. Here’s the latest from Europe:

Authorities in the Spanish regions of Galicia and Catalonia have imposed local lockdowns on some 300,000 people following outbreaks of the virus. Only those travelling for work are allowed to leave or enter Galicia’s coastal district of A Mariña from midnight on Sunday to Friday

Several states in Germany are considering easing rules about wearing face masks in the coming months as the outbreak stays under control. Health minister Jens Spahn, however, has warned against the move. “I understand the impatience and the desire for normality. But the virus is still there,” he tweeted

Switzerland has made masks compulsory on public transport nationwide for the first time, citing rising numbers of travellers. Though wearing face coverings is already recommended, “few people are heeding this advice”, the federal government said

Greece is closing its borders to Serbians today, after rising numbers of cases in the Balkan country. The region has seen a large rise in infections in recent weeks: Montenegro reported a record one-day rise in new cases on Sunday, while Kosovo has reimposed a nightly curfew for several cities, including the capital Pristina
 
The head of the US drugs regulator has also cast doubt on President Trump's prediction that a vaccine will be ready this year

India now has the third-highest caseload in the world according to its health ministry, overtaking Russia

New South Wales in Australia is closing its border with neighbouring Victoria to fight a surge there

Nearly 240 scientists want the WHO to take the airborne risk more seriously

Arts venues in the UK are getting a lifeline from the government to survive

Globally there have now been more than 11.4m cases and more than 533,000 people have died
 
NHL says nine more players test positive

The NHL announced nine additional players have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the leaguewide total to 35.

There were eight positive tests among players reporting to team training facilities for voluntary workouts in Phase 2 of the league's return-to-play plan.
 
The Ryder Cup has become the latest sporting event to be postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The golf competition between the United States and Europe was due to take place this year at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, on 25-27 September.

It has now been rescheduled for 24-26 September 2021.

Professional men's golf in the US has resumed behind closed doors but players say the biennial event should not go ahead without fans.

The Olympics and Wimbledon are just some of the other sporting events that were unable to take place this year due to the pandemic.
 
China cancels all international sports events for the year

China says it will not stage any international sports for the rest of the year, apart from trials for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing and the neighboring city of Zhangjiakou.

The order from the General Administration of Sports affects at least six WTA tennis events, including the WTA Finals in Shenzhen in November. China also has four ATP tournaments lined up.

China has largely contained local transmission of the coronavirus but remains on guard for imported cases.
 
Pools, gyms and sports facilities will be able to reopen and team sports and outdoor gigs resume in England, the government has announced.

Outdoor pools and performances can resume from Saturday with social distancing in place, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said.

Beauticians, nail salons and tattooists can also reopen from Monday, he said.

Indoor gyms, sports facilities and pools will be able to reopen from 25 July.

Guidance will be published for team sports to return from Saturday.

Speaking at the televised Downing Street press conference, Mr Dowden said normal life was "slowly returning" and that it was an important milestone for the country's performers and artists, who had been "waiting in the wings since March".

Mr Dowden said the public should "do their bit" by buying tickets and supporting galleries and other venues.

"Eat out to help out, enjoy the arts to help out and work out to help out," he said.
 
Bulgaria postpones league season start amid increase of COVID-19 cases

The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) postponed the start of next season's domestic top flight by two weeks after the Balkan country saw the biggest increase of COVID-19 cases in a week.

The BFU's Medical Commission submitted a proposal on Friday to the BFU's management to postpone the championship's kick-off "in view of the complicated epidemiological situation."

"The BFU accepted the proposal in order to preserve the health of players, staffs and officials in a force majeure situation," the BFU said in a statement.
 
Top-flight German football club Union Berlin is so keen to see its stadium filled with fans once again that it is prepared to pay for coronavirus tests for all of its staff and 22,012 season ticket holders so that they can safely pack the stands.

Germany's top-flight Bundesliga resumed playing matches in May, but with strict distancing rules that restricted attendance to just a handful of officials, reporters, and camera operators. Coronavirus tests cost around $40 in April, but prices have been falling.

"Our stadium experience doesn't work with social distancing, and if we aren't allowed to sing and shout, then it's not Union," club chair Dirk Zingler said, adding that the club is prepared to "carry out the costs of implementing the necessary measures ourselves".
 
Brazil football match cancelled after 14 players test positive

One of Brazil’s biggest football derbies was cancelled just hours before kick-off after 14 members of one of the teams tested positive for Covid-19.

Chapecoense had been set to play Avai in the second leg of the quarter finals of the Santa Catarina state championship.

The infected team was not announced, although Avai said all of its players had tested negative. Chapecoense did not comment on reports that it was the affected club.

The Santa Catarina state championship restarted on 8 July. Many clubs have expressed their concern at playing with such high levels of coronavirus in the country.

More than 1.8 million people in Brazil have tested positive for the virus and more than 71,000 people have died.
 
Swiss Indoors tennis tournament cancelled

The Swiss Indoors tennis tournament has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Organisers say it would be "irresponsible and logistically difficult to go ahead" amid uncertainty about public health and the economy.

Tournament head Roger Brennwald says "social distancing or matches played behind closed doors were out of the question for us from the start".
 
Asian Tour cancels Taiwan Masters golf tournament

The Asian Tour said September's Taiwan Masters golf tournament has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The decision to cancel Taiwan Masters was based on health and safety concerns as well as international travel restrictions on players ..." the Asian Tour said in a statement.

"The tournament will now be staged in 2021 in its traditional time slot."

The tournament had been due to be held at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club from September 17-20.
 
Fans in stadiums: Boris Johnson says supporters could return in England in October

Fans could be able to return to stadiums in England from October, says Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Pilots will take place from 1 August but any stadium reopenings would be subject to coronavirus guidelines.

Some sports, including football and cricket, have resumed behind closed doors after the Covid-19 lockdown.

"We will pilot larger gatherings in venues like sports stadiums with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn," said Johnson on Friday.

"From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadiums.

"Again, these changes must be done in a Covid-secure way, subject to the successful outcome of pilots."

The pilot projects will be held at:

- Two men's county cricket friendly matches - including Surrey v Middlesex at The Oval on 26-27 July;
- The World Snooker Championship at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre from 31 July;
- The Goodwood horse racing festival - known as Glorious Goodwood - on 1 August.

Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/53441670
 
Xavi Hernandez tests positive for coronavirus

Al-Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez, the former Barcelona and Spain midfielder, said on Saturday he had tested positive for COVID-19 but was asymptomatic.

Xavi, who renewed his contract with the Qatari club on July 5, said he will self-isolate as his team prepare for their first match on Saturday after the Qatar Stars League (QSL) was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Xavi said in a statement: "A few days ago, following the QSL protocol, I tested positive in the last COVID-19 test. Fortunately, I'm feeling ok, but I will be isolated until I am given the all clear. When the health services allow it, I will be very eager to return to my daily routine and to work."
 
Chinese football resumes after five-month delay

The Chinese Super League - China's top tier of professional football - has kicked off its new season five months late because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A minute's silence to honour victims of the pandemic and medical staff was held before reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande faced Shanghai Shenhua at the Dalian Sports Center Stadium in Dalian, Liaoning province.

Wuhan Zall play newly promoted Qingdao Huanghai later on Saturday in Suzhou, near Shanghai.

The league's 16 teams are divided into two groups that will play without spectators at Dalian and Suzhou until 28 September. Players and staff were tested for coronavirus on their arrival and further tests will be conducted every week.

Players will stay in hotels that are closed to the public, including their family and friends, for two months.

The new season was supposed to begin in February but was postponed by the pandemic, which first emerged in China.
 
UK Sports Minister confident of safe return to stadiums for spectators

The government is confident it can move towards a safe return for fans to watch sporting events in stadiums, says Minister for Sport Nigel Huddleston.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said spectators could be able to return to stadiums in England from October.

On Tuesday, Warwickshire faced Worcestershire at Edgbaston as part of a pilot programme that saw a limited number fans allowed inside the ground.

"We need to take the natural baby steps moving forward," said Huddleston.

Speaking to BBC Sport, the MP for Mid Worcestershire said the government will look at the pilot events and how to build up the number of spectators over time.

"I'm confident that we can find a way to move forward," he added.

"Of course, whether it's sports stadiums or theatres and all sorts of other things, we've seen in other countries there is a way to get full audiences without a vaccine.

"I'm confident that there are measures that can be put in place that can give both those taking part in the sports and spectators confidence that they are going to somewhere safe."

Among the pilot events are the World Snooker Championship, the Goodwood horse racing festival, and another county cricket friendly between Surrey and Middlesex at The Oval.

Any stadium re-openings are subject to coronavirus guidelines.

And Professor James Calder - who has chaired the cross-sport working group with government and health officials on the return to sport - has told BBC Sport that sports events are highly unlikely to have full capacity crowds this year.

'It's really important that football looks after itself'
Domestic competitive sport in England resumed on 1 June for the first time since mid-March, with football's Premier League and English Football League getting back under way on 17 and 20 June respectively.

The Premier League season has now been successfully completed, but there are fears over the impact the pandemic and absence of fans will have on clubs lower down the pyramid.

"The Premier League have advanced £125m to the lower leagues, but it's really important that football looks after itself," said Huddleston.

"I've been very clear when I've had conversations with them that we expect them to do so. There's lots of money in football in Britain and there are some clubs in difficulty.

"I think it's important that they all take responsibility to look after each other in a pyramid. We are having those conversations.

"I think there is room for improvement and of course we are looking as well at the whole structure of sports, and we'll be looking at a grassroots review of sports governance."

'We will be working on more diversity to be more representative'
This week, Commonwealth Games Federation president Dame Louise Martin stepped down from the Birmingham 2022 board amid concerns over a lack of diversity.

The Games' organising committee has been criticised for having an almost entirely white executive management team and board.

Local politicians wanted more black and ethnic minority members to better reflect Birmingham's ethnic diversity, and Barbados-based Sandra Osborne QC will take Martin's place.

Huddleston says he welcomes the move, adding: "While it's a diverse board in some ways, actually we need to increase the diversity and in particular an incredibly diverse community that is Birmingham, that is the Commonwealth, then actually we need to increase that representation.

"Dame Louise is still going to be very much part of the Games but she's decided to stand down. We've got Sandra Osborne, a very capable individual, coming in, and I think we'll see some more changes as well.

"We will be working on more diversity to be more representative, we want more diversity in sport and that means at every level, including the managerial and the executive level."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/53571652
 
Major League Baseball is updating its coronavirus safety measures after a 17th player on the Miami Marlins tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday – less than a week after all 30 clubs opened a shortened, delayed season in empty stadiums.

The outbreak, which first came to light on Monday after the team played a three-game series on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies, prompted MLB to postpone all Marlins games through at least Sunday amid doubts the team will be able to reopen its season as planned Tuesday at home.

The Marlins, who have quarantined in Philadelphia since Monday, could face another mandated self-isolation under Miami regulations depending on their travel before returning to Florida.

In the wake of the outbreak, the commissioner’s office has reportedly ordered all teams to use surgical masks instead of cloth ones, encouraged players not to leave hotels in road cities except for games and mandated every club to travel with a virus protocol compliance officer to ensure rules are followed.
 
Spectators 'no longer allowed to attend UK pilot sports events'

The prime minister is set to announce that fans will no longer be permitted to attend the sporting pilot events allowing limited numbers of spectators at Goodwood, the Crucible and the Oval in coming days.

It comes after evidence that the infection rate has risen across the country.
 
Fans will not be allowed to attend the pilot sports events scheduled for this weekend in England after a spike in coronavirus cases, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.

Spectators were due to watch the first two days of two county cricket matches, while 250 fans were at the start of the World Snooker Championship on Friday.

It was also hoped to permit 4,000 racegoers at Goodwood on Saturday.

The new restrictions on fans will be enforced until at least 15 August.

The announcement comes after general restrictions were reintroduced for people in parts of northern England.

"Pilots of larger crowds at sports venues will not take place," Johnson said at a news conference on Friday.

"I said from May we would not hesitate to put on the brakes at the slightest sign that the numbers were going in the wrong direction."

The Prime Minister had said earlier this month that spectators could be able to return to stadiums in England from October.

Two matches in cricket's Bob Willis Trophy starting on Saturday had been due to welcome spectators - Surrey v Middlesex at the Oval and Warwickshire against Northamptonshire at Edgbaston.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said: "We understand the reasons the government has made this decision, and remain ready to work with them to ensure supporters can safely return to stadiums when government advice allows.

"We are pleased the Bob Willis Trophy will still begin this weekend behind closed doors, and fans will be able to watch their teams in action through the online streams being provided."

The Oval had been due to host 2,500 fans on Saturday and Sunday, having held the first pilot last weekend of 1,000 fans.

Surrey chief executive Richard Gould said: "A lot of hard work has taken place to ensure that members and fans could return to our ground safely.

"We still hope to welcome members to the ground for future matches this summer, and we will continue to work with the ECB and the government to encourage this to happen."

At the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, it has been confirmed that no spectators will be permitted at the Crucible Theatre from Saturday.

Fans with tickets will be given a refund, or be allowed to use them next year. However, those with tickets for Friday's afternoon and evening sessions were still allowed in.

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn told BBC Sport: "There is a chance - I'm forever the optimist - that maybe a return for the final [on 16 August] is the earliest possible opportunity.

"Congratulations to those guys who went today because they will be able to talk about this for the rest of their lives - the ultimate golden ticket."

Hearn said he had hoped the limited number of spectators could still be allowed at the Crucible, with the restrictions that had already been put in place at the venue.

"We went straight to the cabinet but they said: 'No, it applies to you as well,'" he added. "This is not the worst - the worst is the tournament doesn't happen. We'll get through this."

Watch day one of the World Snooker Championship live
A statement from Goodwood racecourse said: "We are very disappointed for those who were hoping to attend tomorrow's event and for all those who have worked so hard to make it possible for spectators to be present.

"We will engage with public health authorities and the DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) over a rescheduled pilot at the earliest opportunity."

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden posted on social media that it was "very disappointing news".

"I know the huge efforts cricket, snooker and horseracing have made to welcome fans back. We'll keep working together on their safe return ASAP," he added.

Analysis
BBC sports editor Dan Roan

This will be hugely disappointing news for the events involved, and obviously very worrying for the wider sports industry, which is increasingly desperate to get paying fans back through the turnstiles to ease an unprecedented financial crisis - especially for those sports bodies dependent on matchday revenue, like English Football League clubs.

Until now, the effort to get sports back up and running after lockdown had gone relatively smoothly, with the football season resuming and now almost completed, along with other events such as Test cricket, Formula 1 and horse racing.

This then is a first major setback in the wider effort to return sport to some kind of normality.

However, crucially, I am told by Whitehall sources that the government remains keen to work with sports and Public Health England with a view to getting fans back inside venues from 1 October.

Some sports organisations - like the Premier League - would like to see that target date brought forward, but Friday's news will not have helped them win that argument.

Attendances of 20% to 40% capacity - depending on the nature of the venue - is envisaged by officials from October, and more pilots are being planned in the coming weeks.

It is simply too early to tell whether this is now unrealistic. It remains the aim but there are no guarantees.

This is a stark reminder that the nature of the pandemic means it is difficult to plan months in advance, and that officials will need to take decisive action when data shows worrying trends.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/53610375
 
Player tests positive at WTA Palermo Open

An unnamed player has tested positive for coronavirus shortly before the start of the Palermo Ladies Open - an event that marks the return of professional tennis for the first time since March.

The player, who was showing no symptoms of coronavirus, has withdrawn from the contest.

The Women's Tennis Association said the tournament would still go ahead as planned, adding that anyone who had come into contact with the player would undergo testing.

In June, a number of players contracted coronavirus while taking part in the Adria Tour event, organised by world number one Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic apologised, saying it had been "too soon" to stage the tournament.
 
Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the US Open because of the coronavirus pandemic, saying it "hurts me at my core" to miss the tournament.

Fellow Australian and women's world number one Ashleigh Barty withdrew earlier this week.

In a video on social media, Kyrgios, 25, also criticised the behaviour of some players during the pandemic.

"Let's take a breath here and remember what's important, which is health and safety as a community," said Kyrgios.

"We can rebuild our sport and the economy, but we can never recover lives lost."

Why a lack of fans could mean better behaviour on court - and why tennis loves a bit of player rage
The world number 40 added: "It hurts me at my core not to be out there competing in one of the sport's greatest arenas, Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"But I'm sitting out for the people, for my Aussies, for the hundreds and thousands of Americans that have lost their lives, for all of you. It's my decision."

Last month, the Australian said the United States Tennis Association (USTA) was "selfish" for staging the New York tournament, which starts on 31 August.

The event is set to be held without fans at Flushing Meadows with players having to follow strict measures.

Kyrgios now says he does not have a problem with the USTA or for players wanting to compete "so long as everyone acts appropriately and acts safely".

Kyrgios has been a critic of men's world number one Novak Djokovic's decision to stage exhibition events during the pandemic, with a number of players who took part then testing positive for the virus, including the Serb.

"Tennis players, you have to act in the interest of each other and work together," added Kyrgios.

"You can't be dancing on tables, money grabbing your way around Europe or trying to make a quick buck hosting an exhibition. That's just so selfish. Think of the other people for once, that is what this virus is about, it doesn't care about your world ranking or how much money you have."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/53626049
 
Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the US Open because of the coronavirus pandemic, saying it "hurts me at my core" to miss the tournament.

Fellow Australian and women's world number one Ashleigh Barty withdrew earlier this week.

In a video on social media, Kyrgios, 25, also criticised the behaviour of some players during the pandemic.

"Let's take a breath here and remember what's important, which is health and safety as a community," said Kyrgios.

"We can rebuild our sport and the economy, but we can never recover lives lost."

Why a lack of fans could mean better behaviour on court - and why tennis loves a bit of player rage
The world number 40 added: "It hurts me at my core not to be out there competing in one of the sport's greatest arenas, Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"But I'm sitting out for the people, for my Aussies, for the hundreds and thousands of Americans that have lost their lives, for all of you. It's my decision."

Last month, the Australian said the United States Tennis Association (USTA) was "selfish" for staging the New York tournament, which starts on 31 August.

The event is set to be held without fans at Flushing Meadows with players having to follow strict measures.

Kyrgios now says he does not have a problem with the USTA or for players wanting to compete "so long as everyone acts appropriately and acts safely".

Kyrgios has been a critic of men's world number one Novak Djokovic's decision to stage exhibition events during the pandemic, with a number of players who took part then testing positive for the virus, including the Serb.

"Tennis players, you have to act in the interest of each other and work together," added Kyrgios.

"You can't be dancing on tables, money grabbing your way around Europe or trying to make a quick buck hosting an exhibition. That's just so selfish. Think of the other people for once, that is what this virus is about, it doesn't care about your world ranking or how much money you have."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/53626049
 
The Tour de France’s departure in Copenhagen has been pushed back a year to 2022.

The Grand Départ was scheduled for 2021 but has been moved to avoid a clash with Euro 2020 games which are being held in the city next year.

Euro 2020 was rescheduled to next year due to coronavirus.

Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen said: “Many of us have been looking forward to getting the Tour de France to Denmark next year, and now we unfortunately have to wait a little longer.

“On the other hand, Danes can look forward to an even bigger bang of a yellow folk festival in 2022, when the Tour start will not be squeezed by the European Championships and the Olympics and we have hopefully got the coronavirus at a greater distance”.

There were due to be three stages in Copenhagen – a 13km (8 mile) time trial and two road stages.
 
Madrid Open cancelled as Spain virus cases rise

The Madrid Open has been cancelled as coronavirus cases continue to rise in Spain.

Spain's healthy ministry had advised the organisers aganst proceeding with the tournment, which was due to begin on 12 September, because of the city's "deteriorating" coronavirus situation.

"We have no choice but to cancel the tournament due to the complex situation that Covid-19 continues to generate in every regard," the organisers said.

Spain has recorded more than 302,000 cases of coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, and 28,498 deaths, figures released on Tuesday show, with the rate of infection rising rapidly in the country.

The Madrid Open is not the only major sporting event to face disruption amid the pandemic, with a range of events - including the Tokyo 2020 Olympics - either postponed or cancelled this year. Find out more here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/51605235
 
Defending champion Rafael Nadal has decided not to play the US Open later this month because the coronavirus pandemic is "not under control".

Spanish world number two Nadal, 34, has not entered the tournament, which takes place in New York from 31 August.

"The health situation is very complicated around the world with cases increasing and flare-ups," said Nadal.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic leads the men's entry list, while American great Serena Williams has indicated she will play.

Nadal added: "This is a decision I never wanted to take but I have decided to follow my heart this time and for the time being I rather not travel."

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is hosting a double tournament at Flushing Meadows, having moved the Cincinnati Masters to New York.

The event will staged at the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre from 22 August, with the US Open taking place immediately afterwards.

Both tournaments will be held without fans and players will have to follow strict measures.

The USTA measures within the safety bubble include regular testing, mitigation measures and increased sanitisation. The organisation said on Friday it was confident the health and safety of everyone involved in the tournaments remained "on track".

While the WTA Tour resumed in Palermo this week, the Cincinnati-US Open double header will be the first ATP events since March.

"We know that the reduced tennis calendar is barbaric this year after four months stopped with no play," added Nadal, who will miss a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon in 2016.

No Nadal or Federer - who is playing?
Nadal's great rival Roger Federer will also be absent from the US Open, with the 38-year-old Swiss recovering from knee surgery.

Australian Ashleigh Barty, the women's world number one, said last week she did not want to play, meaning Romania's world number two Simona Halep leads the entry list.

Defending women's champion Bianca Andreescu has also entered.

The entry list is not a guarantee that those on it will play the Grand Slam tournament, with many players likely to make a final decision over the next few weeks.

Britain's three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray does plan to play at Flushing Meadows, although the world number 129 will need a wildcard if he is not promoted from the alternate list.

British number ones Johanna Konta and Dan Evans have entered the tournament through their rankings, as have compatriots Heather Watson, Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/53658175
 
Celtic are launching an investigation after it emerged their defender Boli Bolingoli took a secret trip to Spain and failed to self-isolate on his return.

The Belgian player later came off the bench in Celtic's Scottish Premiership game against Kilmarnock on Sunday.

The Scottish government added Spain to the list of countries where returning travellers had to quarantine for 14 days following a decision that came into force on 26 July.

In a statement, Celtic said a "full investigation will now take place and the club will take all appropriate action".

It added: "Celtic Football Club has taken its response to COVID-19 extremely seriously and we are pleased that, to date, we have recorded no positive tests.

"Our staff have given so much in this area, working tirelessly to ensure that all players and other club personnel are safe, fully aware of their own responsibilities and familiar with all guidance and protocols. Safety must always be our priority."

The news is more unwelcome attention for Scottish football.

Aberdeen's game against St Johnstone on Saturday was postponed for 24 hours as two Aberdeen players tested positive for COVID-19 and a further six were instructed to self-isolate after a night out in a bar.

Scottish government officials held a meeting with the league's managers and captains on Monday where they were reminded of their responsibilities over protocols particular to football and also to the public.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned of revoking Scottish football's privileges to play during the coronavirus restrictions if clubs repeatedly broke the rules.

Justice minister Humza Yousaf wrote on Twitter: "Utterly unacceptable from Bolingoli. With a number of incidents, Scot Govt left with little choice but to consider whether pause is now needed in resumption of the game.

"Operational matter for Border Force & Police Scot, I support whatever enforcement action they deem necessary."

There is uncertainty around Aberdeen's home game against Hamilton on Wednesday given the spike of cases in the city.

A government spokesperson said: "The Scottish government is aware of reports of a Celtic FC player having broken quarantine rules last week.

"We are currently in discussion with the club and football governing bodies to establish the facts.

"If confirmed as another serious incident within Scottish football, where protocols have been breached at the risk of wider public health, then the Scottish government will have little choice but to consider whether a pause is now needed in the resumption of the game in Scotland."

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...-celtic-players-secret-trip-to-spain-12047038
 
Celtic and Aberdeen's football matches are to be called off this week after their players broke lockdown rules.

Celtic defender Boli Bolingoli flew to Spain without the club's knowledge, failed to quarantine, then played in Sunday's match against Kilmarnock.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said this was a "flagrant breach" of the guidelines.

The previous weekend, eight Aberdeen players broke lockdown regulations by visiting a bar together.

Surgeon told her daily briefing that fans "should not be expecting to see Aberdeen or Celtic play in the coming week".

**This post has been updated to reflect that the decision to postpone the games was taken by the Scottish Professional Football League.
 
The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has announced an "urgent package of measures" following the postponement of Celtic and Aberdeen matches because players broke lockdown rules.

Celtic defender Boli Bolingoli flew to Spain without the club's knowledge, failed to quarantine, then played in Sunday's match against Kilmarnock.

The previous weekend eight Aberdeen players broke lockdown regulations by visiting a bar together.

The new SPFL measures include plans to punish players who break the rules, an "immediate" player education programme and an agreement to take part in promotional activity for the Scottish government's coronavirus public awareness campaign FACTS.

Sport Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: "This latest example indicates that the current arrangements are not working as intended, and so clearly additional steps now need to be taken to ensure that the necessity of strict compliance with the rules is fully and properly understood."

In the meantime Celtic and Aberdeen can train as usual, but training and friendly matches will not be allowed.
 
Aberdeen players fined for COVID-19 protocol breach

The eight Aberdeen players who breached COVID-19 protocols and prompted three league matches to be postponed have been severely reprimanded and heavily fined, the Scottish Premiership club said.

Media reported that the players had visited a bar on August 1 in breach of their own COVID-19 protocols and government guidance, following their opening 1-0 defeat by Rangers.

"As a result of our investigation, these players have been severely reprimanded and fined heavily," said club chairman Dave Cormack in a statement.

"Contractually, the specifics must remain confidential between the club and each player but, rest assured, the financial fines are in line with the severity of the consequences of their actions," he added.
 
Simona Halep has said she won't be playing in the US Open, which is due to start in New York on 31 August.

Halep, who won Wimbledon last year, is the latest player to pull out of the competition.

"After weighing up all the factors involved and with the exceptional circumstances in which we are living, I have decided that I will not travel," she explained.

She is the sixth top ten player to opt out.

Meanwhile Japan's Kei Nishikori has tested positive for coronavirus and will not play in the Cincinnati Masters.
 
US Open: Serena Williams might feel less pressure without fans - Pam Shriver

Serena Williams' bid to finally land a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title may be boosted by the lack of fans at the US Open, says former world number three Pam Shriver.

Williams, 38, has lost her past four major finals when aiming to tie the record set by Margaret Court in 1973.

She lost the past two US Open finals to Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu.

"Without the crowds there, I wouldn't be surprised if she actually feels a little less pressure," said Shriver.

Williams, ranked ninth in the world, will be among the favourites to win in New York when the first Grand Slam since the start of the coronavirus pandemic takes place from 31 August.

Six of the women's top 10 players, including world number one Ashleigh Barty and reigning champion Andreescu, will not play because of safety and travel concerns.

"I don't think it devalues the tournament," said Shriver, who reached the US Open singles final in 1978 and won five doubles titles at Flushing Meadows.

"Anybody that comes through and wins seven rounds, under the circumstances of living in a quarantine bubble, unable to do your normal thing you usually do at a major, it is going to be an incredible performance."

American great Williams is looking for her first major title since the birth of her daughter, Olympia, in 2017, when she said she nearly died because of a series of complications.

No player has won more than her six US Open titles in the modern era, although edgy performances in the 2018 and 2019 finals have stopped her moving clear of Chris Evert at Flushing Meadows and levelling Australian Court's all-time tally.

Williams called umpire Carlos Ramos a "liar" and a "thief" in an angry outburst during the final against Osaka of Japan two years ago.

Last year, Williams labelled her performance against Canadian teenager Andreescu "inexcusable" as she looked a shadow of the player who had breezed through the previous rounds.

"Serena has felt a lot of emotions at the US Open through the years, hence many a meltdown," said American Shriver, now a television analyst.

"This pandemic has really put a toll on a lot of people and a lot of people in your family, as far as how they're feeling a lot more anxious.

"If you've been through a lot, as Serena has, she might actually feel more comfortable playing under these circumstances than other athletes."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/53814544
 
Marseille v Saint-Etienne: Four Covid-19 cases postpone Ligue 1 opener

The opening match of the 2020-21 French top-flight season has been postponed after four positive coronavirus tests at Marseille.

Marseille were due to host Saint-Etienne on Friday in the first of eight weekend fixtures in Ligue 1.

The 2019-20 campaign was curtailed in April because of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Paris St-Germain, 12 points clear at the top, awarded the title.

Marseille v Saint-Etienne will now be played on either 16 or 17 September.

The French league told clubs last week its protocol for dealing with coronavirus meant more than three positive cases at a club was likely to lead to a postponement.

Marseille's former Aston Villa defender Jordan Amavi tested positive last week, with another three players following in the latest round.

They cancelled a friendly against German side Stuttgart in the wake of Amavi's positive test.

Marseille, who are managed by former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas, finished runners-up to PSG in last season's shortened campaign.

On Friday, France was added to a list of countries from which those arriving in the UK are required to quarantine for two weeks.

France's prime minister, Jean Castex, acknowledged infection numbers were going "the wrong way" in the country.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53817571
 
Kei Nishikori tests positive for coronavirus for second time

Japan's Kei Nishikori has tested positive for coronavirus for a second time, 10 days before the US Open.

The 2014 US Open runner-up, 30, has been in isolation since last weekend and is missing the Cincinnati Masters.

He tested positive for a second time on Friday and will need two negative tests to compete in the Grand Slam.

The US Open in New York starts on August 31 and America's public health authority states that those who test positive must isolate for 10 days.

Nishikori, 30, will quarantine in Florida but, should he fail to record two negative tests, he will have to remain in isolation until 1 September, after the US Open starts.

"Just a little update, I just took another Covid test and am still positive," said Nishikori. "I have very minimal symptoms and am staying in full isolation.

"Next test will be early next week, at which time we will update you with more information."

US Open men's champion Rafael Nadal, women's champion Bianca Andreescu, women's world numbers one and two Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep and Australian Nick Kyrgios are among the names to have withdrawn from the US Open.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/53873450
 
Fans to return for Brighton-Chelsea friendly as government approves pilot events

Fans will return to a football stadium in England for the first time following the coronavirus lockdown when Brighton host Chelsea in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, after the government approved a raft of pilot events.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) confirmed on Wednesday a raft of new events where spectators would be admitted on a socially-distanced basis, following the ban on mass gatherings introduced in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The pilot events will also include a Premiership rugby fixture, three horse racing meetings, and cricket fixtures in the Bob Willis Trophy and T20 Blast.

"I know fans and their teams can't wait to be reunited in stadia across the country but it's imperative we take a cautious and phased approach to get fans back in safely," DCMS secretary of state Oliver Dowden said.

"I'm pleased that infection rates have levelled off enough to resume the pilot programme and we will continue to work intensively with sports, medical and health and safety experts towards welcoming more fans back as fast as we can."

Brighton announced that season-ticket holders and some club members will be able to purchase a total of 2,500 tickets for the match at the Amex Stadium, where several measures will be introduced to fulfil government guidelines.

Fans will have to wear face masks upon entering the stadium, but will be allowed to remove them once they are in their seat, or for eating and drinking purposes.

Supporters are to socially distance, and will be instructed to remain in the seat they are allocated to ensure a low risk of transmission.

Stewards will also be permitted to carry out random temperature checks on supporters whose details will be stored in line with the government's track and trace system.

The new phase of the testing programme began with the World Snooker Championship final in Sheffield on August 15.

A women's pre-season friendly match between Lewes and London Bees will also be held in front of spectators on August 30, while in the men's game, the FA Vase and FA Trophy finals at Wembley on September 20 will be played in front of a reduced crowd.

Harlequins' Premiership rugby match against Bath at The Stoop on Sepember 5 will allow fans in reduced numbers too.

There will also be pilot events for basketball in Newcastle, and speedway in Ipswich.

https://www.skysports.com/football/...-friendly-as-government-approves-pilot-events
 
Colombia football league to restart in September

Colombia's top football league will restart play in September, sports minister Ernesto Lucena said on Friday, though games will take place without spectators.

The league was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Today the good news for Colombia is that the third week of September at the latest we'll have football," Lucena said during President Ivan Duque's nightly TV broadcast. "It will be closed door - we've said that from the beginning - there will not be capacity for the public."
 
Three Paris St-Germain players have tested positive for coronavirus, the Ligue 1 club said on Wednesday.

The French champions, who lost in the Champions League final last month, have not revealed the players involved.

"All of the players and coaching staff will continue to undergo tests in the coming days," a club statement said.

The French league is already under way but PSG are due to start their title defence at Racing Lens on 10 September after being given an extended break.

The opening game of the Ligue 1 season between Marseille and Saint-Etienne had to be postponed last month after four home players tested positive for Covid-19.

The French league told clubs last week its protocol for dealing with coronavirus meant more than three positive cases at a club was likely to lead to a postponement.

The 2019-20 campaign was curtailed in April because of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Paris St-Germain, 12 points clear at the top, awarded the title.
 
This year's London Marathon will take place on a closed-loop circuit around St James's Park on 4 October.

The event, moved from April because of the coronavirus pandemic, is restricted to elite athletes, who will be in a bio-secure bubble during race week.

The finish line will be in its traditional place on The Mall, with no spectator access to the course.

"We are confident we have created the safest environment for everyone," said event director Hugh Brasher.
 
Three more Paris Saint-Germain players have tested positive for coronavirus, days after three initial cases were confirmed
 
Coronavirus pandemic to cost football $14bn this year, says FIFA

FIFA has put the cost of the coronavirus pandemic on football around the world at $14bn in lost revenue.

That figure accounts for about a third of the game's global economic value with the club and national game worth about $46bn worldwide.

The pandemic has already led to more than 150 football associations seeking financial help from the $1.5bn emergency relief fund set up by football's governing body.
 
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