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COVID-19: Major League Soccer Cancels All-Star Game, Leagues Cup And Campeones Cup

The 2021 All-Star Game is expected to feature the same format and take place at same venue. © AFP Major League Soccer (MLS) on Tuesday announced the cancellation of this year's MLS All-Star Game, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup due to the coronavirus pandemic. The league, in a statement, said that the decisions were taken in order to provide as many available dates as possible for the remainder of the MLS season, which has been suspended since March 12 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 MLS All-Star game was scheduled to take place in Los Angeles at Banc of California Stadium and for the first time feature a matchup between the best of MLS and Liga MX.The 2021 All-Star Game is expected to feature the same format and take place at the same venue."Both MLS and Liga MX took the decision to cancel the second annual Leagues Cup, with a plan to resume the competition next year. The same decision was taken for the Campeones Cup, a matchup between the MLS Cup winners and the Liga MX Campeon de Campeones winners that this year was set to be hosted by Seattle Sounders FC on August 12. Campeones Cup will return in 2021," the statement read. Topics mentioned in this article Football Read the full article

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Coronavirus: Premier League Does Not Yet Have "Green Light", Minister Warns

Clubs are understood to have been told that the use of a limited number of neutral venues is the only way to complete the campaign, to limit the strain on essential services and discourage gatherings of supporters near stadiums.But those at risk of relegation argue that the integrity of the competition would be compromised by the neutral-venue plan.Brighton chief executive Paul Barber is opposed to the idea, with the Seagulls hovering two points above the drop zone. Brighton were scheduled to play five of their remaining nine games at home.Despite extensive contingency planning, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden warned the Premier League was yet to get the go-ahead, with testing and player welfare major hurdles."They've not been given the green light," Dowden told BBC Radio on Friday."If we can get a plan that works then I'd like us to be able to go ahead with it because I think it would be good for the nation, it would be good for football as a whole."I'm really hopeful we can get this up and running but public safety must come first so it's only if we're confident of that, we'll be able to proceed."In Germany, the Bundesliga announced this week that it would resume matches on May 16, behind closed doors and subject to extensive coronavirus testing.Dowden's comments came as The Times newspaper reported that Football Association chiefs would block any attempt to declare the Premier League season null and void and abandon relegation.Relegation scrapped?At least one club reportedly wants relegation to be scrapped if neutral grounds are used.But The Times said it was understood that the FA board supported the Premier League board's position that the league table should be decided on sporting merit even if it were cut short.Burnley captain Ben Mee, whose side are 10th in the table, said he believed footballers could "get over" playing at neutral venues if it meant the game could be re-started."It's not ideal but these times, they call for different measures," Mee told the BBC. "We can certainly get over that fact."And he said players would be prepared to spend time in quarantine if necessary."I think football is such an important part of our country, whether you like it or not, and people rely on it," he said. "And if we can give that positive boost to the country, then that would be fantastic."Former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand said there was no viable resolution that would satisfy all 20 clubs."People are going to feel at a disadvantage if certain decisions are made but I don't think the Premier League can have a wholehearted 100 percent win on this no matter what decision they make, which is unfortunate," he told the Press Association.Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and Brighton's Glenn Murray have raised objections from a safety point of view but Ferdinand said they should put their faith in the authorities."The Premier League, the FA and the government, if all of those three bodies give it the green light then I'm sure the players' protection, health and well-being will be at the top of their agenda to make sure they remain healthy and not at risk," he said. Read the full article

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Rishi Kapoor Death: Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma Mourn Legendary Actor

"This is unreal and unbelievable. Yesterday Irrfan Khan and today Rishi Kapoor ji. It's hard to accept this as a legend passes away today. My condolences to the family and may his soul rest in peace," Kohli tweeted."I'm at an absolute & total loss for words.Holding this phone in disbelief. Yesterday Irrfan and now .... Gutted , sad , heartbroken .I truly believed you'll come out of this .You will be missed , Sir . RIP . Om Shanti," Anushka tweeted."Very very sad to hear about the passing away of Rishi ji. I grew up watching his movies and he was always very gracious when we met over the years. May his soul Rest in Peace," Tendulkar tweeted. "My heartfelt condolences to Neetu ji, Ranbir and the whole Kapoor family," he added."It's shocking to hear about the sudden demise of #RishiKapoor ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace," Shikhar Dhawan tweeted."Deeply saddened by the demise of #RishiKapoor ji, just as we are all coming to terms with the passing away of #IrfanKhan . Truly bad times these," Ravichandran Ashwin wrote on the microblogging site."What an absolutely heartbreaking news to wake up to. I'm at a loss of words, rest in peace #RishiKapoor ji," tweeted former India batsman Mohammad Kaif. This is unreal and unbelievable. Yesterday Irrfan Khan and today Rishi Kapoor ji. It's hard to accept this as a legend passes away today. My condolences to the family and may his soul rest in peace — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) April 30, 2020 I'm at an absolute & total loss for words.Holding this phone in disbelief. Yesterday Irrfan and now .... Gutted , sad , heartbroken .I truly believed you'll come out of this .You will be missed , Sir . RIP . Om Shanti. — Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) April 30, 2020 Very very sad to hear about the passing away of Rishi ji. I grew up watching his movies and he was always very gracious when we met over the years. May his soul Rest in Peace.My heartfelt condolences to Neetu ji, Ranbir and the whole Kapoor family. pic.twitter.com/MItdmmSnVz — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 30, 2020 It's shocking to hear about the sudden demise of #RishiKapoor ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace pic.twitter.com/pAfOGhdzm0 — Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) April 30, 2020 Deeply saddened by the demise of #RishiKapoor ji, just as we are all coming to terms with the passing away of #IrfanKhan . Truly bad times these. — lets stay indoors India (@ashwinravi99) April 30, 2020Rishi Kapoor, beloved star of films such as 'Bobby' and 'Chandni', fought a long battle with cancer and had spent much of last year in New York being treated. A statement from the Kapoor family said that the actor "remained jovial" and "kept doctors entertained till the end. Read the full article

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Smash Hit Michael Jordan Documentary Fills TV Void For NBA Fans

In all, 6.1 million people watched the opening episodes in the United States, making the Michael Jordan documentary Twitter's top trending topic and ESPN's most watched original program since the network began producing such shows 16 years ago. An average of 5.9 million viewers watched the latest episodes aired in the US on Sunday."The Last Dance" mixes previously unaired behind-the-scenes footage taken by a special camera crew with the Bulls during their 1997-98 NBA championship run with the retelling of Jordan's amazing story from his youthful days to Chicago's amazing dynasty run of six 1990s NBA titles.The project was set to be broadcast in June when the NBA Finals were scheduled, but when sports programs were wiped out due to the global virus pandemic, ESPN advanced the release date.The Jordan documentary's blockbuster success looks likely to spark similar projects.Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar who died in a January helicopter crash, had a personal camera crew follow him around during his final NBA season, ESPN reported last week, hinting that behind-the-scenes footage could become part of a Bryant documentary.Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, scored 60 points in his final NBA game in 2016, which capped the worst season in Lakers history at 17-65.Dwyane Wade, a member of the 2008 US Olympic "Redeem Team" that won Beijing gold after a 2004 bronze at Athens, says he is already executive producing a documentary about that collection of NBA talent.A lingering hatredESPN has aired discussion shows about the documentary after telecasts, with Sunday's episodes about Jordan's lingering hatred of the Detroit Pistons leading to Monday interviews with former Detroit star Isiah Thomas, notably about the Pistons snubbing the Bulls for post-game handshakes when Chicago swept the defending champions out of the 1991 playoffs."I hated them," Jordan said in the fourth chapter of the documentary. "And that hate carries even to this day."Thomas was not selected as a member of the 1992 Barcelona US Olympic gold medal "Dream Team" -- an NBA all-star lineup that featured Jordan -- and Thomas said Monday on ESPN that he hoped the handshake snub wasn't the reason why he didn't make the historic lineup."If I'm not part of the Dream Team for that lapse of emotion, for not shaking somebody's hand, then I'm more disappointed today than I was back then when I wasn't selected," Thomas said."I paid a heavy price. If that moment meant I'm not selected to be on the Dream Team because of that moment, that's hurtful. That cuts deep." Read the full article

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South Korea Women's Golf Resumption Draws World Top-10 Players: Report

Professional women's golf will resume in South Korea next month after a coronavirus hiatus, with a report Tuesday saying two of the world's top 10 would seize the chance to return to competition. South Korea dominates the women's game globally, with its best players gravitating towards the lucrative US-based LPGA tour, where they occupy three of the top six ranking spots and eight of the top 20. But sport events around the world have been put on hold as the novel coronavirus has swept the globe with total cases nearing 2.5 million.South Korea once had the largest confirmed cases outside China but appears to have brought the outbreak under control with a huge "trace, test and treat" strategy.And government officials have said that outdoor sports events will now be allowed, with restrictions.The Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Championship is scheduled to be played over four days from May 14 in Yangju, east of Seoul.World number six Kim Sei-young and 10th-ranked Lee Jeong-eun will be part of the 144-strong field, Yonhap news agency reported.The tournament prize fund totals 2.3 billion won (US$1.8 million) with 160 million won for the winner.KLPGA officials were still discussing whether spectators would be allowed on the course, a representative told AFP, declining to confirm Kim or Lee's participation.The organisers "put the utmost priority on the safety of athletes and fans" and the details of the event will depend on the course of the outbreak, the KLPGA said in a statement.South Korea reported nine new cases on Monday -- its fourth consecutive day of less than 20 new infections -- taking the national total to 10,683. Read the full article

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Coronavirus: Novak Djokovic "Personally Against Vaccination" If Made Compulsory For Tennis Players

Novak Djokovic has said he would be against a compulsory coronavirus vaccination if it became a requirement for tennis players to travel to tournaments. "Personally I'm against vaccination. I wouldn't like that someone forces me to get a vaccine in order to be able to travel," the world number one said late on Sunday. The Serbian star was speaking from Spain, where he is in lockdown with his family, in a video conference held on his Facebook for Orthodox Easter. "We (players) will have to travel. I think it will be the number one challenge," the 32-year said."If it (vaccination) will become compulsory what will happen? I will have to take a decision," on whether to get a vaccine or not, he said."This is my opinion at the moment. Whether it will change I don't know."There is currently no vaccine for the virus that has claimed some 165,000 lives around the globe, though labs around the world are racing to develop a treatment. Like the rest of the sporting world, tennis has been on pause since early March, with the ATP and WTA Tours suspended until mid-July at the earliest and Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II.Djokovic estimated tournaments would not restart "before September or October"."The season will officially restart when everyone will be 100 percent certain that people can return, that there is no risk, that people are resistant to the virus and this takes time."Tournaments with travel limited to one country or a region could be possible, he said. Read the full article

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Coronavirus: Yuvraj Singh Contributes Rs 50 Lakh In Fight Against COVID-19 Pandemic

Singh took to Twitter to write: "We are stronger when we stand united. I will be lighting a candle tonight at 9 pm for 9 minutes. Are you with me? On this great day of solidarity, I pledge Rs 50 lakhs to the #PMCaresFunds. Please do your bit too! @narendramodi #9pm9minutes #IndiaFightsCorona." We are stronger when we stand united.I will be lighting a candle tonight at 9pm for 9 minutes. Are you with me?On this great day of solidarity, I pledge Rs. 50 Lakhs to the #PMCaresFunds. Please do your bit too!@narendramodi#9pm9minutes #IndiaFightsCorona — yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) April 5, 2020 After the establishment of the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund by Prime Minister Modi, several athletes have come forward to contribute and help the country combat COVID-19.In a video message, Prime Minister Modi on Friday asked citizens to turn all lights off in their houses at 9 pm on Sunday (April 5) and stand at their doors or windows with a candle, diya and torch for 9 minutes to show solidarity with each other in the battle against the COVID-19.This is in follow up to the ''Taali, Thali'' event held on March 22, the day when ''Janata curfew'' was observed throughout the country. PM Modi had reminded the people to be on their terrace and balconies and clap to express their gratitude for all those who were ''working 24/7'' to fight the COVID-19.The total number of COVID-19 positive cases rose to 3,374 in India on Sunday, as per the data provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Out of these cases, 3030 are active cases, 267 have been cured or discharged, while 77 deaths have been reported so far in the country. Read the full article

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"Chalo Dinner Time": Anushka Sharma Hilariously Gatecrashes Virat Kohli-Kevin Pietersen Live Chat

Virat Kohli and Kevin Pietersen had a freewheeling chat on 'Instagram Live' where they spoke about a range of topics. From the ongoing coronavirus pandemic to Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) failure to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) title, the star duo's candid chat was a big hit on social media. However, Virat Kohli's wife, Anushka Sharma, hilariously brought it to a grinding halt with her comment during the live chat. The Bollywood star wrote, "Chalo chalo dinner time".Kevin Pietersen posted a screenshot of Anushka's comment with an even funnier caption."When the BOSS said time was up, time was up! @anushkasharma @virat.kohli Hope you all enjoyed that? Just two dudes hanging out...," wrote the England superstar. Pietersen and Kohli began the much-anticipated chat by discussing the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. "We managed to get away to a farm just before the lockdown. There is some space here. It is heart-breaking to see. People are having a tough time," Kohli said.“We have never been in one place for so long. It's bizarre. It's not a good thing to single out something like this as an opportunity to spend time together. But it is what it is. We are being cautious and staying positive. If not for this, I'd be hanging out with you at Chinnaswamy Stadium," Kohli added.Pietersen then asked Kohli where he got his nickname "Chiku" from and the Indian captain said," I got this nickname from a coach in the Ranji Trophy. I used to have big cheeks then. In 2007 I thought I was losing hair. I got my hair cropped and my cheeks and ears stood out. I got the name from a cartoon character. The rabbit in the comic book Champak."Interestingly, Kohli revealed that it was MS Dhoni who made his nickname famous by shouting it out at all times from behind the stumps.Kohli also went on to reveal that the lowest point in his career came in 2014 during the England tour.In the end, Kohli answered some questions from the fans on social media and picked Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi because of work ethic and drive. Read the full article

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Coronavirus: F1 Team Mercedes To Manufacture Breathing Aid For Patients

Medical researchers and engineers have teamed up with Formula One outfit Mercedes to adapt a breathing aid for mass production that could keep coronavirus patients off much-needed ventilators. University College London said UK regulators had approved its adaptation of the continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP), which helps patients with breathing difficulties. A version of the equipment, which increases air and oxygen flow into the lungs, has already been used in hospitals in Italy and China to help COVID-19 patients with serious lung infections.Teams at UCL and Mercedes have reverse-engineered the device and say they can make them quickly "by the thousands" and provide hospitals across Britain, as pressure builds due to more confirmed cases.Reports from Italy indicated about 50 percent of patients given CPAP did not need mechanical ventilation, which requires sedation and a tube placed into the patient's windpipe, UCL said.Clinical trials with 100 of the machines are to be carried out at University College London Hospital, it added in a statement on Sunday."These devices will help save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the severely ill," said UCLH critical care consultant Mervyn Singer."While they will be tested at UCLH first, we hope they will make a real difference to hospitals across the UK by reducing demand on intensive care staff and beds, as well as helping patients recover without the need for more invasive ventilation."Britain's state-run National Health Service currently has some 8,000 ventilators and the government has ordered 8,000 more. But there is concern there will be a shortage as the virus peaks.Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put his government on a war footing, appealing to major manufacturers and industry to repurpose their production, including for medical devices.Tim Baker, from UCL's mechanical engineering department, said the process took days instead of years and improvements were made to the devices using computer simulations to help mass production.UK-based Formula One teams and their technology partners have been involved in a variety of schemes to meet medical needs in a partnership called "Project Pitlane".With the season suspended due to the outbreak, they say they are well-placed to help because of their engineers' expertise in rapid design, making prototypes, testing and assembly.Andy Cowell, managing director of Mercedes-AMG High-Performance Powertrains, said: "We have been proud to put our resources at the service of UCL to deliver the CPAP project to the highest standards and in the fastest possible timeframe." Read the full article

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Natasa Stankovic Posts Loved-Up Picture With Hardik Pandya, Urges Fans To "Stay Home, Stay Safe"

Hardik Pandya and his fiancee Natasa Stankovic took to Instagram to request their fans to stay at home during the ongoing nationwide lockdown to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus pandemic. Actress Natasa Stankovic posted a loved-up picture with Hardik Pandya on Instagram, urging fans to "stay home and stay safe" with two trending hashtags. All-rounder Hardik Pandya responded with a red heart emoji, while his India teammate KL Rahul joined in with a red heart emoji in the comments section. On the new year's day, Pandya had announced his engagement with Serbian actress Stankovic on social media.Pandya had shared the news with a few pictures and a video on Instagram, saying: "Mai tera, Tu meri jaane, saara Hindustan. 01.01.2020 #engaged." The cricketer-actor pair never fails to charm their fans with lovable pictures and wishes for each other on social media.The nation went into a complete lockdown for 21 days, starting on Wednesday, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the preventive step to stop the spreading of the deadly COVID-19.Many cricketers and other athletes from across the country extended their support to the lockdown, urging their fans to stay at home amid the coronavirus crisis.On Wednesday, Team India captain Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma requested their fans to stay at home during the lockdown in a video message on Twitter."These are testing times and we need to wake up to the seriousness of this situation. Please let us all follow what's been told to us and stand united, please. It's a plea to everyone," Kohli captioned the 51-second-long video. These are testing times and we need to wake up to the seriousness of this situation. Please let us all follow what's been told to us and stand united please. It's a plea to everyone pic.twitter.com/75dDlzT6tX — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) March 25, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has brought the world sports to a grinding halt. India's three-match One-day International home series against South Africa was called off amid the COVID-19 scare.The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been postponed until April 15 due to the deadly virus. Read the full article

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Coronavirus: India's Olympic Bound Athletes Welcome Tokyo Games Postponement

"I think this was a welcome decision for us athletes in the circumstances and not something that came as a surprise. While we were looking forward to Tokyo2020, the environment wouldn't have been appropriate for the event to be celebrated the way it should be," the Commonwealth and Asian Games champion said in a statement."I would say we should look at this positively as it would allow us a year more to plan and train for the Olympics, which is the biggest sporting event for many athletes."There will be some impact on preparations over the next few months till the situation is brought under control, but that is something that all athletes are facing equally," he added.Two-time Olympian boxer Vikas Krishan Yadav (69kg), who is also an Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold-medallist, also felt the same.Yadav has returned to amateur boxing after an unbeaten stint in the pro circuit."At the end of the day, humanity has to trump sport, so I'm happy that the decision was made to postpone the Olympics amidst the coronavirus situation," he said referring to the outbreak which has claimed close to 19,000 deaths the world over."Obviously, the postponement will affect our preparation, but I think the extra time can help me prepare even better for my goal to win an Olympic Gold for India," he addedOn Tuesday several top Indian athletes such as MC Mary Kom and Saina Nehwal had welcomed the move and lauded the International Olympic Committee for prioritising athletes' health and well-being.The Olympics was scheduled from July 24 to August 9 this year.The IOC took the decision after its head Thomas Bach spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over a telephone call. Before this, Canada and Australia had announced pullouts if the showpiece went ahead as originally scheduled.  Read the full article

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Chinese Footballer Wu Lei Diagnosed With Coronavirus In Spain

Wu Lei moved to Espanyol from Shanghai SIPG in January last year. © AFP Chinese football star Wu Lei, who plays for Espanyol in Spain, has been diagnosed with the coronavirus, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) said on Saturday. "Wu Lei has mild symptoms and is currently undergoing treatment," the CFA said in a statement, adding that they had been given the news by La Liga strugglers Espanyol. "The Chinese Football Association has maintained close communication with Wu Lei and the club, and will provide all necessary assistance as appropriate. We wish Wu Lei a speedy recovery."The 28-year-old striker, China's best-known player, is in self-isolation at home in Barcelona, Xinhua news agency said.Wu is the only Chinese playing in one of Europe's five top leagues, having moved to Espanyol from Shanghai SIPG in January last year.The coronavirus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and has since turned into a pandemic that has killed thousands around the world. Topics mentioned in this article Football Read the full article

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WADA issues dope testing guidelines amid coronavirus pandemic - other sports

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued new guidelines on Friday to facilitate continued testing amid the constraints of the coronavirus pandemic.Noting that the spread of COVID-19 had evolved into “an even greater health and societal emergency” since its March 6 communique, WADA urged Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) to act in accordance with restrictions placed by local health authorities “to ensure proper protection of athletes and doping control personnel, while protecting the integrity of doping control programs, particularly in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.”WADA’s latest guidelines advise anti-doping organizations to make sure that sample collectors are free from any symptoms of illness.Collectors should also ask athletes if they have any symptoms or if they or anyone at the collection site are in the groups thought to be at heightened risk from COVID-19.If test collection personnel are found to have contracted the virus, athletes they tested should be informed and vice versa, WADA said.Protective wear such as masks should be used and work surfaces disinfected, and if local conditions limit what testing can occur then ADOs should “consider focusing their testing program on targeted athletes from high risk sports and disciplines,” WADA said.In locations where testing programs can’t continue, WADA said, it and other anti-doping organizations and sports federations will work together “once the situation begins to return to normal” to identify gaps in testing “particularly as it relates to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.”WADA said anti-doping organizations should continue to obtain information on whereabouts of athletes normally gathered to facilitate out-of-competition testing.Athletes are still responsible for obtaining therapeutic use exemptions and “should be reminded that they can still be tested at any place, any time,” WADA said.With some WADA accredited laboratories already closed and others likely to follow suit, WADA said testing organizations should contact the Montreal-based organization for information on what labs might be able to receive samples.“While there are no plans to change existing requirements under the World Anti-Doping Program, WADA fully acknowledges the complexities of this unprecedented situation and will ensure its compliance monitoring program provides a level of flexibility and understanding based on the circumstances,” WADA said. Read the full article

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Coronavirus: ATP, WTA Seasons Suspended Until June 7

The ATP and WTA tennis competitions have extended the suspension of their seasons until June 7 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the two tour organisers announced on Wednesday. "The professional tennis season is now suspended through 7 June 2020, including the ATP Challenger Tour and ITF (International Tennis Federation) World Tennis Tour," the ATP and WTA said in a joint statement. At this time, tournaments taking place from 8 June 2020 onwards are still planning to go ahead as per the published schedule."The announcement temporarily shuts down the men's and women's European clay court season a day after the French Open was pushed back to September.It also further pushes back the restart to the tennis season as both tours were already shut down, with the ATP last week originally halting proceedings until April 27 and the WTA announcing no play until May 2 on Monday."In these challenging times, it is more important than ever for our sport to pull together to provide as much certainty as possible to all those affected by these postponements," said ITF president David Haggerty."We recognise the huge impact this will have, but ultimately the health and safety of players, officials and spectators has to be our primary concern."Events affected by the shut down include the combined ATP/WTA tournaments in Madrid and Rome, the WTA events in Strasbourg and Rabat and ATP events in Munich, Estoril, Geneva and Lyon. Read the full article

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Coronavirus: India Open In Doubt After Delhi Government Bans All Sports Activities

Delhi government's decision to ban all sports activities due to the novel coronavirus pandemic has raised fresh doubts over the fate of India Open badminton, a crucial event in the Tokyo Olympics qualification cycle. The USD 400,000 Super 500 event was supposed to be held without any spectators to avoid spreading the deadly disease. "We will go by what the government decides. It is not in our hand. We have to follow the government's decisions. Currently there is no clarity on the visa process of the foreign players and on top of it now the Delhi govt has come up with this directive," a Badminton Association of India (BAI) official told PTI.The BAI and the Badminton World Federation (BWF) had issued a joint statement on Wednesday, informing that the event will be held inside closed doors due to the coronavirus outbreak.However, the government on Wednesday night issued a revised travel advisory, suspending all existing visas, except diplomatic and employment, till April 15.The Sports ministry on Thursday asked all national federations, including the cricket board, to follow the Health Ministry's advisory and avoid large gatherings in sports events.Given the circumstances, the BAI has sought clarity from the sports, health and external affairs ministries regarding the visa process of the foreign players.The federation has sent a letter to the respective ministries, attaching the names of the foreign players who were supposed to travel for the India Open."We have provided the details of the foreign players who were supposed to come for the India Open. We are waiting for a response," the official said."It is a difficult situation for us as well. A decision has to be made at the earliest. Being hosts we have to continue with the preparation."The COVID-19 outbreak, which has claimed close to 5,000 lives and infected more than 100,000 people globally, has forced the postponement of four Olympic qualifying badminton events so far -- Lingshui China Masters (February 25 to March 1), Vietnam International Challenge (24-29 March 24-29), German Open (March 3 to 8) and Polish Open (March 26-29). Earlier, the shooting World Cup and the Indian Open golf tournament were postponed in Delhi. Read the full article

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Australia F1 rules out fan ban in wake of Bahrain GP move - other sports

Australian Formula One chiefs Monday ruled out any chance of the opening grand prix of the year following the lead of Bahrain and barring spectators because of the coronavirus.On Sunday it was announced that the season’s second race in Bahrain would go ahead without fans in a bid to prevent a spread of the deadly virus that has forced a growing number of sports events to be cancelled, postponed or played behind closed doors.But Australian Grand Prix Corporation boss Andrew Westacott said that won’t be happening in Melbourne.“Not at all,” he told Melbourne radio station SEN when asked if barring fans was being considered.“When you look at 86,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last night, and the footy the week after, we’ve got to go around things sensibly and keep moving on through life while taking the necessary precautions.” A world record crowd of 86,174 for a women’s cricket game crammed the MCG on Sunday evening to see Australia beat India in the Twenty20 World Cup final.Big crowds are also expected for the start of the Australian Football League season later this month, despite the number of coronavirus cases rising to 93 on Monday.Most Formula One teams are already in Australia or en route, including powerhouse Ferrari and Alpha Tauri from their bases in Italy, where swathes of the country are now in lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.There were fears that the Australian government could bar travel from Italy, which would have prevented staff from the two teams being at the grand prix.But it has yet to do so with travellers from Italy still granted entry with more stringent health checks.“The interesting thing is the Italian freight. The Alpha Tauri cars and the Ferrari cars are on their way from Melbourne (airport) as we speak, so it’s really good. The key personnel are on their planes,” said Westacott.He said the only Ferrari people not arriving from Italy were drivers Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, who were heading from Switzerland and France respectively.“All the others are on their way, and we’re expecting (them) in the next 12 to 24 hours.” Westacott added that ticket sales were “very strong” with more than 300,000 fans usually flocking to Albert Park.Victoria state Health Minister Jenny Mikakos told media the fact there had been no reported cases of community transmission of the virus meant the race could go ahead.“At this point in time our advice around the grand prix and other public mass gathering events remains unchanged,” she said. Read the full article