#3GAstro

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England vs West Indies: Ben Stokes Becomes Second-Fastest All-Rounder To Test Double Of 4,000 runs And 150 Wickets

Ben Stokes picked up four wickets on Day three of the Test at Southampton.© Twitter England's stand-in skipper Ben Stokes on Friday became the second-fastest all-rounder to reach the Test double of 4,000 runs and 150 wickets. He achieved the feat during the third day of the first Test match between England and West Indies at the Ageas Bowl. With the dismissal of Alzarri Joseph, Stokes joined former England all-rounder Ian Botham and four other greats of the game in the club of 4,000 Test runs and 150-plus wickets. He finished with the figures of 4-49 in his 14 overs including five maiden overs. The 29-year-old all-rounder reached the milestone in 64 games. Only former West Indies great Gary Sobers is ahead of him, who achieved the feat in 63 Tests.Apart from Sobers and Stokes, former South African cricketer Jacques Kallis, India's Kapil Dev and ex-New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori are also on the list.Earlier in the first innings, Stokes played a knock of 43 runs, the highest for his side, and guided them to 204 runs.PromotedWest Indies were wrapped up for 318, taking a 114-run lead.England will resume their play from 15/0 on day four with Rory Burns and Dom Sibley unbeaten on 10 and 5 runs respectively. Topics mentioned in this article Read the full article

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Coronavirus: BWF Pushes Back Thomas And Uber Cup Finals Again, To Be Held From October 3-11

On Wednesday, the BWF postponed the tournament once again saying it's not possible to hold the event before September."Following the Danish Government's decision on 6 April to extend a ban on "larger gatherings" in Denmark until the end of August, both parties agreed that it was no longer feasible to stage the championships on the rescheduled dates of 15-23 August," the BWF said in a statement."BWF in consultation and consensus with Badminton Denmark, tournament organisers, Sport Event Denmark and the local Aarhus government concluded that a move to October was the best solution."BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund said: "Our main priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of athletes, staff, volunteers, judges and the entire badminton community. We listened to the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO), various health experts, local authorities and the Danish Government and it became clear that hosting a big event like the TOTAL BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals before September would be difficult.""We are confident that we can stage a safe and successful championships on the new dates of 3-11 October while all the time monitoring the situation closely should things change again."Badminton Denmark CEO Bo Jensen added: "It is sad for us to change the dates again. However, our immediate concern is with the safety of all involved in this very uncertain time.""It's still an achievement for us to be the first country outside of Asia to host the TOTAL BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals and we are looking forward to welcoming fans, players, volunteers, officials and staff in the safest way possible."The BWF said possible solutions are being worked for its Annual General Meeting and Members' Forum.Both events are key highlights on the BWF calendar and were due to take place in Aarhus during the week of the TOTAL BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2020.The BWF had cancelled or suspended several tournaments post the All England Championships (March 11-15) due to the pandemic.  Read the full article

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Coronavirus: Norwich City Defend Decision To Furlough Staff

Premier League strugglers Norwich City have defended their decision to use the British government's furlough scheme for 200 non-playing staff after the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. With vast swathes of British industry shut down because of the coronavirus, the UK government launched a scheme that sees 80 percent of wages up to a maximum of 2,500 pounds ($3,000) a month guaranteed during the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. Norwich, who were bottom when the campaign was suspended, and Newcastle are the only Premier League clubs currently using the job retention scheme.Bournemouth, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur performed U-turns due to a vocal backlash after initially announcing they too would take advantage of the scheme.Norwich say the suspension of football will cost them between 18 million pounds and 35 million pounds."The decision we made was in the best interests of the club and its staff," chief operating officer Ben Kensell told BBC Radio Norfolk."We've been very transparent that we're run in a self-financed manner."We generate a turnover of 123m - 93 million pounds of that is broadcast, and we've spent 125 million pounds this year - and that's how we run the club,"Ultimately, if we had the available cashflow to not have to take up schemes then, like other football clubs have, we would."The Canaries hope to make 2.5 million pounds of savings and have agreed with British tax authorities to delay 18 million pounds of repayments.Norwich players have not followed the lead of fellow professionals at Watford, Sheffield United, Southampton or West Ham in agreeing to wage deferrals or taking a pay cut as most of the Arsenal squad have agreed to.However, the players, head coach Daniel Farke, the executive committee and directors have donated more than 200,000 pounds towards local initiatives.Kensell said furloughing staff now could hopefully prevent the much more traumatic step of making people redundant once some form of normality returns."The difference is we're running it as a business and we're running it the best way we believe will help it for the future," said Kensell."It's also about our staff. What we don't want is a raft of redundancies."We knew we'd get criticised as a result of it; what we're not going to do is take a different view on that. We'll stick to our guns and we believe we are doing it for the right reasons."We've got the best owners (Delia Smith and her husband Michael Wynn-Jones) in football -- that's a fact. We haven't got the richest owners but we like to think we're doing things the right way." 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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Glenn McGrath Picks Pat Cummins As The Most Complete Bowler Of Current Generation 

Australia's Pat Cummins is the most complete pacer among the current crop, says the legendary Glenn McGrath, who feels bowlers, in general, are "better blokes" and more hardworking than batsmen. McGrath was answering 25 rapid-fire questions from 'ESPNCricinfo' on a range of subjects, including who he would like to see as himself in a biopic. Asked to name the most complete bowler in world cricket now, McGrath replied: "Pat Cummins. I like the way he goes by." Cummins is currently no.1 in ICC Test rankings and occupies the fourth spot in the ODI list.One of the best fast bowlers through the '90s till late 2000s, McGrath also addressed the big debate of his era -- who was harder to bowl at, Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara? "Tough," he said when asked to pick between the two icons."I would go with Lara just (a bit) from my experience. The hat-trick wish-list would be Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid."Asked if there was any delivery which was missing from his armoury, he cheekily replied: "the 100miles per hour delivery."According to him, the bowlers work a lot harder than batsmen."Fast bowlers are better blokes, work harder and batsmen expect everything," he opined.Asked if he would indulge in 'Mankading' a batsman in a World Cup final where he has to get the last wicket but with only two runs to defend, the legendary pacer said he would never do it.He also feels that after watching Jim Carrey's performance in 'Dumb and Dumber', he would like the iconic funny-man to play his role if a biopic is ever made on him. "Brad Pitt or Hugh Jackman," are his other choices.Not known to be an extravagant dresser, McGrath said he nonetheless likes wearing outfits by Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee.Away from cricket, the sporting legends that he has felt privileged to meet include Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt, tennis icon Roger Federer and five-time Olympic champion rower Steve Redgrave. Read the full article

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Can Only Battle Coronavirus By Staying Indoors: Cheteshwar Pujara

"Most of us are following the government guidelines on lockdown but there are still some who are taking the virus casually. They don't realise that they could too be affected."Every single person is a soldier at the moment. If you stay indoors, you are fighting the battle for your own country. There has to be a collective effort else we can't win this," said India's Test batting mainstay.After helping Saurashtra win their maiden Ranji Trophy title last month, little did he know that he would be spending all his time at home.Pujara is enjoying the "forced" break and most of his time goes into entertaining his two-year-old daughter.The closest he has got to a "hit in the nets" is by playing with a plastic bat."That is also for entertaining my daughter. No serious stuff. All of that can wait at the moment," he said.But a gym at home means he is not compromising on his fitness."I usually take everything in a positive way. Sometimes you need to take a break as a sportsperson and there can't be a better time. We just won the Ranji and it is the right time to take three to four weeks off."Luckily I have a gym at home. Being a small town guy, I can't go out to the gym and train there (because he will be mobbed). With gym at home, I can still do my strength sessions, cycling and running. I also do yoga which helps a lot," said Pujara.He was supposed to play county cricket in the UK but that too has been postponed at least till May 28 and faces cancellation.Considering the current circumstances, Pujara might have to wait till the Australia tour starting November to play his first competitive game since the Ranji Trophy final.But he is prepared for any eventuality."I would still have some first-class games before the Australia tour. I am prepared for anything. This is the time when we can't just be thinking about sporting events. First, we have to win this battle against coronavirus," he said."A person's life is much more important than a sporting event. All the sporting events (including Olympics) have been postponed. One has to be prepared as we are going through rare times."We just need to make sure the virus is contained and things get back to normal. After that we can talk about the game."Pujara has fond memories of the previous Australia tour in 2018-19 when India won their maiden Test series Down Under.He was named the player of the series for scoring 521 runs at 74.42, including three hundreds.His long hours in the middle and pacers' stellar performances made all the difference."I would still say it was a collective effort. Yes, I did perform exceptionally well. I am happy about that, no doubt, but when we go back again you have to start from the scratch. It (past performance) will help me for sure but one has to prepare again. You can't take your past glories to the current series," he signed off. Read the full article

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Coronavirus: Khabib Nurmagomedov Won't Fight In UFC 249 Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

Mixed martial arts star Khabib Nurmagomedov said Wednesday he would not take part in a UFC card scheduled for April 18, saying he was not prepared to travel amid the coronavirus pandemic. Lightweight champion Nurmagomedov was due to have headlined the UFC 249 event in a bout against Tony Ferguson but said in a post on Instagram he was not willing to leave Russia for the fight."I understand everything and I'm definitely upset more than you to cancel the fight, probably like all others, I had many plans after the fight, but I can't control it all," Nurmagomedov wrote.The Ultimate Fighting Championship has already postponed three events after officials were unable to find venues to stage bouts amid restrictions put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.The UFC had still not disclosed a venue for the Khabib-Ferguson fight, but president Dana White has spoken of his determination to organise the card.Reports have said the fights were expected to go ahead without fans.White said in an interview last week he wanted the fight to go ahead to try and restore "some normalcy" to US sport, which has been locked down since the coronavirus pandemic erupted."I'm gonna try to pull off Tony vs. Khabib on April 18 and try to get some normalcy back into this country," White said."I have four or five locations right now. We're getting this deal done." Read the full article

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‘Incredibly kind gesture’: Morgan on Buttler’s decision to auction World Cup final shirt - cricket

England ODI skipper Eoin Morgan has praised his team-mate Jos Buttler’s decision to auction off his 2019 World Cup final shirt to raise funds for two London-based hospitals to combat COVID-19. England had managed to defeat New Zealand in the finals of the 2019 50-over World Cup by the barest of margins as both normal 50 overs-action and super over ended in a tie.The Three Lions managed to win the trophy on the basis of boundary-countback rule, and it was Buttler who broke the stumps during the super-over, denying New Zealand their first World Cup win.“It’s an incredibly kind gesture. We have seen people donate during the Australian bush fires; we saw Shane Warne auction his Baggy Green cap for a million dollars or something absolutely ridiculous,” ESPN Cricinfo quoted Morgan as saying.“The impact that can have on many lives as opposed to sitting in someone’s drawer as a bit of a trophy... personally, it’s something I don’t understand. People have come out and said they would never do it. Justin Langer said he could never see a situation where he would do something like that but I find that hard to believe,” he added.On Monday, Buttler posted a video message on Twitter and captioned the post as: “I’m going to be auctioning my World Cup Final shirt to raise funds for the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity. Last week they launched an emergency appeal to provide lifesaving equipment to help those affected during the COVID-19 outbreak”.The United Kingdom on Wednesday reported 563 deaths in a day, bringing the total number of patients in the country who died in hospitals to 2,352.Some 29,474 people have now tested positive, a jump of 4,324 over the previous day, according to Al Jazeera.The World Health Organisation had termed coronavirus as a pandemic on March 11. 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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Coronavirus: FIFA Monitoring COVID-19 Threat In India With Women's U-17 World Cup In Mind

World football governing body, FIFA, on Wednesday said it is monitoring the developments arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, which is scheduled to host the Women's U-17 World Cup in November. FIFA said it is also exploring "alternative solutions". The coronavirus outbreak has so far claimed lives of over 20,000 people across the world while infecting more than 4,25,000. In India, the pandemic has affected over 600 people besides 10 deaths."FIFA is currently monitoring developments regarding the coronavirus outbreak in India to decide the future of the U-17 Women's World Cup which is slated to be held in the country in November," the apex body said in a statement after PTI inquired."With public health and safety in mind, FIFA is also working with the Local Organising Committee to identify any potential impact on preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020, as well as finding alternative solutions to upcoming events that were planned in India in the lead up to the tournament," it added.Sixteen teams will take part in the World Cup, of which only three have sealed their berths.India has qualified as the host nation, while North Korea (winner) and Japan (runner-up) progressed from the Asian qualifiers.The pandemic has led to either cancellation or postponement of all sporting events lined up in the coming times, the biggest being the Tokyo Olympics and Euro.FIFA is also working with representatives of all confederations regarding dates for their respective qualifying tournaments.The World Cup is scheduled to be held from November 2 to 21 with matches to be played in Navi Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar and Guwahati.  Read the full article

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Coronavirus: Track Legend Carl Lewis Wants Tokyo Olympics Postponed For Two Years

"The best part about that is they're creating some solidarity in their message," Lewis said."I just think it's really difficult for an athlete to prepare, to train, to keep their motivation if there's complete uncertainty. That's the hardest thing."Because it's a health issue, it's beyond everyone's control. I think most athletes are accepting that."The Tokyo Olympics are set to start July 24 while US swim and athletics trials to determine the nation's two largest delegations for the event are set for June.Many athletes have struggled to continue training while being forced to stay home to avoid spreading the deadly virus."The athletes cannot prepare for an Olympic Games if they don't have an Olympic Trials, if they don't have competition," Lewis said."I think USATF, in this case, stepped up. I think they're creating a voice that puts the athletes first and I think the athletes appreciate it."Lewis called upon the International Olympic Committee to consider pushing back the Olympics to 2022, after the scheduled 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics."If we delay what should we do?" Lewis said. "I think a more comfortable situation would be two years and put it in the Olympic year with the Winter Olympics and then make it kind of a celebratory Olympic year."There are some athletes who are right on the edge of retiring that that may hurt, but in reality, you have to focus on what (will best serve) the masses."2022 Tokyo, 2024 Paris?For Lewis, that would mean staging a Tokyo Olympics only two years ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics."Two years isn't a big deal, and then two years later we have the summer (Olympics) again. I think that that would kind of give them time to re-prepare," Lewis told the TV station."I just think there's a way to put sports in its perspective, understand the athletes' lives and their dedication and give them a second chance they deserve in a way that they can be respected and also have a chance to be the best they can be."Lewis, an assistant coach for the University of Houston track team, knows the pain of missing an Olympics. He missed out on the 1980 Moscow Games after qualifying in the long jump and 4x100m relay when the United States boycotted the event.Lewis said any idea to cancel the Tokyo Olympics outright was wrong."That would be devastating and what happens is, then all of a sudden you take the athlete's voice out of the conversation," Lewis said."Canceling to me would be a non-starter for the athletes. It's just not fair. If you delay and say this is what we're going to do, then it gives the athletes a chance to make a positive out of a negative." 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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Leap year: UEFA admit error over ‘Euro 2020’ name for 2021 tournament - football

UEFA were forced into an embarrassing about-turn after they mistakenly tweeted that Euro 2020 would keep its original title despite being pushed back to 2021 as a result of the coronavirus. “Although it will provisionally take place from 11 June - 11 July 2021, #EURO2020 will still be known as UEFA EURO 2020,” UEFA had confidently said on Twitter on Friday.However, just hours later, they were less assured.“With apologies for the earlier error, to be clear no decision has yet been made on the name of the rearranged EURO to be held in 2021. The earlier tweet was sent by mistake,” they tweeted.Euro 2020 has been pushed back 12 months to June 11 to July 11 next year to clear the way for suspended domestic competitions to wrap up if conditions allow.UEFA said the postponement “will help all domestic competitions, currently on hold due to the COVID-19 emergency, to be completed” as it made a “commitment” to finishing club seasons by June 30.Twenty of the 24 nations set to take part in the Euro have already qualified, but play-offs to determine the final four participants, due to be played this month, have been postponed.UEFA said those matches, and other scheduled friendlies, would be played in June subject to a review of the situation. Read the full article

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Coronavirus: USA Swimming Calls For 2020 Tokyo Olympics To Be Postponed

USA Swimming made the letter public after the US Olympic chiefs said in a conference call on Friday that more time was needed to determine the fate of the Tokyo Games.USOPC chairwoman Susanne Lyons said the American governing body agreed with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that there was no need to make an immediate decision.USA Swimming said Hinchey's letter was the result of a conference call consultation with 85 national team athletes who expressed their concerns to the federation.USA Swimming said social distancing protocols and the stay-at-home orders issued in some parts of the United States in a bid to combat the spread of the deadly virus had already proved too disruptive to training."As this global pandemic has grown, we have watched our athletes' worlds be turned upside down and watched them struggle to find ways to continue to prepare and train -- many for the biggest competitive opportunity of their lives," Hinchey wrote."The right and responsible thing to do is to prioritize everyone's health and safety and appropriately recognize the toll this global pandemic is taking on athletic preparations."It has transcended borders and wreaked havoc on entire populations, including those of our respected competitors. Everyone has experienced unimaginable disruptions, mere months before the Olympic Games, which calls into question the authenticity of a level playing field for all."Our athletes are under tremendous pressure, stress and anxiety, and their mental health and wellness should be among the highest priorities."The United States, long an Olympic swimming powerhouse, won 33 medals in the Rio Olympic pool in 2016.Their ultra-competitive Olympic trials are scheduled for June 21-28 in Omaha, Nebraska.But some of the sport's biggest stars -- including freestyle great Katie Ledecky -- have seen their preparations disrupted as pools and other training facilities have been shuttered.The USOPC responded Friday to Hinchey's letter in a joint statement from Hirshland and Lyons."The USOPC has complete and total empathy for the athlete community as they manage the terrible stress and anxiety caused by the current lack of certitude regarding the Tokyo Games," the statement said."We understand that the athletes have concerns about training, qualification and anti-doping controls, and that they want transparency, communication and clarity to the full extent possible. The USOPC has made it clear that all athletes should put their health and wellness, and the health and wellness of the greater community, above all else at this unprecedented moment."At the same time, and as it relates to the Games, we have also heard from athletes that they want the Olympic and Paralympic community to be very intentional about the path forward – and to ensure that we aren't prematurely taking away any athletes' opportunity to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games until we have better clarity."'Higher calling'Bob Bowman, the coach who guided swimming great Michael Phelps to 28 Olympic medals -- 23 of them gold -- said postponing the Games was the best option."It's not only best from a performance statement for the athletes, but also for what these athletes are going through right now in terms of their mental health," Bowman told USA Today."My concern is as they are trying to find places to train and work out, it goes against what we're supposed to be doing to not get the coronavirus."It's forcing them to try to do things that are contrary to our national goal right now. I think there's a higher calling than just your athletic goals. It forces people to kind of work around those and that's not good." Read the full article

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Indian Olympic Association Confident Of Tokyo Olympics Starting On Time

"The coronavirus is creating havoc throughout the world but we are hopeful it will be contained in one or two months. It has already been controlled in China, the epicenter of the disease, and we are expecting the Olympics to be held without any hindrance on its scheduled time," a senior IOA office-bearer told PTI."But having said that IOC is our parent body, we will have to abide by what the IOC decides. If the IOC says the Olympics will go on we will have to participate irrespective of any threat," he said.The IOC's stance has angered many athletes, who have accused it of putting them at risk. Some officials have also expressed their apprehension.Responding to the criticism, the world body on Wednesday conceded that there are no easy solutions for the current situation.The pandemic, which has caused more than 8,000 deaths since being discovered in China, has wreaked havoc on Olympic preparations of athletes, including those from India. Several qualifiers have been suspended and training trips abroad are off the table thanks to COVID-19 travel restrictions.The IOA admitted that country's preparations have been hit hard but should the Games happen, it is nonetheless expecting an unprecedented double digit medal haul from the athletes."Yes, it is true our preparations have been hit with many Olympic qualifiers, Test events and preparatory camps abroad being postponed or cancelled because of the coronavirus," the official said."But it is not just India, every country is facing the same situation so, the impact is same for every competing nation. So, our expectations still remain the same -- 10 or more medals in Tokyo," he asserted.He said the IOA is closely monitoring the situation with all the stakeholders in the country."We are monitoring all our athletes' preparations as well as their well-being. We are also closely working with the Government of India, Tokyo Games orgainsers as well as IOC in this tough time," he said.The number of people infected with the highly contagious novel coronavirus has risen to 169 in India with three deaths reported in the country so far.The total number of cases reported worldwide so far stand at more than 218,800. Read the full article

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Coronavirus: UFC Postpones Next Three Events

The Ultimate Fighting Championship said Monday it is postponing its next three events with officials unable to find venues to stage bouts amid global restrictions being put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic. UFC president Dana White, who had previously defended the circuit's decision to press ahead with a card in Brazil on Saturday, confirmed the news in a message to employees later posted on Twitter. The decision affects fight cards in London on March 21, Columbus on March 28 and Portland on April 11.The move comes as authorities around the world impose restrictions of gatherings of large numbers of people."We did everything we could to relocate our next three events, London, Columbus, and Portland," White told employees in his email."But every day, there are new restrictions put in place on travel and large public gatherings that are making it impossible to stay on schedule."The UFC has also been prevented from holding events in its Las Vegas home because of a ban on combat sports by Nevada state officials which runs until at least March 25."I've been in the fight game for 20 years, and this is what we do - we find a way to keep our events going no matter what," White said. "But this is different. The whole world is being affected right now, and nothing is more important than the health and safety of you and your families."The UFC is also closing all offices with immediate effect and asking employees to work from home. Read the full article