#45MinuteLessons

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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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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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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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IWF President Tamas Ajan Steps Down Amid Corruption Probe

International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) president Tamas Ajan resigned on Wednesday in the wake of allegations of corruption and doping violations made in a documentary earlier this year. "The IWF thanks Tamas Ajan for more than four decades of service to weightlifting," said IWF acting president Ursula Papandrea in a statement on its website. "We can now begin the work of determining a fresh path towards achieving the full potential of our sport," said Papandrea.The statement by the Budapest-based federation noted an independent investigation is ongoing into the allegations made by German broadcaster ARD in a report in January. The documentary alleged a "culture of corruption" had been established in the Olympic sport with prominent weightlifters rarely subjected to drugs tests and cash being taken by doping controllers to accept manipulated urine samples.Hungarian Ajan, 81, who had been at the IWF since 1976 serving 24 years as general secretary and the past 20 as president, claimed the allegations were unfounded.The programme by journalists ARD including Hajo Seppelt, who broke the story on Russia's state doping scandal, claimed half of the 450 world championship or Olympic medallists between 2008 and 2017 were not asked to undertake any doping tests while a doctor for the Moldovan team was caught on hidden camera explaining how urine samples could be manipulated.Beyond doping, the report accused the IWF of transferring USD 5 million in funding from the International Olympic Committee into two Swiss accounts overseen only by Ajan.Ajan claimed he had been the victim of "an unjust attack" by ARD. "This film has completely ruined my life and 50 years of my work. A large part of my work has been about doping prevention," he said. Papandrea also praised Ajan on Wednesday for his work "in recent years to ensure an anti-doping programme which meets the standards of the IOC (is) in place"."I offered the best of my life to our beloved sport," Ajan said Wednesday according to the IWF statement."When health circumstances related to the (COVID-19) pandemic allow, holding elections would enable a new generation to start work as soon as possible on ensuring a bright future for the sport we love," he said. Read the full article

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French Football Club Doctor "Commits Suicide" After Coronavirus Diagnosis: Report

"Devastated, Reims cries for Bernard Gonzalez," said a statement released by the Ligue 1 club. © AFP French Ligue 1 club Reims were on Sunday in mourning for long-serving club doctor Bernard Gonzalez who committed suicide after being diagnosed with coronavirus, sources confirmed. "Devastated, Reims cries for Bernard Gonzalez," said a statement released by the Ligue 1 club. "Not just the club but also hundreds of men and women in Reims." Contacted by AFP, Reims mayor Arnaud Robinet said he had been made aware of the suicide of the 60-year-old, who had worked at the club for over 20 years, by the local prefecture."I was told Doctor Gonzalez had left a note in which he mentioned that he had tested positive for COVID-19."A medical source also confirmed to AFP the existence of this letter but added that the doctor had appeared "to be in good shape two days ago"."I am shocked by his death because he was someone I had known for many years," said Robinet."No only was he the club doctor, but he was also the GP of many people in Reims. He was known for his human and professional qualities."He will be missed by the football family and all those in Reims who met him."Reims club president Jean-Pierre Caillot said he was "stunned" by the news."This pandemic has struck Reims in the heart. A great personality and great professional of the sport has left us," said Caillot.More than 8,000 people have died from the coronavirus in France. Topics mentioned in this article Football Read the full article

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Coronavirus: WWE's 'Wrestlemania 36' Goes Ahead Behind Closed Doors

Despite all sporting action coming to a grinding halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, the WWE decided to go ahead with its trademark show 'Wrestlemania' as a two-day event. The day one of the show took place on Saturday (local time) and it saw major stars taking the ring with no spectators around. Wrestling fans were expected to fill the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida but now the event is being held at closed sets at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando and other, unnamed, locations, with only essential personnel.On day one of 'Wrestlemania 36', the Undertaker battled it out with AJ Styles, and the former made his entry in his trademark style, giving fans some major nostalgia.The Undertaker and AJ Styles battled it out in a 'Boneyard Match' and it was the former who came out triumphant, cementing his almost perfect Wrestlemania record.Seth Rollins battled it out with Kevin Owens, and later on, the clash got converted into a 'No-disqualification match'.For the 'Universal Championship', Goldberg and Braun Strowman battled it out, and it was the latter who won the title in under three minutes.Earlier, the WWE had decided to go ahead with Wrestlemania behind closed doors."We believe that in this time, especially right now with all this uncertainty ... that there is a need for escapism and for people to be able to get away from all this and put it behind them," Levesque had told CNN."We feel an obligation in some way to try and continue to provide entertainment to people. It''s our company mission to put smiles on people''s faces, and we are continuing to try to do that," he added.The day two of the show will be held on Sunday (local time), and stars like Brock Lesnar, Edge and Randy Orton will be headlining the show.As WWE went ahead with the Wrestlemania, the company has received mixed reviews as many have criticised the decision as the USA continues to battle the coronavirus crisis. 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: 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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Japan begins Herculean task of shifting Olympics - sports

Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, said fresh dates for the 2021 Olympics will be decided by a task force comprising the IOC’s Coordination Commission and the organising committee of the Games in Tokyo. “This needs consultation with the 33 international federations. We will have telephone conference by tomorrow (Thursday). We, of course, will have to take into account the sports calendar around the Olympic Games and many, many other issues,” said Bach on Wednesday at a teleconference with 400 journalists from around the world.“We should come to a solution as soon as possible but…we have to take the inputs of all stakeholders into account—the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the athletes, the partner (sponsors) and, of course, the organising committee, which is a key to this (process).”A former Olympic fencer, Bach said that a lot of sacrifices, financial included, would need to be made while rescheduling the Games deferred this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “A one-year postponement might impact the career, qualification and plans of some athletes, which would be addressed in the coming months and all necessary support would also be extended by us,” said Indian Olympic Association secretary Rajeev Mehta in New Delhi.While the IOC’s task force, ‘Here We Go’, gets to work, questions about the qualification process and more continue to swirl.Will they, won’t they?Will the Badminton World Federation (BWF) freeze rankings as B Sai Praneeth has already asked for because players are losing points in tournaments cancelled due to the pandemic? What happens to doubles world No 9 Sania Mirza whose protected ranking ends on January 2021 but who would have been eligible for the Games this year? Will it be feasible to allow an athlete who qualified in May-June 2019 or at last year’s athletics world championships to participate nearly two years later? Will players who are under-23 this year be eligible for the football competition even if they cross the age threshold? Will wrestler Narsingh Yadav be eligible for the qualifiers once his four-year doping ban ends?“We have no clarity on whether our qualification quota will be continued next year too,” said wrestler Deepak Punia who has secured a berth in the 86kg freestyle competition.“There are a lot of questions—how are they going to go with the points system, what will be the cut-off date for the world rankings, when will they hold the remaining qualifiers; will they redo the qualifiers that have already finished or just continue with the ones that are remaining,” said G Sathiyan who at world No 31 is India’s highest-ranked table tennis player.“As an athlete it is a bit hard as I will have to start the entire process again. No one is sure what will happen to people who have already qualified,” said table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal who is also eligible for a men’s singles berth.Amid the uncertainty, India’s weightlifting coach Vijay Sharma said training would continue in Patiala for eight India lifters including medal hopeful Mirabai Chanu even as he recalibrates plans.Looking at the bright side was boxer Amit Panghal. “It has given me more time to work harder and maintain my place at the top of world boxing,” he said.The delay could also give athlete Hima Das and gymnast Dipa Karmakar a shot at the Games they would have missed had it been on schedule. “The best should represent India so it is possible we will have a better team in 2021. I know this means some athletes could have to prove themselves again but if they are really good—and only the really good go to the Olympics—I am confident they will. So, while I understand the disappointment of those who have already made it and couldn���t wait for Tokyo, I also realise that there could be an opportunity for those who could not,” said Joydeep Karmakar who was fourth in 50m prone rifle in 2012 London Olympics. 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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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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Twitter Disagrees With Kevin Pietersen's Choice Of Batsman With Best Pull Shot

With cricket coming to a grinding halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, many on Twitter are reliving the past. While the Indian Premier League's (IPL) handle tweeted throwback videos of some of the finest moments from the tournament, the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Twitter handle decided to ask fans, "which batsman, past or present, has the best pull shot?" The handle put up a split picture of Viv Richards, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli and Herschelle Gibbs to go along with the question.The ICC post received over 2K replies with many Indian fans picking Rohit Sharma over Virat Kohli, while the general consensus was that former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had the best pull shot. Which batsman, past or present, has the best pull shot, in your opinion?pic.twitter.com/TAXf8rr3el — ICC (@ICC) March 22, 2020 However, South Africa-born England cricketer Kevin Pietersen decided to take the name of a batsman that few fans remembered. Pietersen's choice -- Andrew Hudson -- played 35 Tests and 89 ODIs for South Africa in the 90s. Andrew Hudson — Kevin Pietersen(@KP24) March 22, 2020 He averaged 33.45 in the longest format and 29.41 in one-dayers with a total of six international centuries to his name.While there were a few users who endorsed Pietersen's choice, the larger majority disagreed with him, giving their own opinion on who they thought had the best pull shot. Ponting. Viv wasn't far behind — Neil Maher (@Marzey1977) March 22, 2020 Brian Lara — Andrew Rickard (@andyrick67) March 22, 2020 No, Punter is the master of pull shot. — HARSH (@Harshpr01180227) March 22, 2020 Rohit Sharma — M.K.Kori (@MkKori2) March 22, 2020 Ricky Ponting anyday anytime — RAJESH (@srajesh1989) March 22, 2020 Has to be Andrew Hudson, was surprised his name didn't come up! Good one, @KP24 — Babu Duraiswamy (@srtendulkar) March 22, 2020 Yes Hudson wasn't bad at all — St.PatrickJ (@pjulies24) March 22, 2020 Has to be @RickyPonting — Lee Melton (@LeeMelton4) March 22, 2020 Rahul Dravid !!!! Across all continents — sriramanganesan (@sriramanganesan) March 22, 2020 ABD & Sharma — Ankit Singh (@anisingh88) March 22, 2020 Cricket is at a complete standstill, just like most other sports around the world.Ireland's seven-match series against Bangladesh became the latest casualty to be inflicted on the cricket calendar by the coronavirus pandemic.No professional cricket will be played in England and Wales before May 28 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The IPL 2020 too has been pushed back from March 29 to April 15 and could face further postponements or even cancellation. The BCCI has also put domestic matches and tournaments on hold "till further notice". 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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Kevin Durant, 3 Brooklyn Nets Teammates Test Positive For Coronavirus: Report

Kevin Durant is reportedly among four Brooklyn Nets players who have tested positive for the new coronavirus and are in isolation. The injured Durant, who has yet to play for the Nets since signing for the club last year, confirmed to The Athletic website he had tested positive for the virus. "Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this," Durant was quoted as saying. News that the two-time NBA Finals MVP was among those who had contracted the virus came soon after the Nets confirmed four players had tested positive for COVID-19."Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus," the team said in a statement. "Of the four, one player is exhibiting symptoms while three are asymptomatic."All four players are presently isolated and under the care of team physicians."The Nets said they were notifying known contacts of the players including those from teams who played against the Nets shortly before the NBA shut down its season indefinitely on March 12.The last team to play the Nets was the Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Lakers, who were stunned 104-102 by Brooklyn on March 10.The Lakers said in a statement Tuesday they had been informed of the four Nets players testing positive and have been in touch with their own players and staff."Given the exposure risks from our game against the Nets on March 10th we are following the next steps of our COVID-19 procedures and protocols that are established in consultation with various health officials, the NBA and our UCLA Health doctors," the Lakers said.The Nets said all players and members of the team travel party had been asked to isolate themselves and monitor their health.The four cases more than double the known number of cases of COVID-19 among NBA players.Utah Jazz defensive standout Rudy Gobert was the first NBA player to test positive -- his illness triggering the NBA's current closure.Teammate Donovan Mitchell and Christian Wood of the Detroit Pistons have also tested positive for the virus.Woods was tested after reporting flu-like symptoms to the Pistons medical staff.Mitchell was tested after Gobert's positive test, but had not experienced symptoms."I don't have any symptoms," Mitchell said in an interview broadcast by ABC television on Monday. "I could walk down the street (and) if it wasn't public knowledge that I was sick, you wouldn't know it. I think that's the scariest part about this virus." Read the full article