Coronavirus: Wayne Rooney berates the government and football heads for treating players like guinea pigs


Olympic organizers told athletes to train normally without a decision about cancellation

2020 OLYMPIC GAMES

Canceled

The Olympic torch relay in Greece was canceled on Friday, March 13 – just a day after the flame was lit in Olympia.

Large crowds defied Hollywood actor Gerard Butler as he lit the cauldron in the Greek city of Sparta on Friday, despite repeated warnings for spectators not to attend due to the corona virus.

That forced the decision of the Greek Olympic Committee to stop the torchlight procession on Greek soil on the second day of the planned eight-day trip.

The Olympic flame will still be handed over to the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee on Thursday at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, but without fans. It is the only third time that a relay to Athens for the summer games has not been completed.

In doubt

Due to the magnitude of the outbreak in Japan, senior member of the International Olympic Committee, Dick Pound, described the disease as “the new war” that threatened Tokyo 2020 and warned that the Games may need to be canceled if the virus existed in May.

Olympic organizers told athletes to train normally without deciding on the cancellation

Olympic organizers told athletes to train normally without deciding on the cancellation

The Japanese government later insisted that Pound’s comments were not the IOC’s official position, but doubts remain as to whether the summer show could still cause health problems.

Athletes have been told to keep training, and the plan to keep the Games in Japan remains as planned, but training for approximately 80,000 volunteers has been delayed by at least two months – it would start on February 22.

On Friday March 13; President Donald Trump’s proposal to postpone the Tokyo Olympics for a year due to the spreading coronavirus was immediately shot by the Japanese Olympic minister.

“The IOC and the Organizing Committee are not considering cancellation or postponement – absolutely not,” said Seiko Hashimoto, an Olympic bronze medalist, at a news conference in Tokyo.

The International Olympic Committee and the organizers of Tokyo have been kept informed since the viral outbreak in China three months ago, spread across Asia and around the world, with matches scheduled to open on July 24.

ATHLETICS

Canceled

World Indoor Athletics Championships (March 13-15 in Nanjing) is out until 2021.

The World Indoor Athletics Championships in Nanjing, China, has been postponed due to concerns about the danger of the coronavirus and its spread

The World Indoor Athletics Championships in Nanjing, China, has been postponed due to concerns about the danger of the coronavirus and its spread

The World Indoor Athletics Championships in Nanjing, China, has been postponed due to concerns about the danger of the coronavirus and its spread

North Korea canceled the Pyongyang marathon scheduled for April after a border barrier was imposed due to the magnitude of the South Korea outbreak.

The Seoul Marathon is canceled to protect runners after the massive outbreak in South Korea.

The Paris Half Marathon is canceled and the French government has also decided to ban all public public gatherings of more than 5,000 people.

The race with about 44,000 participants was scheduled for Sunday (March 1) in the French capital. Organizers said the race will be postponed to a date to be determined.

The Barcelona Marathon, scheduled for March 15, has been postponed to October to stop the spread of the corona virus, Barcelona City Hall said in a statement.

In doubt

A mixed-relay Olympic triathlon qualifying event, scheduled for Chengdu, China in May, is being moved to Valencia, pending an outbreak in Spain.

BADMINTON

Canceled

German Open (March 3-8), Vietnam Open (March 24-29) and Polish Open (March 26-29), all Olympic qualifying events, are canceled due to ‘strict health protection’.

BOXING

Canceled

Olympic boxing qualifications held in Wuhan were canceled by the International Olympic Committee and have now moved from March 3 to 11 in Amman

The IBF title fight between Daniele Scardina and Andrew Francillette in Milan on February 28 was postponed by Matchroom due to restrictions in Italy after the outbreak.

The Japanese Boxing Commission has canceled all fight cards scheduled for March on the advice of the government to suspend all ongoing sports matches. They are not resisted.

In doubt

All British fighting in the next two months is under threat. The BBBoC confirmed to Sportsmail that they are not currently making recommendations to cancel shows, but admitted that this may change and is awaiting government guidance.

CRICKET

Canceled

The tour of England through Sri Lanka was postponed on Friday, March 13, due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the Cricket Board of England and Wales calling “completely unknown times.”

The decision was confirmed while Joe Root’s side was in the field at Colombo’s P Sara Oval, where he fought a warm-up match for a series of two tests written off by decision-makers at Lord’s.

CYCLING

In doubt

Danish cyclist Michael Morkov has been allowed to participate in the UCI UCI Track Cycling World Championships because he was kept isolated for fear of an outbreak of the corona virus.

Morkov, 34, had traveled to Berlin in February after completing the first four stages of the UAE Tour, the last two stages of which were canceled after two race officials were suspected of the disease.

Riders and staff on the UAE Tour have since been blocked, but after the Abu Dhabi Department of Health issued a statement on Saturday saying 167 tests had returned negative, the UCI said Morkov was free to race normally.

Danish cyclist Michael Morkov was tested for coronavirus after being placed in isolation

Danish cyclist Michael Morkov was tested for coronavirus after being placed in isolation

Danish cyclist Michael Morkov was tested for coronavirus after being placed in isolation

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Canceled

Top-level English and Scottish football was suspended until April 3 at the earliest because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced on Friday, March 13.

The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship have all agreed to put an end to the competition with immediate effect.

A joint statement by the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Professional Football League confirmed the suspension of all football north of the border until further notice.

The decisions to suspend follow that players and staff are affected by the virus, or as a precaution, individuals isolate themselves after reporting symptoms consistent with Covid-19.

The Premier League clash between Manchester City and Arsenal, scheduled for March 11, had already been postponed as a ‘precaution’ after Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis tested positive for corona virus for weeks after seeing his Greek team play at the Emirates Stadium.

On Friday, March 13, UEFA announced that all Champions League and Europa League games scheduled for next week will be postponed, as well as the quarterfinals draw for both leagues. UEFA convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday, March 17 to discuss whether Euro 2020 can proceed as planned.

All domestic matches at all levels are postponed by the Chinese Football Association because the season is being cut back due to the magnitude of the outbreak in China.

Asian Champions League games with Guangzhou Evergrande, Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai SIPG are postponed to April.

The start of the Korean K-League season has been postponed. The four teams in the AFC Champions League play their matches behind closed doors.

The Japanese J-League has postponed all domestic games until mid-March.

Inter Milan’s game against Sampdoria was one of four Serie A games canceled on February 22-23 due to affected regions in Italy, leading to the Prime Minister’s advice to cancel sporting events.

Inter Milan’s Europa League game with Getafe was also delayed on March 11, while Roma’s flight to Spain to confront Seville was banned from landing before being delayed, with Italy on lockdown.

The Coppa Italia game between Napoli and Inter Milan on March 5 became the last game to be canceled when it was postponed indefinitely. It was the 12th game postponed since the crisis started and the third with Inter.

Ludogorets players took no chances after the coronavirus outbreak in Italy

Ludogorets players took no chances after the coronavirus outbreak in Italy

Ludogorets players took no chances after the coronavirus outbreak in Italy

An update by Sport Minister Vincenzo Spadafora later confirmed that all Serie A matches for the weekend of March 7-8 would be played behind closed doors. And with the country locked, it was later announced that all sports, including Serie A matches, would be suspended until at least April 3 to contain the virus.

In France, it was announced on Friday, March 13, that there will be no top football in France in the near future, after their governing body has postponed all matches in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

In Spain, the Copa del Rey final of April 18 between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad has been postponed.

UEFA said it is asking governments across the continent to ensure that Euro 2020 continues within three months, despite the coronavirus outbreak.

MLS has been suspended for 30 days and David Beckham’s first home game in Inter Miami has been postponed.

Influenced

The home leg of the Chinese qualifying game for the women’s national women’s team against South Korea set for March is transferred to Sydney. The team will be quarantined on arrival in Australia for the qualifying group stage of January due to fears of virus carriers.

Inter Milan’s Europa League game against Ludogorets on February 27 was played behind closed doors. Only TV rights holders are allowed to attend the media, as the club wants to secure the San Siro. Ludogorets players arrived in Italy with face masks.

Serie A announced that five games would be played behind closed doors on February 28 – March 1, including Juventus vs Inter Milan in Turin, a huge game between title rivals.

Ligue 1 followed with games played in empty stadiums until April 15. Clubs also have the option to play matches with only 1,000 fans.

LaLiga became the newest league banning stadium supporters after guidance from the Spanish Ministry of Health and Sport. Barcelona’s Champions League game with Napoli is also played on empty ground.

Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Olympiakos, tested positive for the coronavirus

Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Olympiakos, tested positive for the coronavirus

Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Olympiakos, tested positive for the coronavirus

Manchester United clash on Austrian side Lask was behind closed doors, and United handed out £ 350 to each fan to help with travel and accommodation after selling 900 tickets to the Europa League match.

Newcastle United has banned their players from shaking hands amid fears of the corona virus.

Three players of the Italian third division football club, US Pianese, have tested positive for coronavirus, the Tuscan team confirmed on Friday.

Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also owns Nottingham Forest, tested positive for the corona virus. Both Olympiacos and Forest teams were tested and all came back negative.

In Germany, Hanover 96 defender Timo Hubers tested positive for the virus.

The Spanish Copa del Rey final, scheduled to take place on April 18, between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, has now been postponed.

Cristiano Ronaldo went into isolation in Madeira after it was revealed that his Juventus teammate, Daniele Rugani, has coronavirus.

Another Juventus player, Paulo Dybala, has also tested positive according to reports and has been quarantined.

The Football Association of Ireland has announced that all football under its jurisdiction will end until March 29.

Liverpool have announced a charity match between Reds Legends side and Barcelona Legends, which will be played in Anfield on March 28, has been postponed.

FIFA says it will postpone qualifying matches for the South American World Cup in March.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for coronavirus on March 12, putting the entire team from the first team into isolation. Gunners’ game against Brighton, scheduled for Saturday, March 14, has been postponed.

In the early hours of Friday, March 13, Chelsea announced that winger Callum Hudson-Odoi had diagnosed the disease.

The club’s first team has become self-insulated and two buildings on their training ground in Cobham have been closed. Their game against Aston Villa, scheduled for Saturday, March 14, certainly seems to be postponed.

In doubt

Thursday’s Europa League clash between Olympiacos on Wolves took place behind closed doors following an order from the government in Greece, but Wolves has asked UEFA to postpone the match.

England’s friendly against Italy at Wembley in March will still continue, according to a tweet from the English football account on March 11. England will also play against Denmark in March.

Israel has warned citizens to avoid all international travel, raising the question of whether supporters or players will travel to Scotland for their Euro 2020 play-off match on March 26.

There is growing concern that some Euro 2020 matches could be canceled if the corona virus outbreak worsens between now and summer. The tournament will be multi-city. UEFA admits that they are in a ‘waiting phase’ and must follow the orders of the individual countries involved. However, FA chairman Greg Clarke has stated that he expects the tournament to continue.

Premier League games will be ‘likely’ played behind closed doors’ in the coming weeks due to the fears of the corona virus, Everton board member Sasha Ryazantsev has warned, in line with the action in Serie A.

Chelsea’s Champions League last 16 return game at Bayern Munich is also about to be postponed, it was revealed on March 13.

Football organizations across England and the rest of Europe are bracing for a reported total closure of each league until September. UEFA will hold a meeting on Tuesday March 17 that will be crucial in determining the fate of the 2019-20 season.

FORMULA ONE

Canceled

The Australian Grand Prix was called off after a member of a McLaren team got Covid-19, leading to the British team withdrawing before deciding whether to continue the race.

The announcement came hours after Lewis Hamilton said it was “shocking” that the race continued.

The Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 19 will be postponed without deciding whether to include it again in the 2020 calendar for later in the season.

Influenced

The Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for March 20-22, is called off, as is the inaugural Vietnam Grand Prix (scheduled for April 5 in Hanoi).

The Chinese GP was canceled first and other races could still follow that lead

The Chinese GP was canceled first and other races could still follow that lead

The Chinese GP was canceled first and other races could still follow that lead

In doubt

There is hope that the F1 season can start on May 3. F1 chefs want to continue the Zandvoort race in the Netherlands on that date.

GOLF

Canceled

The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific golf championship, scheduled for February 12-15 in Thailand, has been postponed and moved to October.

The Honda LPGA Thailand event in Pattaya, Thailand scheduled for February 20-23, along with the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, scheduled for February 27, were both delayed

The PGA Tour Series-China has postponed two qualifying tournaments and postponed the start of the 2020 campaign by two months, reducing the number of regular season events from 14 to 10.

It was decided to cancel the LPGA Blue Bay tournament in China, with the event on Hainan Island (scheduled for March 5) to be considered dangerous to player health

The European Tour has postponed the Maybank Championship (April 16-19 in Kuala Lumpur) and Volvo China Open (April 23-26 in Shenzhen).

After deciding to play without spectators from the second round of the Players Championship, the PGA Tour canceled the event entirely after the first round on Thursday, March 12.

They also dropped their next three events, meaning there will be no PGA Tour events prior to the first major of the year, The Masters, in April. On Friday, March 13, the prestigious Augusta tournament was also postponed.

In a statement released online, Fred Ridley, president of Augusta National Golf Club, emphasized that decision-makers hope to hold the prestigious tournament “at a later date.”

The first major men’s championship of the year is expected to begin in Georgia on April 9, but has been suspended due to the escalating pandemic.

Influenced

Lorenzo Gagli and Edoardo Molinari were withdrawn from the Oman Open for medical reasons after Gagli showed symptoms of the virus. He shared a hotel room with Molinari and was told to isolate himself. They were later placed back into the tournament after being tested negative for the virus.

HORSE RACING

Influenced

The Japan Racing Association has revealed that “government-approved races” will take place behind closed doors.

Two race meetings will take place behind closed doors in France next week in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Monday’s spring card and Wednesday’s competition at the Flat in Compiegne will have no paying customers, with the order from the city’s mayor and the president of the Compiegne Racing Society.

Racing in Ireland will take place until March 29 behind closed doors.

The Cheltenham Festival continued despite the travel interruption caused by the virus

The Cheltenham Festival continued despite the travel interruption caused by the virus

The Cheltenham Festival continued despite the travel interruption caused by the virus

RUGBY

Canceled

The Scotland Women’s Six Nations game with Italy on February 23 has been postponed due to an outbreak in the Milan region.

And the women’s match between Wales and Scotland in the Six Nations on March 15 was also eliminated after a Scottish player tested positive for the virus.

The Irish Six Nations meeting with Italy on March 7 has been postponed.

Ospreys and Ulster’s Pro14 trips to play in Italy on February 29 are being postponed. Ospreys would play Zebre in Parma with Treviso as the venue for Ulster’s game against Benetton.

The Irish Six Nations meeting with Italy on March 7 has been postponed

The Irish Six Nations meeting with Italy on March 7 has been postponed

The Irish Six Nations meeting with Italy on March 7 has been postponed

The Italian Rugby Federation has suspended its National Championship and youth matches for February 28-March 1.

Hong Kong Rugby Sevens is postponed, which is a blow to the Olympic preparations for Team GB.

England’s last Six Nations game against Italy is out ‘with the intention of resisting it later’. The same applies to the corresponding luminaires for ladies and U20. They would all be played March 13-15.

Meanwhile, the French Six Nations clash with Ireland was reduced on March 14, with the French government taking action against sporting events.

In doubt

Scottish rugby announced that the preparations are ‘just continuing’ as they discuss with French rugby whether they will continue their Six Nations game on March 8 after a second coronavirus death in France.

All remaining Six Nations games in Italy – which will host England in their last game on March 14 – are seriously questionable given the magnitude of the outbreak in Italy.

Fears of the virus spreading prompted ITV to give up plans to send commentators and experts to Rome for England’s game against Italy in Rome.

TENNIS

Canceled

All events on the ATP Tour are suspended for six weeks.

The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, which was scheduled to begin on March 9, was postponed at eleven. It came after a confirmed case of the coronavirus in the nearby Coachella Valley.

The final of an ATP Challenger event in Bergamo, Italy, between Enzo Couacaud and Illya Marchenko from Ukraine has been canceled. Both players received ranking points and prize money for reaching the final. They were not allowed to play behind closed doors.

China lost a Davis Cup tie because the men’s team was unable to travel to Romania for the playoff on March 6-7.

Xi’an Open WTA event (scheduled for April 13-19) will be canceled due to fear of player safety. WTA has announced that they are evaluating their schedule with a number of events scheduled for China in the second half of the season.

The International Tennis Federation has announced that next month’s Fed Cup finals have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The event would take place in Budapest, and the league’s playoffs, which would take place in eight different locations, have also been put on hold.

The WTA has also announced that no tournaments will be held for at least five weeks.

Influenced

The home game of Japan’s home game against Ecuador next week is now played behind closed doors.

Players will be banned from handing over their towels to ball kids at BNP Paribas Open next week in Indian Wells, the organizers said on Friday.

OTHER SPORTS

Canceled

MotoGP has canceled the first two races of the season in Qatar and Thailand. However, Moto2 and Moto3 will ride in Qatar as they were already stationed on the track for pre-season testing.

Cycling’s United Arab Emirates Tour has been canceled with Chris Froome tested for coronavirus and Mark Cavendish locked in his hotel room.

The South Korean baseball league canceled all 50 preseason games scheduled from March 14 to 24. It is the first time since the start of the competitions in 1982 that a whole series of exhibition games has been eliminated.

The draw for the first leg of the World Table Tennis Championships, which is scheduled in South Korea from March 22-29, is postponed.

A beach volleyball tournament, held in Yangzhou from April 22-26, will be postponed until after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The short track world championship in Seoul is canceled.

Next month’s World Triathlon Series event in Abu Dhabi was postponed on Saturday as a precaution.

The event was scheduled to take place from March 5 to March 7 in the city, which reported new cases of the virus.

Event organizers said they still hoped the event would be moved later in March or April.

The Women’s Ice Hockey World Championships, which will take place in Canada later this month, have been canceled.

The NBA has also been suspended indefinitely after two Utah Jazz players contracted the virus.

The NHL has announced it has interrupted the 2019-20 season without confirming a date it will resume.

The London Marathon has been delayed by six months. It was scheduled for April 26, but has now been pushed back to October.

All 72 baseball games for the season in Japan take place behind closed doors

All 72 baseball games for the season in Japan take place behind closed doors

All 72 baseball games for the season in Japan take place behind closed doors

Influenced

The Japanese professional baseball league made the decision to play its 72 games for the season until March 15 behind closed doors. Baseball is one of the most popular sports in Japan.

To reduce the chance of exposure to the virus, the NBA has instructed players not to take items such as pens, markers, balls, and jerseys from signature seekers.

In doubt

The regular season of the South Korean baseball league is in doubt ahead of the first game round on March 28. An emergency meeting was convened.

Doubts remain as the Asian weightlifting championships scheduled for March are moving from Kazakhstan to neighboring Uzbekistan. They can still be postponed.

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