COVID-19 is having a frankly disastrous impact on the world at the moment, and by extension, the world of sport. In this post, we will regularly update you with the latest news from around the world of sport. From stadium closures to entire league postponements, we’ll keep you up to date.
Key points
- Three Leicester City players “showing symptoms”
- Australian Grand Prix OFF!
- UEFA considering suspending Europa League and Champions League
- La Liga called to a halt for two weeks due to basketball player testing positive for COVID-19
- Manolo Gabbiadini tests positive for COVID-19
- England international friendly with Denmark set to be canceled
- Manchester United and Rangers’ Europa League games go ahead
- UEFA call video summit for March 17
- Wales game against USA canceled and MLS postponed for 30 days
- NHL Suspended
LIVE UPDATES:
12/03/2020 – 18:56 – EFL will go ahead as planned this weekend
The upcoming weekend of English Football League fixtures will go ahead as planned. As of yet, no word from the Premier League.
12/03/2020 – 17:39 – NHL ‘pause the season’
12/03/2020 – 17:36 – Nascar statement
12/03/2020 – 17:30 – Boris Johnson says government ‘considering’ banning all large gatherings
Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a speech this evening announced that the government are currently ‘considering’ cancelling all major gatherings, including sporting fixtures. For whatever reason, the UK seem to be dragging their feet on this one – everybody else is getting ahead of it.
Be proactive, not reactive.
12/03/2020 – 16:59 – Portuguese football suspended
All matches in the Portuguese top division have been postponed with immediate effect due to the spread of COVID-19. “Liga NOS is suspended indefinitely due to the Coronavirus pandemic” tweeted Benfica. Second division games have also been cancelled.
12/03/2020 – 16:58 – MLBPAA issues statement
12/03/2020 – 16:48 – All prospect visits cancelled by NFL
The National Football League have cancelled all prospect visits ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. This means that none of the players hoping to be drafted by the NFL teams will be allowed to visit them beforehand in the way they normally would.
12/03/2020 – 16:46 – Hannover enter into quarantine
Bundesliga 2 team Hannover have entered into quarantine. This comes after two playeers at the club tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week. Everybody else came back negative but nonetheless, the whole team will enter into a two week quarantine.
12/03/2020 – 16:32 – NFL have ‘no plans’ to move new season start
According to Tom Pelissero, the NFL say they have “no plans” to move the start of the new league season and it is still set for March 18th.
12/03/2020 – 16:27 – AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX OFF!
The Australian Grand Prix set to take place this weekend has been called off. The F1 season won’t be getting underway properly anytime soon. The news comes after a McLaren F1 staff member tested postivive for COVID-19 and his team then pulled out of the event.
12/03/2020 – 16:18 – Rotterdam double header in PDC Premier League off
The PDC tour championship event set to be held in Rotterdam on March 25-26 has been postponed. The PDC will be working with Rotterdam Ahoy to figure out some potential future dates wherein the event can take place.
12/03/2020 – 16:16 – No fans at next four PGA tour events
The PGA tour have announced that there will be no fans present at the next four tour events beginning with the second round of the Players Championship on Friday.
12/03/2020 – 16:07 – Wales v USA friendly called off + MLS suspended
The international friendly between Wales and the USA set to take place on March 30 in Cardiff has been called off due to COVID-19 fears. The US Soccer Federation has cancelled a number of upcoming events and has suspended the MLS for the next 30 days.
12/03/2020 – 16:03 – Man City v Real Madrid officially off
The Champions League second leg tie between Manchester City and Real Madrid has been officially postponed. Manchester City announced the news in a statement, they also sent their well wishes to the Real Madrid basketball player who has taken ill with COVID-19.
12/03/2020 – 15:45 – Redskins and Buccs pull scouts off the road
NFL teams the Washington Redskins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have recalled all their scouts and team personnel amid the rise in COVID-19 cases. As we approach the NFL draft this story is sure to develop more. Expect more teams to follow suit
12/03/2020 – 15:03 – L’Equipe reports that EURO 2020 will be postponed
French paper L’Equipe is reporting that UEFA are set to announce that the 2020 European Championships will be postponed until 2021. This would be a major escalation in the recent suspensions of leagues in European football.
However, it has been widely expected as it gives Europe’s top leagues an opportunity to complete their seasons over the summer.
12/03/2020 – 15:13 – F1 Australian GP to go ahead
In a shocking development, the F1 Australian GP will go ahead this weekend. This comes despite the withdrawal of McLaren F1 after one of their team contracted the virus on Wednesday.
12/03/2020 – 15:03 – Utah Jazz player Donovan Mitchell tests positive
Donovan Mitchell, a teammate of Rudy Gobert, has tested positive for COVID-19. Less than 24 hours after the NBA suspended all games, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Gobert was “careless in the locker room” touching other players’ belongings.
Mitchell is the only one of the Jazz’s 58 players to test positive.
12/03/2020 – 14:30 – NHL advises teams to cancel morning skates
Still being somewhat cautious in their response to COVID-19, the NHL has recommended to all teams that they not conduct morning skates, team meetings or practices today. Expect more later on this.
12/03/2020 – 14:20 – Sampdoria confirm Manolo Gabbiadini tests positive
Sampdoria have confirmed that striker Manolo Gabbiadini has tested positive for COVID-19. He becomes the second player in Italy to do so after Juventus defender Daniele Rugani tested positive yesterday.
12/03/2020 – 14:04 – Rodgers says 3 Leicester players ‘showing symptoms’
Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers says three Leicester City players are showing symptoms of COVID-19 and as a result have been kept away from the rest of the first team squad today.
“We’ve had a few players that have shown symptoms and signs (of COVID-19),” says Rodgers. “We’ve followed procedures and as a precaution, they have been kept away from the squad.”
12/03/2020 – 13:59 – Rangers v Leverkusen will go ahead as normal
Rangers host Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League at Ibrox tonight and the club have announced the game will go ahead as planned, with a full stadium.
12/03/2020 – 13:44 – Washington Wizards tell all staff to self-isolate
NBA side Washington Wizards have advised all of their players and staff to self-isolate for the next 14 days. It comes after the Wizards faced Rudy Gobert’s Utah Jazz back on February 29.
Although that was a while ago, the Wizards say this is a “precaution”.
12/03/2020 – 13:26 – UEFA Call video summit for March 17
UEFA have called a video conference to discuss COVID-19 and all European domestic competitions, the Champions League and Europa League as well as the European Championships this summer.
For such a fast moving situation, why on Earth are they waiting until next week? Ludicrous.
12/03/2020 – 13:19 – Man Utd’s trip to LASK to go ahead
Despite the fact UEFA are considering whether or not to suspend the Europa League and Champions League, Manchester United’s game tonight, which is due to be played behind closed doors, will go ahead.
12/03/2020 – 13:12 – Scotland impose fan restrictions
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that all major sporting events in Scotland will now have restrictions imposed upon them due to the COVID-19 crisis. Sturgeon said that, as of next Monday, all gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled.
Given that the Old Firm game at Ibrox is set to be held on Sunday, it should go ahead as planned. Be that a good thing or not is entirely down to your perspective I guess.
12/03/2020 – 12:45 – F1 teams hold crisis talks for Australian GP
Following the news of the McLaren F1 Team pulling out of the Australian Grand Prix, the rest of the teams are now holding talks to determine whether or not they will totally cancel the event. Given that we’re now without one of the teams, I’m expecting it to be canceled.
12/03/2020 – 12:03pm – COVID-19 set to bring European football to a halt
According to Sky Sports, UEFA are holding talks, considering whether to suspend the Champions League and Europa League for the foreseeable future. Manchester City’s tie with Real Madrid next week is already set to be postponed following the Breaking news of Real Madrid’s self-isolation period.
12/03/2020 – 11:27am – McLaren withdraw from the Australian GP
McLaren F1 team have announced they are pulling out of the Australian Grand Prix which is set to take place this weekend. The race at Albert Park in Melbourne is the first of the new season and now looks to be in doubt.
12/03/2020 – 11:14am – La Liga suspends next two rounds of fixtures
Real Madrid played have been sent into a 14-day self-isolation period following one of the clubs basketball players testing positive for COVID-19. As a result, the Spanish officials have postponed the next two rounds of fixtures. Full story here:
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