Coronavirus in sport latest

Kindly Share This Story

Live Reporting

By Michael Emons

All times stated are UK

  1. Four members of Barnet staff showing coronavirus symptoms

    The Yeovil v Barnet game is the most recently to have been called off and Barnet have just posted the following statement.

    “The club unfortunately must confirm that this afternoon’s Vanarama National League fixture with Yeovil Town has been postponed.

    “We currently have four staff that are showing symptoms of COVID-19 who are following government advice and self-isolating. As a consequence, we have taken measures to put all First Team staff into self-isolation.

    “The club has a duty of care to all players, staff and supporters – this is always at the forefront of every decision the club makes. “

  2. Games off

    So teams in the National League are able to play, although there have still been a number of games called off already.

    These are the games that have been cancelled so far.

    National League: Barrow v Wrexham, Boreham Wood v Torquay, Yeovil v Barnet.

    National League North: Chester v Boston United, Gloucester City v Blyth Spartans, Leamington v Kidderminster, Southport v Gateshead, York City v Altrincham.

  3. Why is the National League continuing?

    ec73c1ae 13a6 4f20 8c1a 9e2f31967a38

    To repeat, it is the Premier League and EFL clubs plus the Football Association who took Friday’s decision. Government advice on Thursday was that matches could continue.

    The National League has taken the option to follow government advice. Notts County average attendances of more than 5,000, so there are plenty of fans who follow that level of the game anyway.

    “If clubs get overwhelmed by spectators, I guess the National League may have a rethink but for now, for them, it is business as usual.

  4. Watch Football Focus from 12:00 GMT

    1fb7c271 a950 46ca bf75 935ec6236086

    BBC One

    There is no elite football in England today but you can still watch Football Focus on BBC One from midday, with Dion Dublin and Tim Cahill among the guests as our pundits discuss the impact of coronavirus and see what will happen for the rest of the season.

  5. ‘Only 50% of clubs would be happy to finish now’

    Football Daily Podcast

    a233c76c bca2 43c5 bc51 8219e754dfa9

    Jermaine Jenas

    Ex-Tottenham and Newcastle midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

    It’s impossible to please everybody, so it has to be a
    country by country situation. If you went club by club in the Premier League right
    now, only 50% would be happy if it was to finish right now.

    Liverpool
    would miss out on the league and Sheffield United and Wolves would not be able
    to play in the Champions League.

  6. Crowds slightly down at Cheltenham

    25bc1a85 7270 4df6 b685 adbe37ff851b

    Crowds at the Cheltenham Festival were down about five
    per cent on last year, but total attendance over the four days topped 250,000.

    Cheltenham racecourse boss Ian Renton said: “The team
    here has done a highly competent job in putting on the extra precautions and
    measures in line with the advice of the medical authorities, and the crowd has
    responded really responsibly.

    “We advised people to follow Government health
    guidelines and stay away if they were in a vulnerable category, and a fair
    number opted to take that advice. We totally respected their decision and thank
    them for taking sensible precautions.

    “For the large numbers who came here it has remained
    a wonderful four days of racing, the weather has been kind and they have
    witnessed some outstanding performances by horses and jockeys.”

    The next major fixture is the Grand National meeting at
    Aintree, which is scheduled to take place from Thursday 2 to Saturday 4 April.

    It is understood that options which have been discussed
    by organisers include whether the event could be viably staged behind closed
    doors, although no decisions have been made.

  7. We do have live sport you can watch

  8. ‘We’ve given our players a week off’

    31284917 c2ae 43a2 8f1a 5836605ac924

    BBC Breakfast

    Tranmere chief Mark Palios: “We’re in unprecedented times. Everybody is trying to do the best they can.

    “Financially, having to re-lay a pitch because it’s costly… practically we need 12 weeks to reconstruct a pitch. You have to think of contingency plans – can we play games we were going to play at home away from home?

    “Everybody in the game and sports fans want to see the competition completed.

    “I think moving back Euro 2020 by a year would be a good thing to do.

    “We’ve given our players a week off. Our sports scientists have devised specific programs for players if they are quarantined.

    On lost revenue: “Each match will cost us £35,000 plus the money from the food and beverage.”

  9. Post update

  10. Not sport-related but…

    Video content

    Video caption: Coronavirus: Italians sing from their windows to boost morale
  11. ‘Get rid of the cup competitions’

    Football Daily Podcast

    a233c76c bca2 43c5 bc51 8219e754dfa9

    Jermaine Jenas

    Ex-Tottenham and Newcastle midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

    The next conversations to be had, are in terms of what we do with our season? There is a part of me that says get rid of the cup competitions and finish the league when we can. It would be a matter of moving the Euros to next year and finishing the league, even if that is in June.

  12. Post update

  13. ‘The testing kits are £150 each which is mad’

    Peterborough United chairman
    Darragh MacAnthony (he has two players in isolation):

    “The two players we have in isolation were asked to ring the
    111 number. They’ve been told to stay at home without being told how to get a
    test to determine if they have it.

    “That doesn’t help our club because our players are all back
    in training next week because the last thing we need is a player who has it,
    passing it to all the players and staff. So I’ve been scrambling around as has
    our CEO trying to find out how we get tested. We ring our local doctor they
    can’t tell us that they can come in and give everyone a test at the training
    ground. Eventually I tell our CEO ring Chelsea, Everton, Arsenal and even
    Millwall who also I believe were doing testing just to get an idea of how we
    can do testing across the board.

    “We rang our private health insurance again they could not
    give us the right advice. So in the end our CEO came across a private company
    referred to us. And I approved us spending close to £6k, the testing kits were
    £150 each which is mad. So those kits are going to be delivered to us on
    Monday. We are then going to test the players in isolation at the training
    ground, the staff, and then it will be 48 hours before we know if anyone
    has it so we can make a plan for what we do for the next few weeks while the
    season is on hardest.”

  14. Will there be any financial assistance to lower league clubs who will have no income for the next month?

    ec73c1ae 13a6 4f20 8c1a 9e2f31967a38

    I don’t know if the EFL has enough money to start handing out bridging loans. Like most businesses, clubs will have to find a way round their present situation.

  15. ‘Everything is up in the air’

    Football Daily Podcast

    a233c76c bca2 43c5 bc51 8219e754dfa9

    Jermaine Jenas

    Ex-Tottenham and Newcastle midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Everybody is in a very
    similar situation, not just in sport but in their own working lives where everything
    is up in the air.

  16. Root: ‘The right decision has been made’

    c2293060 8218 4892 b1ef 1c3f540ae683

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Here’s England skipper Joe Root on the abandonment of England’s tour to Sri Lanka: “There was an element of relief. The right decision has been made.

    “You could see looking at the players that their minds were elsewhere thinking about people back home. Now that we can go and look after families and be with loved ones that’s put a lot of guys at ease.

    “Naturally there was a lot of talk in the dressing room and it got to a stage where it overshadowed the cricket.

    “Looking at how quickly things have happened at home, you’re thinking about family and friends who might be a bit more vulnerable and that’s hard when you’re a long way away. “It was clear it was getting in the way of performance and affecting the mental well-being of the guys.”

    Joe Root (right)

    Copyright: EPA

  17. What happens about player contracts if the season is not finished by 30 June – as well as other extra fees such as for appearances and goals?

    ec73c1ae 13a6 4f20 8c1a 9e2f31967a38

    This is a complex area. Obviously players whose contracts run beyond the end of this season will get bonuses based on the current campaign, whenever it finishes.

    However, for those whose deals expire on 30 June, it is a different situation entirely. In addition, the transfer window will be open.

    These issues will form part of the fall-out from Uefa’s meeting on Tuesday, which is expected to outline the best way forward for the European game as a whole. The players – as well as the leagues – will be represented.

  18. Post update

  19. Tips for Fabregas?

  20. Could next season be delayed – and if so, to when?

    ec73c1ae 13a6 4f20 8c1a 9e2f31967a38

    Yes. And as long as is required. If the current season doesn’t finish until the summer, there will need to be flexibility about when the next campaigns start.

    A Uefa source told me yesterday that nothing was off the table. Anything is possible.

Read More

READ MORE:  Coronavirus and sport
By Famous Reporters

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

No widgets found. Go to Widget page and add the widget in Offcanvas Sidebar Widget Area.