Football awaits Euro decision

This just in:

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has cancelled Development Tour events in Wigan, scheduled for 21-22 March, because of coronavirus.

The Players Championship weekend in Milton Keynes on 28-29 March has also been called off.

Three nights of the
Premier League and a three PDC European Tour events were postponed earlier this week because of the outbreak.

“The health
and wellbeing of players, fans, officials and staff at events has been at the
forefront of our thoughts over the past week during an unprecedented time for
everyone worldwide,” said PDC Chief Executive Matthew Porter.

“We issued precautionary measures around last week’s Premier League night in Liverpool and Players Championship events to
keep everyone as safe as possible.

“However, following Monday’s announcements and
further discussions with stakeholders including the PDPA and venues, we feel it
is in the best interests of everyone involved in the sport to postpone the
forthcoming Development Tour and Players Championship weekends during March.

“We had hoped to provide as many playing
opportunities as possible for players in the coming weeks, and will work to
rearrange these events during 2020.”

The Melrose Sevens, the oldest rugby sevens competition in the world, dating back to 1883, has been postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

This year’s event was due to be staged over the weekend of 11-12 April with
Newcastle Falcons, the British Army and teams from France, Belgium and the Czech
Republic taking part.

“Given
the increased threat of Covid-19 to older people in particular, we are not
willing to take any chances,” said a statement.

“To be clear, we’re not contemplating cancelling the event at this time, just
postponing to another date.

“Postponing the Melrose Sevens will hurt the club financially as there are
irretrievable and uninsurable costs.

“However we will get through this. We can
confirm all tickets purchased will be valid for a rearranged date and we will
communicate those details as soon as we are in a position to do so.”

Organisers of British point to point racing have
announced the season is over.

“This
was a very difficult decision to make recognising that many people’s
livelihoods are involved. However, the Prime Minister’s words last night made
clear that everyone should minimise social contact and non-essential travel,” said a statement from the Point to Point Authority.

“Furthermore, our sport creates some medical burden, both
on the course and potentially at the hospitals, where it would be unwelcome
under the current circumstances.

“The PPA would like to take this opportunity to thank
everyone who has worked so hard to keep this season going so successfully until
now, often under very trying circumstances. We will now be working on
preparations to ensure that we start next autumn in the same successful manner
as last, and will soon be in touch with many of you for your thoughts and
ideas.”

Point-to-Point is
a form of amateur horse racing over fences held at a variety of venues
throughout the UK.

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich have cancelled training in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Borussia Dortmund, who are based in North-Rhine Westphalia, the western region of Germany worst hit by the outbreak, have sent their first-team players home for the rest of the week.

Cologne, also based in North-Rhine Westphalia, said they would not train until 27 March at the earliest.

Meanwhile, staff and players at Hertha Berlin entered a 14-day quarantine after the club announced one of their players had tested positive for the virus.

Britain’s Adam Peaty has reacted to the news that British Swimming events, including Tokyo 2020 trials, have been postponed.

The first of today’s meetings to work out the next steps for
European football has concluded.

Representatives of Uefa, the European Clubs’ Association,
the European Leagues and world players’ union Fifpro met by video conference,
starting at 0900 GMT.

There has been no official word from the meeting but it is
widely assumed a proposal to delay Euro 2020 has been made.

All 55 members of UEFA, including the Football Association,
will discuss the plan, with any decision on Euro 2020 being made after that by
the organisation’s executive committee.

Burnley manager Sean
Dyche has been named the Premier League Manager of the Month for
February.

The Burnley boss guided the Clarets to an unbeaten four-match run – including wins
over Southampton and Bournemouth.

Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and
Chris Wilder of Sheffield United were on the shortlist.

This also just in:

British Cycling is suspending all sanctioned cycling
activities, including racing, recreational rides and education courses, until at least 30 April following the updated advice from the
government.

“We fully understand and appreciate the
financial, social and community impact that this suspension could have, and we
are working now to ensure that cycling is in the best possible health once the
suspension can be lifted,” said chief executive Julie Harrington.

“As I’m sure everyone can appreciate, these are truly unprecedented
circumstances, and while we will be doing all we can to retain a sense of
normality and continuity, it may take some time to return to full capacity as an
organisation and as a sport once this situation has been resolved.”

Wales and Scotland have followed suit with England Athletics, suspending all planned organised activity until the end of April.

“Welsh Athletics in cooperation with UK Athletics have decided to suspend all planned organised athletics activity until the end of April where the situation will be reviewed once more.”

“Scottish athletics continue to explore the most suitable approach based on the guidance provided.

“As of today, the latest advice, particularly given the need to reduce social contact, has ledscottishathletics to recommend the following course of action.”

Tiger Roll’s trainer Gordon Elliott has backed the
decision to cancel the Grand National and says the horse will be aimed at a
third victory next year.

The big race at Aintree on 4 April was called off because
of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tiger Roll had been favourite to become the first horse
to win the National three years running.

“It is disappointing but everyone from Aintree and
involved in it has to do what’s right to get everything back on track. So
listen, we’re all on the one team, you know,” he told BBC Radio Four.

Red Rum won the National three times in the 1970s, but no
horse has completed the hat-trick in consecutive runnings.

Asked about next year, Elliott said: “There is every
chance of him competing and he hasn’t got that many miles on the clock, and we
will be training him back for the Grand National again.”

Just in…

“With regard to the statement made by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, all public tournaments under the jurisdiction of the British Boxing Board of Control are unfortunately cancelled. Further consideration of the matter will take place at the beginning of April.

“We have a number of requests for tournaments to be held behind closed doors however, the practicality and logistics will be considered fully following advice from Board Medical Officers.”

Chase Carey, Chief Executive Officer of F1, has posted this letter on social media:

“We apologise to those fans affected by the cancellation in Australia, as well as the postponement of the other races to date.

“We plan to get the 2020 season underway as soon as it’s safe to do so. We are engaging with experts on a daily basis.”

Also just in…

Following dialogue with the FINA COVID-19 taskforce, the FINA Diving World Series finale, which was scheduled to take place at the London Aquatics Centre between 27th-29th March, has been postponed.

WST and ITV Sport have taken the decision to postpone
this week’s Coral Tour Championship in Llandudno as a precaution against the
spread of coronavirus.

The event was due to run from Tuesday to Sunday this
week, televised by ITV4.

“We appreciate this is very short notice and a
disappointment for the fans and the television audience, however the assessment
could only be made at short notice after yesterday’s announcement from the
government which came at 5pm.

“The box office at Venue Cymru in Llandudno will contact
ticket holders . Those tickets will be transferred automatically to the
rescheduled dates. Fans who are unable to attend in July can contact the box
office after April 1st for a refund.”

Announcements on future events including the World
Championship will be made in due course, with all scenarios to be considered
depending on further government advice.

The Rugby Football Union has suspended all levels of the game in England until 14 April because of coronavirus.

The announcement came soon after the Premiership was halted for five weeks.

The RFU said all activity, including club training, league and cup matches, and rugby education courses, should be stopped.

The quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, scheduled for 3, 4 and 5 April, have also been postponed.

The Pro14 and Top 14 leagues were suspended indefinitely last week.

The RFU said its decision to suspend all rugby activity came after Monday’s government advice, which included avoiding “non-essential” travel and contact with others.

More on that here.

Reading midfielder Charlie Adam on postponing Euro 2020: “I think it has to be put back a year, I think they just
have to forget about it because the competition’s not started.

“I think the prime
focus should be the Premier League and the EFL at the moment and the leagues
around the world that are not completed.

“You must complete the leagues, you
know the season can’t finish without the completion of relegations, promotions
or Champions. You’ve got to play a 38-game season in the Premier League and then we’ll
go from there.”

Manchester United have triggered the clause extending Nemanja Matic’s contract
by a year – and are in talks about lengthening it further, the PA news agency
understands.

The 31-year-old swapped Chelsea for Old Trafford in 2017, signing a three-year
deal with the option of an additional season.

United have moved to keep Matic at the club by invoking that clause, although
an agreement could yet be reached to keep him at the club even longer.

British
Swimming have cancelled their Olympic swimming trials and announced that the FINA Diving World Series event, scheduled to take
place in London at the end of the month, will not take place at this time.

The Tokyo 2020 trials were
scheduled to run from 14-19 April, also at the London Aquatics Centre.

As a result of the changes,
which impact Olympic and Paralympic qualification guidelines, British Swimming
will review their policy on selection for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Moving Euro 2020, due to take place at venues across Europe from 12 June to 12 July, to next summer would free up more time to complete domestic and European fixtures.

However, that would then impact on next year’s calendar.

Both the Women’s European Championship, hosted by England, and the men’s European Under-21 Championship, in Hungary and Slovenia, are scheduled for the summer of 2021. The Nations League, the draw for which was held earlier in March, is due to be completed next spring.

In addition, the first edition of the expanded Fifa Club World Cup is set to be held in China in June.

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