Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
LeBron talks about virus' impact on NBA in podcast
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James shed light on a variety of topics facing the NBA should it attempt to resume the 2019-20 season later this year. Appearing on the Road Trippin' podcast, James expressed concerns for NBA players competing against someone who was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
'Virtual' WNBA Draft to be held April 17 as scheduled
The "virtual" WNBA Draft will go on as scheduled April 17 with precautions in place to minimize health risks during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's announcement of all picks will air live on ESPN2. Top prospects will take part remotely, a plan similar to what has been disclosed by the NFL for its player draft six days later.
MLB, union reach deal on stoppage-related issues
Discussions between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association regarding issues surrounding the coronavirus-induced work stoppage produced an agreement, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday night. The league received the right to shorten the number of rounds in the next two drafts while also pushing back the international signing periods through 2022, according to Passan.
U.S. Open scheduled for June postponed due to coronavirus: report
The U.S. Open originally scheduled to be played June 18-21 at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New York has been postponed over coronavirus concerns, the New York Post reported on Thursday. The event will instead take place "later in the summer" but the location will not change, the newspaper said, citing sources with knowledge of the USGA's plans.
Soccer: PSG sell out special jerseys, raise over 200,000 euros for hospitals
Paris St Germain have raised over 200,000 euros ($221,320.00) for local healthcare professionals battling the coronavirus outbreak with the release of a limited edition jersey, the Ligue 1 champions have said. The shirt is a replica of PSG's current home strip but has the words 'Tous Unis' (All Together) where the main sponsor logo usually sits and features badges pledging support to doctors.
Coronavirus is a threat to young people too, U.S. official Fauci tells NBA star Curry
Some young and healthy people in the United States who have contracted the new coronavirus are becoming seriously ill, the top U.S. official on infectious diseases, Anthony Fauci, told NBA star Stephen Curry in an interview on Thursday. Many falsely believe the virus, which has killed more than 1,000 people in the United States, is only a threat to the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, Fauci told the basketball player in a live interview aimed at reaching a younger audience via social media.
Rescheduling Wimbledon would be no easy task: Jamie Murray
Britain's Jamie Murray says organizers might find it difficult to reschedule Wimbledon for later in the season if the Grand Slam is postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. A decision regarding the June 29-July 12 grasscourt event will be made next week but organizers have already ruled out staging the tournament without spectators.
First Japan baseball players test positive for coronavirus
Three members of the Hanshin Tigers have tested positive for the coronavirus, the team announced on Friday, becoming the first baseball players in Japan confirmed with the virus. Shintaro Fujinami, Hayata Ito and Kenya Nagasaka were confirmed as being infected with the virus after taking polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests the previous day, the team said in a statement.
Weeks of anguish and a 'black box': Inside Tokyo's decision to delay the Olympics
Officials in charge of staging Tokyo's Olympic Games crowded around a low table inside Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's residence late Tuesday, wincing as they spoke by phone with the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Minutes later, Abe emerged to inform a gaggle of reporters that he had just spoken with Thomas Bach, the IOC's president, and that they had agreed to officially delay the Tokyo Olympics.
Indianapolis 500 postponed to August due to coronavirus
The Indianapolis 500, one of the world's biggest single-day sporting events with an estimated crowd topping 350,000, has been postponed until Aug. 23 because of the coronavirus pandemic, IndyCar said on Thursday. The crown jewel of American open-wheel racing, which is traditionally staged each U.S. Memorial Day weekend at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), was originally scheduled to be run on May 24.
