South American qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, will begin in September, the region's governing body CONMEBOL has said.
Last month, CONMEBOL asked FIFA to delay the start of the qualification campaign as the first two rounds of matches at the end of March could not be played due to football being suspended on the continent over the deadly virus.
"For the moment, the start fixed by (FIFA) for its celebration is September 4-8 in the format already established," said CONMEBOL on Friday.
All 10 teams are due to play each other home and away in a round robin format.  That amounts to 18 matches, far more than most other continental federations organize.
The first two rounds need to be rearranged but CONMEBOL said any new dates would have to be ratified by FIFA.
And with the Copa America being postponed until next year, the opportunities to fit in an extra two rounds of matches appear few.
As it is, two rounds of World Cup qualifiers are due to 

CONMEBOL confirms World Cup qualifying to begin in September

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With the NBA on hold, the league and players union said Friday they had agreed on a method for reducing player compensation should games be permanently cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"Through this agreement, and in order to provide players with a more gradual salary reduction schedule, partial reductions of 25% will begin with the players' twice-a-month payment due on May 15," the league said in a statement.
The league noted that the collective bargaining agreement between the league and National Basketball Players Association stipulates that compensation of all players will be reduced in the case of a "force majeure" event such as an epidemic or government order.
The amount of salary lost is calculated based on the number of games missed.  Although no games have been played since March 11, players have continued to receive their full salaries and are to receive their full wages on May 1.
Under the plan, money withheld would be set aside and paid out to players if the season 

NBA, players agree on plan for partial salary withholding

Pakistan's T20 specialist Sohail Tanvir is upset with the irresponsible use of social media by some of his fellow players.
"I think that our former and current players need to be very thoughtful and sensible while using the social media because we could all end up only giving off a negative impression of Pakistan cricket," Tanvir said in an interview on Friday.
"I think former and current players need to be more responsible on social media."
He said remarks made on social media at times can prove to be embarrassing for the players and also for Pakistan cricket.
A Twitter spat between former Pakistan players Danish Kaneria and Faisal Iqbal with both running each other down and acerbic comments by former Pakistan captain Muhammad Yousuf about the national team head coach and chief selector, Misbah-ul-Haq, have been some of the happenings on social media which has led to controversy.
Even former officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board are not immune from this trend with at least one ...

Tanvir urges fellow Pakistan cricketers to use social media responsibly

One of the rising stars of traditional Senegalese wrestling, Moussa Diop has been driven off the beaches of Dakar, where he usually trains, and behind closed doors by the country's coronavirus lockdown Diop, a fighter who "packs a punch", is due to fight again in June and is working at keeping up his training in an unfamiliar environment.
Diop fights as "Serigne Ndiaye 2", in homage to his father, but is known to friends as "Coriace." Every morning at seven he leaves the Medina, a poor neighbourhood in the centre of Dakar, to go to the "Body Max" gym which is opened especially for him by his trainer, Maguette Seydi, who has had to close his gym to the general public.
"Before, there were other wrestlers and other people who trained for fitness here. Now it's just me, my brother and the coach," Diop said.
Alone, the 24-year-old heavyweight works through his reps.
"A lot has changed," said coach Seydi. "We train in private, which I've never done before." "With coronavirus, I have to ...

Senegalese wrestler keeps training with an eye on tiny but dangerous foe

The Senior LPGA Championship scheduled for July 30-August 1 in Indiana has been cancelled and will be played sometime in 2021, LPGA commissioner Mike Whan said Friday.
"Canceling any golf event is a difficult and painful decision," Whan said.
"We are extremely thankful for the support and flexibility from French Lick Resort and the Legends Tour during this trying time.
"Importantly, all of us are committed to this important senior women's tradition, and we cannot wait to watch the women legends of the game tee it up once again in 2021."
The inaugural Senior LPGA Championship was played in 2017 with Trish Johnson winning. Laura Davies won in 2018 and Helen Alfredsson lifted the trophy last year.
French Lick Resort's Pete Dye Course has hosted every edition.  The golf calendar, like those of every sport, has been upended by the coronavirus pandemic.
The USPGA Tour on Thursday announced tentative plans to resume play in June with the first four rescheduled tournaments to be closed to ...

Senior LPGA Championship cancelled

The fourth edition of the Laver Cup has been postponed from September 2020 to 2021 because of scheduling conflicts with other tennis events in a year disrupted by COVID-19, organizers said Friday.
The Europe v World men's team tournament had been scheduled for Boston from September 25-27, but those dates clash with the new dates selected by the French Tennis Federation for the postponed French Open, now scheduled for September 20-October 4.
The tournament will now be held September 24-26, 2021, also in Boston.
"It's unfortunate that the Laver Cup has to be pushed back a year, but at this stage it's the right thing to do for everyone concerned," Roger Federer, a key backer of the Laver Cup, said in a statement released  by organizers.
"Although disappointing, the good news is that TD Garden will still be able to host the event next year and I really look forward to finally playing in Boston for the first time at Laver Cup 2021."
Men's and women's tennis has been put on hold amid the ...

Laver Cup postponed until 2021 due to French Open clash

Belgian football could return with the players wearing face masks, according to a top consultant virologist helping the country's government fight the coronavirus pandemic.
"One of the ideas we have is handing out face masks in order to play football," Marc Van Ranst told Belgian newspaper Le Soir.
"Online you can find anti-pollution masks that can be used by American football players and cyclists. Those are more comfortable (than surgical masks)."
Belgian football has been suspended as the government grapples with the COVID-19 disease.
Belgium's professional clubs are expected to formalise the end of the current season next week, while Tuesday's banning of mass public events in the country until August 31 means next season will likely begin behind closed doors.

Belgian league could restart with masked players: virologist

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) were on Friday forced to cancel as many as nine tournaments including two World Tour events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ITTF has already suspended all its activities till June end. Earlier this month, the world body had set new dates for the World Team Championships, which were supposed to take place in Busan in March. It will now be held in September-October.
Among the cancelled events are Korea Open (June 16-21) and Australian Open (June 23-28), both being World Tour events. The other seven cancelled events are from the junior circuit.
The events which will be rescheduled to 2021 including Asian Olympic Qualifier (originate dates April 6-12), European Olympics Singles Qualifier (April 8-12) and World Singles Qualifier (May 28-31).
"With the spread of COVID-19 across different parts of the world, the ITTF is monitoring closely the overall situation across the globe and is in frequent contact with hosts of ITTF events in an effort 

ITTF cancels nine tournaments due to COVID-19 including two World Tour events

Rahul Dravid was such a force to reckon with during his county stint with Kent back in 2000 that he made rookie Graeme Swann feel like a school kid, the former England off-spinner said on Friday.
Dravid played for Kent under John Wright's coaching and had a good season with the county side.
Swann recalled how he once got Dravid out and it became a momentous occasion for him
"Rahul Dravid was a big one for me. I bowled against him in Kent, and he was unbelievable. I have never seen a better player in my life. He would never get out in a county game, and that's Rahul Dravid, one of the best in the world, and he made me feel like an 11-year-old spinner," Swann told a Sky Sport podcast.
"I got him out, admittedly it was a great ball, but it would not have got Rahul Dravid out usually," Swann, who played for Nottinghamshire, added.
In his 163 Test matches for India, Dravid scored 13,265 runs at an average of over 52.

Dravid made me feel like 11-year-old kid: Swann

Lancashire Cricket on Friday mutually terminated the contracts of BJ Watling, Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner as this season's County Championship has been postponed till May 28 due to the rapidly-spreading COVID-19 pandemic.
New Zealand wicketkeeper Watling was supposed to play the first nine games for Lancashire in Division One, while Australia duo of Maxwell and Faulkner were signed for the Vitality Blast.
However, with the COVID-19 outbreak forcing a cricket shutdown in UK until May 28, means the trioka will not be able to play for the club this season.
"As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and given the cancellation of all fixtures until May 28  and the current uncertainty surrounding the season beyond that date  Lancashire's Director of Cricket Paul Allott has contacted all three players and representatives over the last two weeks and having explained the situation, it was mutually agreed that all three contracts for the 2020 season would be cancelled," the club said in a ...

COVID-19: Lancashire mutually terminates contracts of Watling, Maxwell and Faulkner

Three Wales rugby internationals have contracted the coronavirus, coach Wayne Pivac has said.
Pivac did not identify the players in an interview with New Zealand's 1 NEWS, with the website reporting that all three players had now recovered.
"It's ripping through the communities here (in Wales)," Pivac said. "At the moment we've had two or three cases that I'm aware of within our squad."
The spread of COVID-19 has seen rugby union, in common with many major sports, brought to a standstill worldwide.
Now there are concerns about the financial impact on a game whose finances are largely underpinned by international matches.
Wales are meant to play Japan on June 27 before flying to New Zealand for two Tests against the All Blacks.
There have been suggestions those matches could be rearranged for October if public health concerns mean they cannot take place as scheduled.
"I don't think anyone wants these tours to be cancelled. We need them to be played," said Pivac.
"We need the money into 

Three Wales rugby internationals contracted virus: Pivac

Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman is facing a 50,000-euro (USD 54,385) fine and a compulsory autograph session as punishment for driving the wrong car to training, German daily Bild reported Friday.
French international Coman, 23, arrived at Bayern's Tuesday training session in a McLaren, contravening a contractual obligation to drive an Audi, a key Bayern sponsor.
According to Bild, Bayern's internal rules state that players must drive cars made by Audi or other brands in the Volkswagen group, or else face a fine of up to 50,000 euros.
Speaking to the tabloid on Friday, Coman apologised for the mishap and insisted that he was unable to drive his Audi due to a damaged wing mirror.
"I would like to apologise to the club and Audi for not driving my company car to training... it was a mistake, I see that," he told Bild.
The Frenchman added that to make up for it, he would visit employees at the Audi factory in nearby Ingolstadt for an autograph session as soon as coronavirus ...

Bayern star Coman faces fine for driving wrong car

Premier League clubs remain committed to finishing the top-flight season, but did not set a June 30 deadline to complete the fixture list at their latest meeting on Friday.
With the Premier League postponed since March 13 due to the coronavirus, it had been suggested a firm closing date for the season needed to be imposed.
But the 20 clubs did not discuss wrapping up the remaining 92 Premier League fixtures by June 30 when they met on a conference call with league chiefs.
With fears that failure to finish the season could cost the Premier League more than 1 billion pounds ($1.2 billion), clubs looked at various models for a potential return to action.
However, Britain is on lockdown until May 7 at the earliest to limit the spread of the pandemic, leaving English football to play a waiting game in the hope of an improvement in the health crisis.
A Premier League spokesman said a number of complex scenarios were being worked through.
"We are actively engaging with stakeholders, ...

Premier League clubs committed to finishing season, but no deadline set

The Bundesliga hopes to get the go-ahead from the German government to resume in May, yet a debate is raging as to whether there will be enough testing available for the coronavirus to keep players safe.
League football was suspended in mid-March in Germany until at least April 30 to help limit the spread of the virus, but the German Football League (DFL) hopes matches can resume early next month.
If the authorities give the green light, the Bundesliga could be the first top European league to restart and could potentially make German football the focus of a global audience.
One proposal is for games to be played behind closed doors without spectators -- dubbed 'ghost games' in German -- with each of the 36 clubs in the top two tiers testing their players, coaches and backroom staff every three to four days.
Only those players or staff who test positive for the coronavirus would be quarantined -- not entire teams -- with the league hoping the season can be completed by June 30.
The ...

Testing debate rages amid hopes for German football return in May

The NBA and WNBA say they plan to sell cloth face coverings bearing team and league logos and that all proceeds generated by the league will go to charity.
The proceeds will go to Feeding America in the U.S. and Second Harvest in Canada. Both of those organizations work to assist the hungry.
Face-covering manufacturers FOCO and Industry Rag will also be amping up charity efforts through sales. They will donate one face covering for every one purchased to the benefiting charities.
NBA social responsibility and player programs president Kathy Behrens says the masks will help fans adhere to CDC safety guidelines while joining in the league's efforts to aid those who have been directly affected by COVID-19.

NBA, WNBA selling face covers for charity

The fourth edition of the Laver Cup exhibition event founded by Roger Federer's management company is being postponed a year because of changes to the tennis calendar caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
It now will be at TD Garden in Boston from Sept. 24-26, 2021.
The original dates were Sept. 25-27 this year.
But the French Open moved its start from May to Sept. 20 a month ago. That means the Grand Slam tournament would have overlapped with the Laver Cup. The exhibition tournament has attracted some of the top players in men's tennis in the past.
Federer called the announcement of the Laver Cup date change unfortunate and disappointing but also the right thing to do for everyone concerned. Tickets already purchased will be valid in 2021 or can be refunded.

Federer's Laver Cup in Boston postponed to 2021

This season's figure skating, short track skating and synchronised skating world championships have been "definitively cancelled" due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Skating Union announced on Friday.
"Mindful of the escalating negative COVID-19 developments... the measures taken by the public authorities as well as logistical challenges the ISU Council during its on-line meeting held on April 16, 2020 concluded that a postponement of the pending 2020 ISU Championships is not possible," the ISU said in a statement.
The short track speed worlds had been originally scheduled to take place in Seoul on March 13-15, with the figure skating following from March 16 and the synchronised competition held between April 3-5.
The ISU added in the statement that it would hold a meeting on April 28 about the schedule for the 2020/21 season given the "uncertain development of the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on the staging of international sports".
Traditionally the international ...

2020 ice skating worlds 'definitively cancelled": ISU

Former athletes, including 2003 World Championships bronze medallist Anju Bobby George, have lavished praise on the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for its online workshop aimed at enhancing skills of coaches.
With the lockdown in the country extended till May 3 to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, SAI has launched a 21-day online development programme for coaches in 16 disciplines in association with National Sporting Federations.
"SAI could not have chosen a better time for this workshop. Right now the coaches are relatively free and during this time they are getting a chance to brush up their skills and exchange ideas with each other," long jumper Anju Bobby George was quoted as saying in a ministry release.
On the first day, the sessions was attended by 4700 coaches, while 5075 coaches logged in on the second day.
"Just the sheer number of coaches attending the sessions provides a great platform for knowledge sharing and enhancement. It was also great to see the Sports Minister and ..

Athletes, coaches praise SAI's online workshop to enhance skill of coaches

The Scottish Professional Football League has released 1.8 million pound (USD 2.2 million) to lower-league clubs after the season outside the Premiership was ended due to the coronavirus.
In a controversial vote, clubs opted to conclude the Championship, League One and League Two campaigns and the SPFL has now sent end-of-season payments to clubs in the lower three divisions.
"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Scottish football has been devastating, with no club left untouched or undamaged by the restrictions placed on our everyday life," said SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.
"This unprecedented situation has left clubs facing the stark reality of an extremely challenging financial landscape that could have seen a number of our clubs simply cease to exist.
"These funds will help bridge the gap and support clubs through this incredibly difficult period."
The Premiership season is yet to be concluded and Rangers, second in the top flight, have been vocal in their criticism of ..

Scotland's football clubs get funds to ease virus fallout

The European Tour on Friday announced the cancellations of both the French Open and the BMW International Open in Munich due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the Scottish Open postponed.
The British Open, golf's only major tournament played outside the United States, had already been scrapped, with top tours having been shut down since March 13.
The last completed event on the European Tour was the Qatar Masters, which ended on March 8.
The French Open, continental Europe's oldest Open competition, was due to be held from July 2-5, but was cancelled after the French government extended the ban on all mass gatherings until mid-July.
The BMW event in Munich was scheduled for June 25-28.
"Both Germany and France have been significantly impacted by coronavirus, and our thoughts go out to everyone affected in both countries, as well as elsewhere around the world," said European Tour chief Keith Pelley.
The Scottish Open, usually a key warm-up for the now-cancelled British Open, was due to 

European Tour cancels French Open, BMW International Open

New Zealand's BJ Watling and Australia's Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner will no longer play for Lancashire this season because of the impact of the coronavirus, the English county said Friday.
Cricket fixtures in England have been cancelled until May 28 due to the pandemic, with further delays likely given the British government's announcement Thursday of a further three weeks of lockdown.
New Zealand wicketkeeper/batsman Watling was signed for the opening nine County Championship games whilst Maxwell and Faulkner would have played for Lancashire in the Twenty20 Blast competition, having both featured in last season's edition for the northwest county.
Lancashire said their contracts would be ended by "mutual termination".
"I would like to thank BJ, Glenn, James and their representatives for their total understanding of the current situation and full agreement of this decision," Lancashire director of cricket Paul Allott said in a statement.
The former Lancashire and England paceman .

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