<p>Football fans and concert-goers could be barred from seeing their favourite teams and bands play live in Germany for 18 months due to the coronavirus, according to a science expert.</p>

<p>Keeping Germany's stadiums and music venues closed until well into 2021 "would certainly be very wise" according to Gerald Haug, president of the Leopoldina Academy of Sciences, which advises Angela Merkel's government on measures to combat the virus.</p>

<p>In an interview aired by broadcaster ARD on Monday, Haug added that "as to whether it will last a year and a half, we have to wait and see - there are also more optimistic assessments of the situation.</p>

<p>"But it will certainly last several months more, it could go up to a year and a half."</p>

<p>The German Football League (DFL) suspended all Bundesliga matches on March 13 until at least April 30.</p>

<p>A decision on whether football can resume in early May, most likely in empty stadiums with fans locked out, has been pushed back a week until April 23, the DFL announced Tuesday.</p>

<p>The DFL would need the go-ahead from the health authorities for leagues to resume.</p>

<p>Having been closed since mid-March, concert halls and sports venues across Germany remain shut until further notice.</p>

<p>The Leopoldina Academy has advocated a "step-by-step" return to normal conditions if the figures for new contaminations "stabilise at a low level" and if "hygiene measures are maintained".</p>

<p>Just under 3,000 people have so far died due to the coronavirus in Germany.</p>


Football fans and concert-goers could be barred from seeing their favourite teams and bands play live in Germany for 18 months due to the coronavirus, according to a science expert.

Football fans and concert-goers could be barred from seeing their favourite teams and bands play live in Germany for 18 months due to the coronavirus, according to a science expert. Keeping Germany's stadiums and music venues closed until well into 2021 "would certainly be very wise" according to Gerald Haug, president of the Leopoldina Academy of Sciences, which advises Angela Merkel's government on measures to combat the virus. In an interview aired by broadcaster ARD on Monday, Haug added that "as to whether it will last a year and a half, we have to wait and see - there are also more optimistic assessments of the situation. "But it will certainly last several months more, it could go up to a year and a half." The German Football League (DFL) suspended all Bundesliga matches on March 13 until at least April 30. A decision on whether football can resume in early May, most likely in empty stadiums with fans locked out, has been pushed back a week until April 23, the DFL announced Tuesday. The DFL would need the go-ahead from the health authorities for leagues to resume. Having been closed since mid-March, concert halls and sports venues across Germany remain shut until further notice. The Leopoldina Academy has advocated a "step-by-step" return to normal conditions if the figures for new contaminations "stabilise at a low level" and if "hygiene measures are maintained". Just under 3,000 people have so far died due to the coronavirus in Germany.

German venues should stay shut for 18 months: expert

<p>Mahendra Singh Dhoni was supposed to make his comeback to the cricket field in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 after last playing for India in the semi-final of ICC World Cup 2019. There was massive anticipation surrounding Dhoni’s return but the COVID-19 pandemic has played a major spoilsport. The entire sporting calendar has been ripped apart with every tournament and events getting either postponed or cancelled.&nbsp;</p>

<p>IPL 2020 was supposed to be the return of Suresh Raina as well, who was training hard for the event after recovering from a long-term injury. Both Dhoni and Raina were sweating it out in the training camp before the outbreak in the country led to lockdown in every state and postponement of the tournament.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-idea-of-the-womens-ipl-needs-to-be-deliberated-upon-wv-raman-on-future-of-the-sport-coaching-in-lockdown-t20-wc-and-more-292494" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Idea of the Women's IPL needs to be deliberated upon' - WV Raman on future of the sport, coaching in lockdown, T20 WC and more</a></strong></p>

<p>Raina has said that a lot of cricket is still left in Dhoni and the veteran gloveman looked innovating in the nets while adding he was batting brilliantly. Raina further said that Dhoni’s body is showing no signs of ageing and fans are in for a treat whenever the action resumes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"He was batting really well. Cricket is still left in him. He has looked innovative. We played practice games and those sixes are as big as they were. Three hours of batting in the evening, that too, in Chennai heat is not easy and we did that (during the camp). If you ask me, Mahi bhai is batting brilliantly," Raina told CSK fans during an Instagram Live session.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/in-time-of-no-cricket-rob-moody-keeping-the-game-alive-292479" hreflang="en">In time of no cricket, Rob Moody keeping the game alive</a></strong></p>

<p>"His body is not showing signs of ageing. He was looking different and was trying to do something else, something different, new. So people will get to know when they see him," Raina added. &nbsp;</p>

<p>As uncertainty looms around the future of IPL 2020, the latest reports suggest that the BCCI is looking at a window later in the year given the situation surrounding COVID-19 improves.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Mahendra Singh Dhoni was supposed to make his comeback to the cricket field in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 after last playing for India in the semi-final of ICC World Cup 2019.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was supposed to make his comeback to the cricket field in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 after last playing for India in the semi-final of ICC World Cup 2019. There was massive anticipation surrounding Dhoni’s return but the COVID-19 pandemic has played a major spoilsport. The entire sporting calendar has been ripped apart with every tournament and events getting either postponed or cancelled. IPL 2020 was supposed to be the return of Suresh Raina as well, who was training hard for the event after recovering from a long-term injury. Both Dhoni and Raina were sweating it out in the training camp before the outbreak in the country led to lockdown in every state and postponement of the tournament. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Idea of the Women's IPL needs to be deliberated upon' - WV Raman on future of the sport, coaching in lockdown, T20 WC and more Raina has said that a lot of cricket is still left in Dhoni and the veteran gloveman looked innovating in the nets while adding he was batting brilliantly. Raina further said that Dhoni’s body is showing no signs of ageing and fans are in for a treat whenever the action resumes. "He was batting really well. Cricket is still left in him. He has looked innovative. We played practice games and those sixes are as big as they were. Three hours of batting in the evening, that too, in Chennai heat is not easy and we did that (during the camp). If you ask me, Mahi bhai is batting brilliantly," Raina told CSK fans during an Instagram Live session. ALSO READ: In time of no cricket, Rob Moody keeping the game alive "His body is not showing signs of ageing. He was looking different and was trying to do something else, something different, new. So people will get to know when they see him," Raina added. As uncertainty looms around the future of IPL 2020, the latest reports suggest that the BCCI is looking at a window later in the year given the situation surrounding COVID-19 improves.

MS Dhoni showing no signs of ageing, lot of cricket still left in him : Suresh Raina

<p>Who would have imagined a time where there would be absolutely no Live sport for the fans to feast on? Who would have imagined stadiums turning into quarantine centres with dark clouds hovering on the resumption of any sort of sporting action? The world, in a time of dearth, looks towards a hero and the cricket world has found a superhero in the form of Rob Moody or many would know him by his YouTube channel ‘robelinda2’ – &nbsp;who has world’s biggest cricket video archive.</p>

<p>Not only cricket fans but current and former cricketers are bombarding Rob with requests, comments, appreciation and whatever follows for the tremendous work he is putting for the cricket community in general to keep everyone engaged with the game. A musician by profession, guitar teacher, cricket historian and a mega-fan of cricket, Rob’s mantra is simple: “If it’s available for everyone then put it there.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>It started with a gentle push and for loads of love for the game.</p>

<p>“My friends and I were discussing a match and my reply was ‘I have that footage with me’, so they just asked me to put it on YouTube. As I had no knowledge about how this platform worked, I simply put it and the response was brilliant. People started to request more videos and I kept on making them available. But since I didn’t know much about YouTube back then, I lost my first channel due to copyright infringement. Now I am more aware of things. It is great to see people enjoying archival footages and keeping themselves engaged with the game in such times,” Rob told WION from Melbourne.</p>

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<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="568" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-K8oOuI2k3E" width="757"></iframe></div>
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<p>Be it a super compilation of “14 Insane Yorkers by Waqar Younis”, “Sir Viv Richards Final Test Innings” or “1000th Wicket Of Shane Warne”, every “Gold” footage a cricket fan can ask for has been already assembled by Rob. His channel has&nbsp;709,871,877 views and the numbers are only increasing!&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I have put like thousands of hours to record and store everything. I have around 30 DVD folders with 100 disks each. My workstation is full of hard drives, TBs of it! I am not even working at the moment but I have like 4TB of hard drives lying around, so you can imagine what amount of data is there. DVDs are risky. I have these few disks with me now and they are not working anymore, I haven’t even touched them in years!” Rob said.</p>

<p><img alt="Rob Moody" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="64583c05-41df-45a6-ba06-959b5e786393" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Rob2_0.JPG" /></p>

<p>With everyone stuck at home, desirobelinda2 has come as a massive rescue. Not only fans but cricketers like Sir Geoffrey Boycott, Shane Warne, Kevin Pietersen, Scott Styris, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Shoaib Akhtar, Aakash Chopra among many others, appreciating, requesting or opinionating on certain rare footages.&nbsp;However, Rob misses the daily life as he doesn’t earn a single penny for his highly-popular YouTube channel.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank you Rob <a href="https://twitter.com/robelinda2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@robelinda2</a> for the memory. I played a bit too low then - improved later! <a href="https://t.co/bZR5qPtbMG">https://t.co/bZR5qPtbMG</a></p>
— Sir Geoffrey Boycott (@GeoffreyBoycott) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeoffreyBoycott/status/1249367947279249408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">He was plumb in front :)</p>
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1247516626657792006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>“I wound want to be doing something and earn. I don’t earn anything from my channel, it’s just sheer love for cricket. My guitar classes are shut, not playing music in cruise tips, everything has come to a halt. It is better for everyone to stay inside and do something productive by staying indoors. I am taking this time to fulfil more requests on Twitter and YouTube and also backing up some old footages as DVDs are not reliable at all. So yes, taking something good out of this situation,” Rob said.</p>

<p>“But yes, it’s good to see cricketers appreciating the work. Footages are special and have been collected with immense work.”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="568" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GzjVDaRFLzg" width="757"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Everyone has that special series which, for them changed the game forever. For Rob, it is Australia’s 2-1 victory over West Indies in 1995 where the Mark Taylor-led Baggy Greens ended a 20-year wait over the Men from the Caribbean</p>

<p>“That is a special series. We defeated mighty West Indies after a couple of decades. I have around 5-6 back-ups for it. Defeating West Indies back then was a big task and yes, Australia did it to everyone’s surprise. I will keep that footage forever with me, that is gold to me.”</p>

<p>Rob hasn’t had the opportunity to interact with any cricketers in person. “I would love to meet someone with a good knowledge of the game. Meeting the likes of Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Michael Atherton, Michael Vaughan would be great if that’s a possibility one day. I would love to discuss the game with them.”</p>

<p>When you are dealing with televised footages then YouTube becomes a tricky place to upload videos. Three copyright strikes can take the entire channel away, forever. “I once got a strike while uploading 10-second footage of one Ian Bell drive, just one drive. The strike was just on the moment when the ball hit Bell’s bat. It’s crazy. I had to go back and edit those frames out, it was a frame by framework. Cricket boards are kind of okay with uploading footages prior to 1992 but that’s way back. It is tricky indeed.”</p>

<p><img alt="Rob Moody" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cbe36391-2055-4b11-8f1d-5cdf6ad3ed00" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Rob4.JPG" /></p>

<p>Rob has even got a channel which is a tribute to him by Mainak named desi_robelinda, where footages from Team India’s matches, Indian domestic games and matches of sub-continent teams are in the majority. It is a priceless place to visit for cricket fans as well. “It’s pretty nice to have a tribute channel. But Mainak works equally hard in collecting and putting out the footages. We are in touch on a regular basis and help each other a lot. It’s good to see people with so much love for the game,” Rob said.</p>

<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has left almost the entire world locked. Cricket fans flood Rob’s Twitter handle requesting him about rare footages. “When I am on the cruise, I don’t even get proper time to fulfil those requests, there are thousands of them. Now, I am trying to post as much videos as possible with literally nothing else to do now. It’s heartening to see the response but I hope everything is back to normal soon.</p>

<p>While it will take months for everything to come back to normalcy, cricket fans have new homes in robelinda2 and desi_robelinda. With an exhaustive amount of rare and special footages, fans are not only feasting by turning back the time machine, by the help of their superhero without cape, but are also learning to re-live moments which made the game so special. Thank you, Rob Moody, on behalf of cricket.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Who would have imagined a time where there would be absolutely no Live sport for the fans to feast on? Who would have imagined stadiums turning into quarantine centres with dark clouds hovering on the resumption of any sort of sporting action?

Who would have imagined a time where there would be absolutely no Live sport for the fans to feast on? Who would have imagined stadiums turning into quarantine centres with dark clouds hovering on the resumption of any sort of sporting action? The world, in a time of dearth, looks towards a hero and the cricket world has found a superhero in the form of Rob Moody or many would know him by his YouTube channel ‘robelinda2’ – who has world’s biggest cricket video archive. Not only cricket fans but current and former cricketers are bombarding Rob with requests, comments, appreciation and whatever follows for the tremendous work he is putting for the cricket community in general to keep everyone engaged with the game. A musician by profession, guitar teacher, cricket historian and a mega-fan of cricket, Rob’s mantra is simple: “If it’s available for everyone then put it there.” It started with a gentle push and for loads of love for the game. “My friends and I were discussing a match and my reply was ‘I have that footage with me’, so they just asked me to put it on YouTube. As I had no knowledge about how this platform worked, I simply put it and the response was brilliant. People started to request more videos and I kept on making them available. But since I didn’t know much about YouTube back then, I lost my first channel due to copyright infringement. Now I am more aware of things. It is great to see people enjoying archival footages and keeping themselves engaged with the game in such times,” Rob told WION from Melbourne. × Be it a super compilation of “14 Insane Yorkers by Waqar Younis”, “Sir Viv Richards Final Test Innings” or “1000th Wicket Of Shane Warne”, every “Gold” footage a cricket fan can ask for has been already assembled by Rob. His channel has 709,871,877 views and the numbers are only increasing! “I have put like thousands of hours to record and store everything. I have around 30 DVD folders with 100 disks each. My workstation is full of hard drives, TBs of it! I am not even working at the moment but I have like 4TB of hard drives lying around, so you can imagine what amount of data is there. DVDs are risky. I have these few disks with me now and they are not working anymore, I haven’t even touched them in years!” Rob said. With everyone stuck at home, desirobelinda2 has come as a massive rescue. Not only fans but cricketers like Sir Geoffrey Boycott, Shane Warne, Kevin Pietersen, Scott Styris, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Shoaib Akhtar, Aakash Chopra among many others, appreciating, requesting or opinionating on certain rare footages. However, Rob misses the daily life as he doesn’t earn a single penny for his highly-popular YouTube channel. Thank you Rob @robelinda2 for the memory. I played a bit too low then - improved later! https://t.co/bZR5qPtbMG — Sir Geoffrey Boycott (@GeoffreyBoycott) April 12, 2020 × He was plumb in front :) — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) April 7, 2020 × “I wound want to be doing something and earn. I don’t earn anything from my channel, it’s just sheer love for cricket. My guitar classes are shut, not playing music in cruise tips, everything has come to a halt. It is better for everyone to stay inside and do something productive by staying indoors. I am taking this time to fulfil more requests on Twitter and YouTube and also backing up some old footages as DVDs are not reliable at all. So yes, taking something good out of this situation,” Rob said. “But yes, it’s good to see cricketers appreciating the work. Footages are special and have been collected with immense work.” × Everyone has that special series which, for them changed the game forever. For Rob, it is Australia’s 2-1 victory over West Indies in 1995 where the Mark Taylor-led Baggy Greens ended a 20-year wait over the Men from the Caribbean “That is a special series. We defeated mighty West Indies after a couple of decades. I have around 5-6 back-ups for it. Defeating West Indies back then was a big task and yes, Australia did it to everyone’s surprise. I will keep that footage forever with me, that is gold to me.” Rob hasn’t had the opportunity to interact with any cricketers in person. “I would love to meet someone with a good knowledge of the game. Meeting the likes of Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Michael Atherton, Michael Vaughan would be great if that’s a possibility one day. I would love to discuss the game with them.” When you are dealing with televised footages then YouTube becomes a tricky place to upload videos. Three copyright strikes can take the entire channel away, forever. “I once got a strike while uploading 10-second footage of one Ian Bell drive, just one drive. The strike was just on the moment when the ball hit Bell’s bat. It’s crazy. I had to go back and edit those frames out, it was a frame by framework. Cricket boards are kind of okay with uploading footages prior to 1992 but that’s way back. It is tricky indeed.” Rob has even got a channel which is a tribute to him by Mainak named desi_robelinda, where footages from Team India’s matches, Indian domestic games and matches of sub-continent teams are in the majority. It is a priceless place to visit for cricket fans as well. “It’s pretty nice to have a tribute channel. But Mainak works equally hard in collecting and putting out the footages. We are in touch on a regular basis and help each other a lot. It’s good to see people with so much love for the game,” Rob said. The COVID-19 pandemic has left almost the entire world locked. Cricket fans flood Rob’s Twitter handle requesting him about rare footages. “When I am on the cruise, I don’t even get proper time to fulfil those requests, there are thousands of them. Now, I am trying to post as much videos as possible with literally nothing else to do now. It’s heartening to see the response but I hope everything is back to normal soon. While it will take months for everything to come back to normalcy, cricket fans have new homes in robelinda2 and desi_robelinda. With an exhaustive amount of rare and special footages, fans are not only feasting by turning back the time machine, by the help of their superhero without cape, but are also learning to re-live moments which made the game so special. Thank you, Rob Moody, on behalf of cricket.

In time of no cricket, Rob Moody keeping the game alive

<p>Former Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini was discharged on Tuesday after three weeks in a Chinese hospital being treated for coronavirus, his club said.</p>

<p>The 32-year-old Shandong Luneng midfielder, the only player known to have contracted the disease in the Chinese Super League (CSL), will now spend 14 days in quarantine for further observation.</p>

<p>The Belgium international said on March 22 that he had tested positive for the virus, having just returned to China, but assured fans that he was feeling fine.</p>

<p>While in hospital in the city of Jinan, Fellaini posted videos of himself on Instagram exercising in his room.</p>

<p>"Fellaini was assessed and was deemed to have recovered, and was discharged today," Shandong said in a brief statement.</p>

<p>China, where the outbreak emerged in December, says that it has curbed the illness at home but is now worried about a second wave of infections from overseas.</p>

<p>Fellaini's positive test dealt a blow to the CSL's hopes of starting the season any time soon, after its February 22 start date was &nbsp;indefinitely postponed.</p>

<p>Fellaini, also formerly of Everton, joined Shandong from Manchester United in February last year for a reported 7.2 million euros.</p>

<p>He enjoyed a productive first season in China, scoring 12 goals in 34 matches and providing five assists.</p>


Former Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini was discharged on Tuesday after three weeks in a Chinese hospital being treated for coronavirus, his club said. The 32-year-old Shandong Luneng midfielder, the only player known to have contracted the disease in the Chinese Super League (CSL), will now spend 14 days in quarantine for further observation.

Former Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini was discharged on Tuesday after three weeks in a Chinese hospital being treated for coronavirus, his club said. The 32-year-old Shandong Luneng midfielder, the only player known to have contracted the disease in the Chinese Super League (CSL), will now spend 14 days in quarantine for further observation. The Belgium international said on March 22 that he had tested positive for the virus, having just returned to China, but assured fans that he was feeling fine. While in hospital in the city of Jinan, Fellaini posted videos of himself on Instagram exercising in his room. "Fellaini was assessed and was deemed to have recovered, and was discharged today," Shandong said in a brief statement. China, where the outbreak emerged in December, says that it has curbed the illness at home but is now worried about a second wave of infections from overseas. Fellaini's positive test dealt a blow to the CSL's hopes of starting the season any time soon, after its February 22 start date was indefinitely postponed. Fellaini, also formerly of Everton, joined Shandong from Manchester United in February last year for a reported 7.2 million euros. He enjoyed a productive first season in China, scoring 12 goals in 34 matches and providing five assists.

Marouane Fellaini out of Chinese hospital after coronavirus scare

<p>The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been majorly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, WWE fans are in for relief as professional sports in Florida&nbsp;have gotten the nod to resume services following the decision by Florida Governor’s Office to categorize them under ‘essential services’. &nbsp;</p>

<p>WWE has been added to the same list consisting of grocery stores, hospitals, banks, restaurants, etc. The order to resume production of WWE states that professional sports and media production can only resume if the venue is closed to the general audience, which means the upcoming shows of WWE will be shot behind closed doors. The move to categorise WWE into ‘essential services’ was approved as it is extremely necessary to Florida’s economy, as per reports.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldo-turns-super-dad-uses-kids-as-weights-during-home-workout-292441" hreflang="en">Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo turns 'super dad', uses kids as weights during home workout!</a></strong></p>

<p>WWE on Monday resumed live shows after weeks of tapes events including the showpiece – WrestleMania 36. The fresh live shows are being produced with the use of their training facility in Orlando.</p>

<p>"We believe it is now more important than ever to provide people with a diversion from these hard times," WWE said in a statement to a news portal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are producing content on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance following appropriate guidelines while taking additional precautions to ensure the health and wellness of our performers and staff."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-postponed-indefinitely-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-bcci-sources-292429" hreflang="en">IPL 2020 postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19 pandemic: BCCI sources</a></strong></p>

<p>"As a brand that has been woven into the fabric of society, WWE and its Superstars bring families together and deliver a sense of hope, determination and perseverance," read the WWE statement.</p>

<p>Florida is under ‘Safer at Home’ order until April 30 due to COVID-19 pandemic and the order limits movement of citizens in a bid to curb the spread of dreaded coronavirus.</p>


The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been majorly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, WWE fans are in for relief as professional sports in Florida have gotten the nod to resume services following the decision by Florida Governor’s Office to categorize them under ‘essential services’.

The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been majorly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, WWE fans are in for relief as professional sports in Florida have gotten the nod to resume services following the decision by Florida Governor’s Office to categorize them under ‘essential services’. WWE has been added to the same list consisting of grocery stores, hospitals, banks, restaurants, etc. The order to resume production of WWE states that professional sports and media production can only resume if the venue is closed to the general audience, which means the upcoming shows of WWE will be shot behind closed doors. The move to categorise WWE into ‘essential services’ was approved as it is extremely necessary to Florida’s economy, as per reports. MORE: Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo turns 'super dad', uses kids as weights during home workout! WWE on Monday resumed live shows after weeks of tapes events including the showpiece – WrestleMania 36. The fresh live shows are being produced with the use of their training facility in Orlando. "We believe it is now more important than ever to provide people with a diversion from these hard times," WWE said in a statement to a news portal. "We are producing content on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance following appropriate guidelines while taking additional precautions to ensure the health and wellness of our performers and staff." ALSO READ: IPL 2020 postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19 pandemic: BCCI sources "As a brand that has been woven into the fabric of society, WWE and its Superstars bring families together and deliver a sense of hope, determination and perseverance," read the WWE statement. Florida is under ‘Safer at Home’ order until April 30 due to COVID-19 pandemic and the order limits movement of citizens in a bid to curb the spread of dreaded coronavirus.

WWE categorised as 'essential service', resumes live televised shows

<p>Sportspersons have taken to unorthodox ways to train indoors as almost the entire world continues to remain under lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who is spending time with family at home in Funchal, Portugal weeks after being forced to self-isolate, found a new way to train indoors in a bid to keep himself fit for the resumption of footballing season.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a video posted by Ronaldo on his Instagram feed, the Portuguese stalwart was seen doing crunches when his children Eva and Mateo decided to disrupt his training regime. Spontaneous as always, Ronaldo asked them to help him complete his crunches-set but as the former continued with his workout, the twins clambered on top of him.</p>

<p>Ronaldo, who has set a benchmark in the world of fitness, turned their kids into weights and lifted them up, turn by turn, to complete a single-handed lift and two-handed lift sets while enjoying a gala time with his children.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/barca-announce-legal-action-against-ex-director-who-made-corruption-allegations-292411" hreflang="en">Barca announce legal action against ex-director who made 'corruption' allegations</a></strong></p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-6_3FugRaE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Kids, let the Dad do his work #stayhome #stayactive</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cristiano/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Cristiano Ronaldo</a> (@cristiano) on <time datetime="2020-04-13T12:57:43+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Apr 13, 2020 at 5:57am PDT</time></p>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/usain-bolt-goes-viral-with-social-distancing-olympic-photo-292407" hreflang="en">Usain Bolt goes viral with 'social distancing' Olympic photo</a></strong></p>

<p>Super dad, Ronaldo, in the video, showed how to strike a perfect balance to keep kids happy while not compromising on his workout schedule.&nbsp;<br />
Ronaldo has been training indoors in his mansion in Funchal and the former Manchester United forward has kept his fans engaged by posting his workout photographs and videos. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was in red-hot form before the coronavirus outbreak was reported in Italy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ronaldo has scored 21 goals for Juventus in Serie A including seven penalties and is second to Ciro Immobile (27) in the race for the Serie A top-scorer.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Sportspersons have taken to unorthodox ways to train indoors as almost the entire world continues to remain under lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who is spending time with family at home in Funchal, Portugal weeks after being forced to self-isolate, found a new way to train indoors in a bid to keep himself fit for the resumption of footballing season.

Sportspersons have taken to unorthodox ways to train indoors as almost the entire world continues to remain under lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who is spending time with family at home in Funchal, Portugal weeks after being forced to self-isolate, found a new way to train indoors in a bid to keep himself fit for the resumption of footballing season. In a video posted by Ronaldo on his Instagram feed, the Portuguese stalwart was seen doing crunches when his children Eva and Mateo decided to disrupt his training regime. Spontaneous as always, Ronaldo asked them to help him complete his crunches-set but as the former continued with his workout, the twins clambered on top of him. Ronaldo, who has set a benchmark in the world of fitness, turned their kids into weights and lifted them up, turn by turn, to complete a single-handed lift and two-handed lift sets while enjoying a gala time with his children. ALSO READ: Barca announce legal action against ex-director who made 'corruption' allegations View this post on Instagram Kids, let the Dad do his work #stayhome #stayactive A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on Apr 13, 2020 at 5:57am PDT × ALSO READ: Usain Bolt goes viral with 'social distancing' Olympic photo Super dad, Ronaldo, in the video, showed how to strike a perfect balance to keep kids happy while not compromising on his workout schedule. Ronaldo has been training indoors in his mansion in Funchal and the former Manchester United forward has kept his fans engaged by posting his workout photographs and videos. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was in red-hot form before the coronavirus outbreak was reported in Italy. Ronaldo has scored 21 goals for Juventus in Serie A including seven penalties and is second to Ciro Immobile (27) in the race for the Serie A top-scorer.

Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo turns 'super dad', uses kids as weights during home workout!

<p>With the COVID-19 spreading like wildfire, India on Tuesday extended the country-wide lockdown till May 3 in a bid to curb the spread of the dreaded virus. While the sporting calendar has been left shattered by COVID-19, all eyes are on the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 after almost all the major sporting were either cancelled or postponed in the wake of the pandemic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to postpone the IPL 2020 indefinitely with travel restrictions and strict lockdown measures still in place not only in India but in many other countries as well, as per sources close to the development.</p>

<p>As India goes into the second phase of lockdown till May 3, there’s no way the tournament could be conducted. As per sources, the BCCI will take a call on the fate of IPL 2020 after May 3. However, an official confirmation is still awaited from the cricket board.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cant-imagine-icc-t20-world-cup-happening-in-empty-stadiums-it-defies-belief-allan-border-292416" hreflang="en">Can't imagine ICC T20 World Cup happening in empty stadiums, it defies belief: Allan Border</a></strong></p>

<p>With the IPL 2020 not cancelled as of now, there are major possibilities that the cash-rich tournament could be played in the October-November window, which is reserved for the ICC T20 World Cup. However, with Australia closing its border for six months to stop the spread of coronavirus, there are chances that the showpiece event could be deferred, opening up a small window for IPL 2020 given the condition surrounding the COVID-19 improves.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/covid-19-former-pakistan-first-class-cricketer-zafar-sarfaraz-passes-away-after-testing-positive-for-coronavirus-292412" hreflang="en">COVID-19: Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfaraz passes away after testing positive for coronavirus</a></strong></p>

<p>Limited venues and matches behind closed doors are real possibilities if IPL 2020 is held later in the year.</p>

<p>IPL 2020 was earlier scheduled to be played from March 29 but was postponed till April 15 due to COVID-19 outbreak. However, with the situation deteriorating with each passing day, there was no way the tournament could be conducted.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, a&nbsp;total number of 10,363 cases of coronavirus have been reported in India. So far, 339 people have succumbed to the infection in the country, while 1,035 patients have been cured.</p>


With the COVID-19 spreading like wildfire, India on Tuesday extended the country-wide lockdown till May 3 in a bid to curb the spread of the dreaded virus. While the sporting calendar has been left shattered by COVID-19, all eyes are on the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 after almost all the major sporting were either cancelled or postponed in the wake of the pandemic.

With the COVID-19 spreading like wildfire, India on Tuesday extended the country-wide lockdown till May 3 in a bid to curb the spread of the dreaded virus. While the sporting calendar has been left shattered by COVID-19, all eyes are on the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 after almost all the major sporting were either cancelled or postponed in the wake of the pandemic. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to postpone the IPL 2020 indefinitely with travel restrictions and strict lockdown measures still in place not only in India but in many other countries as well, as per sources close to the development. As India goes into the second phase of lockdown till May 3, there’s no way the tournament could be conducted. As per sources, the BCCI will take a call on the fate of IPL 2020 after May 3. However, an official confirmation is still awaited from the cricket board. ALSO READ: Can't imagine ICC T20 World Cup happening in empty stadiums, it defies belief: Allan Border With the IPL 2020 not cancelled as of now, there are major possibilities that the cash-rich tournament could be played in the October-November window, which is reserved for the ICC T20 World Cup. However, with Australia closing its border for six months to stop the spread of coronavirus, there are chances that the showpiece event could be deferred, opening up a small window for IPL 2020 given the condition surrounding the COVID-19 improves. ALSO READ: COVID-19: Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfaraz passes away after testing positive for coronavirus Limited venues and matches behind closed doors are real possibilities if IPL 2020 is held later in the year. IPL 2020 was earlier scheduled to be played from March 29 but was postponed till April 15 due to COVID-19 outbreak. However, with the situation deteriorating with each passing day, there was no way the tournament could be conducted. Meanwhile, a total number of 10,363 cases of coronavirus have been reported in India. So far, 339 people have succumbed to the infection in the country, while 1,035 patients have been cured.

IPL 2020 postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19 pandemic: BCCI sources

<p class="MsoNormal">Former Australian captain and one of the greats of the gentlemen’s game, Allan Border has said that he can’t imagine the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 to be played at empty stadiums. The showpiece event is scheduled to be hosted by Australia in the months of October and November but the COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions imposed by many countries to curb the spread of the dreaded coronavirus have left the future of the T20 World Cup hanging in balance.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The speculations are rife that the ICC T20 World Cup could either be postponed or cancelled given the situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic. However, Border is of the view that with teams, support staff and everyone else associated with the tournament going around the country, it would be hard to not let people into the grounds. &nbsp;</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“I just can’t imagine playing at empty stadiums ... it defies belief,” Border told a news portal.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/covid-19-former-pakistan-first-class-cricketer-zafar-sarfaraz-passes-away-after-testing-positive-for-coronavirus-292412" hreflang="en">COVID-19: Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfaraz passes away after testing positive for coronavirus</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“Having teams, support staff and everyone else associated with the game wandering around the country, playing games of cricket, but you can’t let people into the grounds. I just can’t see it happening.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s either you play it and everyone just gets on with the job and we’re past this pandemic,” added Border.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“Or it just has to be cancelled and you try to fit it in somewhere else.”</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/usain-bolt-goes-viral-with-social-distancing-olympic-photo-292407" hreflang="en">Usain Bolt goes viral with 'social distancing' Olympic photo</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Earlier, Cricket Australia (CA) chief Kevin Roberts said that he is hoping that the ICC T20 World Cup could be played as planned and in under normal circumstances.&nbsp;</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts had earlier said he is hoping that the T20 World Cup could be played as per schedule in normal circumstances.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“We’re really hoping that all forms of sport can be played again in a few weeks or a few months’ time,” Roberts said.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“None of us are experts in this situation obviously, so our hope is that we’re back in very much normal circumstances come October and November when the men’s T20 World Cup is to be played.”<br />
<o:p></o:p></p>


Former Australian captain and one of the greats of the gentlemen’s game, Allan Border has said that he can’t imagine the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 to be played at empty stadiums.

Former Australian captain and one of the greats of the gentlemen’s game, Allan Border has said that he can’t imagine the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 to be played at empty stadiums. The showpiece event is scheduled to be hosted by Australia in the months of October and November but the COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions imposed by many countries to curb the spread of the dreaded coronavirus have left the future of the T20 World Cup hanging in balance. The speculations are rife that the ICC T20 World Cup could either be postponed or cancelled given the situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic. However, Border is of the view that with teams, support staff and everyone else associated with the tournament going around the country, it would be hard to not let people into the grounds. “I just can’t imagine playing at empty stadiums ... it defies belief,” Border told a news portal. ALSO READ: COVID-19: Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfaraz passes away after testing positive for coronavirus “Having teams, support staff and everyone else associated with the game wandering around the country, playing games of cricket, but you can’t let people into the grounds. I just can’t see it happening. “It’s either you play it and everyone just gets on with the job and we’re past this pandemic,” added Border. “Or it just has to be cancelled and you try to fit it in somewhere else.” ALSO READ: Usain Bolt goes viral with 'social distancing' Olympic photo Earlier, Cricket Australia (CA) chief Kevin Roberts said that he is hoping that the ICC T20 World Cup could be played as planned and in under normal circumstances. Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts had earlier said he is hoping that the T20 World Cup could be played as per schedule in normal circumstances. “We’re really hoping that all forms of sport can be played again in a few weeks or a few months’ time,” Roberts said. “None of us are experts in this situation obviously, so our hope is that we’re back in very much normal circumstances come October and November when the men’s T20 World Cup is to be played.”

Can't imagine ICC T20 World Cup happening in empty stadiums, it defies belief: Allan Border

<p>It may be two decades since the Hansie Cronje corruption scandal rocked cricket, but even now the ripples are still being felt.</p>

<p>This month marks the 20th anniversary of Cronje being stripped of the South Africa captaincy following an extraordinary sequence of events earlier in 2000.</p>

<p>In January, come the last day of a 'dead' Test against England (South Africa had already won the series) a draw seemed inevitable after rain had washed out three days' play.</p>

<p>Yet Cronje contrived a positive result by getting England captain Nasser Hussain to agree that both sides would forfeit an innings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>England were left with a target of 249 for victory after Cronje declared and eventually won by two wickets.</p>

<p>Traditionalists were aghast at the interference with the 'proper' course of a Test, yet few were prepared for what was to come.</p>

<p>In April, Cronje's image as a religious sportsman -- he wore a bracelet inscribed with the words 'What Would Jesus Do?' -- was shattered for all time.</p>

<p>An AFP report, later confirmed by the New Delhi police, said the force had phone recordings of Cronje and an Indian bookmaker discussing predetermined Proteas' performances during their tour of India the previous month.</p>

<p>Such was Cronje's standing at home and abroad, the initial reaction was one of "shock and disbelief" according to one of South Africa's leading cricket writers.</p>

<p>It was a sentiment shared by Dr Ali Bacher, the managing director of the United Cricket Board, the forerunner of today's Cricket South Africa.</p>

<h2>- 'Look for another job' -</h2>

<p>"When AFP broke the story before the official press conference by the Delhi police, I remember the office receiving a call from Dr Bacher blasting the agency for ruining the reputation of one of South Africa's most iconic personalities," recalled Kuldip Lal, the Delhi-based cricket reporter behind the scoop.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"He threatened to sue us. I thought to myself that if the story is incorrect, a few of us may need to look for another job."</p>

<p>But Cronje's partial confession a few days later led to a "feeling of relief" in AFP's Delhi bureau, with Lal adding: "To his credit, Dr Bacher called the office to apologise for his earlier outburst."</p>

<p>Cronje later confessed to several allegations at the South African government-appointed King Commission, including attempts to bribe Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams to underperform in a one-day international against India.</p>

<p>He also admitted to receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from bookmakers to prearrange certain conditions -- cricket's complexity means gambling coups are possible without 'fixing' the result -- with his Centurion effort netting him some $6,000 and a leather jacket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Cronje, who insisted he'd never thrown a game, was later given a life ban from cricket yet his reputation remained high with both his former team-mates and the South African public alike.</p>

<p>For example batsman Daryll Cullinan, testified Cronje, who died in a 2002 plane crash, had offered the team $250,000 to throw a match before adding he still thought of him "as a great captain and a great leader".</p>

<p>Meanwhile separate national hearings and investigations led to life bans for Pakistan's Saleem Malik and India's Mohammad Azharuddin.</p>

<p>Yet their suspensions were among several punishments &nbsp;subsequently overturned, although for Malik and Azharuddin the initial sanctions effectively ended the careers of two world-class batsmen.</p>

<p>The International Cricket Council responded by creating a new anti-corruption unit led by Paul Condon, the former head of London's Metropolitan Police.</p>

<p>But it was desperately under-staffed and 10 years ago it was Britain's now defunct News of the World tabloid that exposed the willingness of Pakistan captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir to engage in spot-fixing.</p>

<p>Since then a beefed-up ACU, respected for its work in educating players about the dangers of corruption, has had a greater impact, with its investigations leading to New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent receiving a life ban for match-fixing in 2014.</p>

<p>But the rise of Twenty20 franchise leagues and the development of the sport beyond top level men's cricket have created new targets for fixers.</p>

<p>As has happened in tennis, they can now turn their attention to less high-profile areas of the game, where the financial rewards for players are far less and the temptation to cheat potentially all the greater.</p>

<p>One constant though is that betting on cricket in India, the sport's biggest market, is illegal, meaning there is no formal regulation, even though gambling on horseracing is not.</p>


It may be two decades since the Hansie Cronje corruption scandal rocked cricket, but even now the ripples are still being felt. This month marks the 20th anniversary of Cronje being stripped of the South Africa captaincy following an extraordinary sequence of events earlier in 2000.

It may be two decades since the Hansie Cronje corruption scandal rocked cricket, but even now the ripples are still being felt. This month marks the 20th anniversary of Cronje being stripped of the South Africa captaincy following an extraordinary sequence of events earlier in 2000. In January, come the last day of a 'dead' Test against England (South Africa had already won the series) a draw seemed inevitable after rain had washed out three days' play. Yet Cronje contrived a positive result by getting England captain Nasser Hussain to agree that both sides would forfeit an innings. England were left with a target of 249 for victory after Cronje declared and eventually won by two wickets. Traditionalists were aghast at the interference with the 'proper' course of a Test, yet few were prepared for what was to come. In April, Cronje's image as a religious sportsman -- he wore a bracelet inscribed with the words 'What Would Jesus Do?' -- was shattered for all time. An AFP report, later confirmed by the New Delhi police, said the force had phone recordings of Cronje and an Indian bookmaker discussing predetermined Proteas' performances during their tour of India the previous month. Such was Cronje's standing at home and abroad, the initial reaction was one of "shock and disbelief" according to one of South Africa's leading cricket writers. It was a sentiment shared by Dr Ali Bacher, the managing director of the United Cricket Board, the forerunner of today's Cricket South Africa. - 'Look for another job' - "When AFP broke the story before the official press conference by the Delhi police, I remember the office receiving a call from Dr Bacher blasting the agency for ruining the reputation of one of South Africa's most iconic personalities," recalled Kuldip Lal, the Delhi-based cricket reporter behind the scoop. "He threatened to sue us. I thought to myself that if the story is incorrect, a few of us may need to look for another job." But Cronje's partial confession a few days later led to a "feeling of relief" in AFP's Delhi bureau, with Lal adding: "To his credit, Dr Bacher called the office to apologise for his earlier outburst." Cronje later confessed to several allegations at the South African government-appointed King Commission, including attempts to bribe Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams to underperform in a one-day international against India. He also admitted to receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from bookmakers to prearrange certain conditions -- cricket's complexity means gambling coups are possible without 'fixing' the result -- with his Centurion effort netting him some $6,000 and a leather jacket. Cronje, who insisted he'd never thrown a game, was later given a life ban from cricket yet his reputation remained high with both his former team-mates and the South African public alike. For example batsman Daryll Cullinan, testified Cronje, who died in a 2002 plane crash, had offered the team $250,000 to throw a match before adding he still thought of him "as a great captain and a great leader". Meanwhile separate national hearings and investigations led to life bans for Pakistan's Saleem Malik and India's Mohammad Azharuddin. Yet their suspensions were among several punishments subsequently overturned, although for Malik and Azharuddin the initial sanctions effectively ended the careers of two world-class batsmen. The International Cricket Council responded by creating a new anti-corruption unit led by Paul Condon, the former head of London's Metropolitan Police. But it was desperately under-staffed and 10 years ago it was Britain's now defunct News of the World tabloid that exposed the willingness of Pakistan captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir to engage in spot-fixing. Since then a beefed-up ACU, respected for its work in educating players about the dangers of corruption, has had a greater impact, with its investigations leading to New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent receiving a life ban for match-fixing in 2014. But the rise of Twenty20 franchise leagues and the development of the sport beyond top level men's cricket have created new targets for fixers. As has happened in tennis, they can now turn their attention to less high-profile areas of the game, where the financial rewards for players are far less and the temptation to cheat potentially all the greater. One constant though is that betting on cricket in India, the sport's biggest market, is illegal, meaning there is no formal regulation, even though gambling on horseracing is not.

Twenty years on, cricket still reeling from Cronje scandal

<p>A month has now passed since the last football matches were played before packed stadiums in Europe, and the havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic means that nobody can say with any certainty when the sport might return.</p>

<p>A crowd of 50,000 filled Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow on Thursday, March 12 to see Rangers lose 3-1 to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League.</p>

<p>Other matches that night were played behind closed doors, or postponed altogether, as Italy announced its death toll from the virus had passed 1,000.</p>

<p>Fast forward 31 days and the figures make for grim reading throughout Europe, with Italy, Spain, France and the United Kingdom the worst hit. Countries across the continent are now weeks into restrictive lockdowns.</p>

<p>Nobody knows when sport will be allowed to restart behind closed doors let alone before crowds. The psychological impact of the current situation means many people may well now have second thoughts about mixing with vast crowds at a football match in future.</p>

<p>In any case, as Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted when the Premier League season was suspended on March 13: "Today, football and football matches really aren't important at all."</p>

<p>Yet his club are among those who have been worst hit by the suspension, given that they stand on the brink of winning the English title for the first time in 30 years.</p>

<p>In England, football will not return until it is "safe and appropriate"to do so, authorities have said.</p>

<p>However, UEFA, the governing body for the game in Europe, has remained optimistic about the prospect of finishing the season and is working on the possibility of playing in July and August if need be.</p>

<p>Aleksander Ceferin, the UEFA president, has also said that there is "no way" Liverpool should be denied the Premier League title, and suggested that "in case the matches cannot be played, we will need to find a way".</p>

<p>Scrapping a season that was close to its conclusion would not make sense, but it remains to be seen if the campaign can resume.</p>

<h2>- 'Critical situation' -</h2>

<p>"No match, no competition, no league is worth risking a single human life," FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said.&nbsp;"It would be more than irresponsible to force competitions to resume if things are not 100 percent safe."</p>

<p>The damage caused by COVID-19 has been dramatic. Even players are not worrying about returning to action.</p>

<p>"It's not the thing I am worrying about. I am thinking about my family first and foremost and then about getting this sorted. This is a critical situation," Paris Saint-Germain's Pablo Sarabia told AFP.</p>

<p>Leading football players and figures -- from Juventus and France star Blaise Matuidi to Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta -- have tested positive for the virus. Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz died.</p>

<p>Euro 2020 was postponed by a year, as was the Copa America.</p>

<p>Players at top sides have taken pay cuts, of 70 percent in the case of Barcelona.</p>

<p>There has been an unseemly dispute in England after UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock called for Premier League players to accept wage cuts.</p>

<p>Wealthy English clubs have also faced a backlash for tapping into a government scheme allowing them to furlough non-playing staff. Liverpool performed a U-turn and apologised for having applied.</p>

<h2>- Profound changes? -</h2>

<p>However, those wealthy clubs cannot afford to do without the income they get from broadcasters. That is at the core of their desperation to complete this season.</p>

<p>In England, the cost to Premier League clubs of having to reimburse broadcasters for matches not played has been put at 762 million pounds ($951m).</p>

<p>While idle players are stuck at home, trying to follow fitness programmes in their front rooms or gardens, many wonder if football will be profoundly changed because of the financial impact of this crisis.</p>

<p>"The economy will be different and so will football. Maybe it will be better," Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti told Italy's Corriere dello Sport. That remains to be seen.</p>


A month has now passed since the last football matches were played before packed stadiums in Europe, and the havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic means that nobody can say with any certainty when the sport might return.

A month has now passed since the last football matches were played before packed stadiums in Europe, and the havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic means that nobody can say with any certainty when the sport might return. A crowd of 50,000 filled Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow on Thursday, March 12 to see Rangers lose 3-1 to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League. Other matches that night were played behind closed doors, or postponed altogether, as Italy announced its death toll from the virus had passed 1,000. Fast forward 31 days and the figures make for grim reading throughout Europe, with Italy, Spain, France and the United Kingdom the worst hit. Countries across the continent are now weeks into restrictive lockdowns. Nobody knows when sport will be allowed to restart behind closed doors let alone before crowds. The psychological impact of the current situation means many people may well now have second thoughts about mixing with vast crowds at a football match in future. In any case, as Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted when the Premier League season was suspended on March 13: "Today, football and football matches really aren't important at all." Yet his club are among those who have been worst hit by the suspension, given that they stand on the brink of winning the English title for the first time in 30 years. In England, football will not return until it is "safe and appropriate"to do so, authorities have said. However, UEFA, the governing body for the game in Europe, has remained optimistic about the prospect of finishing the season and is working on the possibility of playing in July and August if need be. Aleksander Ceferin, the UEFA president, has also said that there is "no way" Liverpool should be denied the Premier League title, and suggested that "in case the matches cannot be played, we will need to find a way". Scrapping a season that was close to its conclusion would not make sense, but it remains to be seen if the campaign can resume. - 'Critical situation' - "No match, no competition, no league is worth risking a single human life," FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said. "It would be more than irresponsible to force competitions to resume if things are not 100 percent safe." The damage caused by COVID-19 has been dramatic. Even players are not worrying about returning to action. "It's not the thing I am worrying about. I am thinking about my family first and foremost and then about getting this sorted. This is a critical situation," Paris Saint-Germain's Pablo Sarabia told AFP. Leading football players and figures -- from Juventus and France star Blaise Matuidi to Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta -- have tested positive for the virus. Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz died. Euro 2020 was postponed by a year, as was the Copa America. Players at top sides have taken pay cuts, of 70 percent in the case of Barcelona. There has been an unseemly dispute in England after UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock called for Premier League players to accept wage cuts. Wealthy English clubs have also faced a backlash for tapping into a government scheme allowing them to furlough non-playing staff. Liverpool performed a U-turn and apologised for having applied. - Profound changes? - However, those wealthy clubs cannot afford to do without the income they get from broadcasters. That is at the core of their desperation to complete this season. In England, the cost to Premier League clubs of having to reimburse broadcasters for matches not played has been put at 762 million pounds ($951m). While idle players are stuck at home, trying to follow fitness programmes in their front rooms or gardens, many wonder if football will be profoundly changed because of the financial impact of this crisis. "The economy will be different and so will football. Maybe it will be better," Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti told Italy's Corriere dello Sport. That remains to be seen.

A month into lockdown, football forced to play waiting game

<p>As the coronavirus pandemic has put much of the globe in lockdown, sports has not been immune, indeed the deadly fall out from a Champions League game in Milan and the speed with &nbsp;which the disease spread through the UAE Tour peloton raise worrying issues for the future.</p>

<p>AFP Sport picks 10 dates during the crisis that tell the tale of how sport has been hit.</p>

<h2>February 19: Spreading the virus&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Atalanta met Valencia in Milan in the Champions League just as infection numbers began to rise in northern Italy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thousands of Bergamo residents travelled to the game as others crowded together at home and in bars to watch.</p>

<p>"It's clear that evening was a situation in which the virus was widely spread," Bergamo mayor Giorgio Gori later said as the virus raged across his city.</p>

<p>Valencia said 35 percent of their team and staff tested positive for coronavirus following the trip to Milan.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>February 27: Danger in the peloton&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The first sportsmen to come down with the virus were at cycling's UAE Tour, which was abandoned after two Italian mechanics tested positive. Tests immediately found six more cases.</p>

<h2>March 13: F1's chequered flag</h2>

<p>The opening Grand Prix of the Formula One season was called off two days before the race with teams already in Melbourne and practising.</p>

<p>Since then, eight more races have either been postponed or cancelled and by Saturday, when Haas became the latest outfit to furlough employees, half the teams on the grid had put staff on enforced absence.</p>

<h2>March 15: The IPL declares</h2>

<p>The Indian Premier League, cricket's annual money maker which generates an estimated $11 billion, was postponed and rescheduled for April 15.</p>

<p>That won't happen.</p>

<p>"Let's say July-August is the earliest," said Kevin Pietersen, the former England batsman.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>March 17: Euro 2020 postponed</h2>

<p>UEFA postpones Euro 2020 until 2021 though for a few days it insists the name will not change.</p>

<p>Moving its marquee international tournament gives the governing body of European football a window to sort out more pressing problems.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With club football halted almost everywhere, can it finish this season before player contracts expire at the end of June and sort out relegation, promotion and Champions League qualification in time for next season?</p>

<h2>March 24: Tokyo Olympics off</h2>

<p>After an uprising from athletes and sports bodies, the Tokyo Olympics became the first peacetime Games to be postponed.</p>

<p>The Games, originally scheduled for July 24-August 9, will be held 12 months late.</p>

<p>The International Olympic Committee, its member sports and Japan, faced a series of problems.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There was the loss of revenue, from broadcasting, sponsors and tickets that would normally go to federations, many of which were counting on the cash, or pay for the host's expenditure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There was the issue of athletes who had already qualified.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There was also the knock-on impact on other events. World Athletics quickly announced it was rescheduling its world championships, set for Eugene, Oregon, next summer to 2022.</p>

<p>The Olympic flame, meanwhile, was displayed for a week in a lantern and then put in storage in an undisclosed location, ready to burn brightly next summer.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>April 1: Wimbledon's net loss&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Wimbledon chiefs cancelled the grass-court Grand Slam tournament for the first time since World War II.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Wimbledon's move contrasted with the earlier decision by Roland Garros, to reschedule their major to the autumn.</p>

<p>French Open bosses admitted their tournament could face losses of £230 million ($284 million) but their unilateral decision raised the hackles of the ATP and WTA which have their own events to reschedule.</p>

<p>In contrast, the All England Club had the foresight to take out insurance which will protect it from such losses.</p>

<p>The tennis season will not resume until July 13 at the earliest.</p>

<h2>April 2: Political football</h2>

<p>As the British government struggled to cope with the spiralling crisis, health minister Matt Hancock pointed at the highly-paid Premier League players saying they should take a pay cut.</p>

<p>Players reacted furiously, but the decision of leading clubs to use a government scheme to &nbsp;furlough less-well-paid staff and the failure of players to agree to cuts, has made them an inviting political football.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Action in the Premier League had been halted in mid-March.</p>

<h2>April 6: Open and shut for majors</h2>

<p>For the golf majors, it was a day of scribbling out plans and pencilling in others.</p>

<p>The 149th British Open, which was set for Royal St George's Golf Club in Kent in July, was cancelled for the first time since World War II.</p>

<p>Less than an hour later, the three US-based major golf championships announced rescheduled dates.</p>

<p>The PGA Championship is now scheduled to be played August 6-9 in San Francisco. It was postponed from May.</p>

<p>The US Open was rescheduled from June to September 17-20 with the Ryder Cup to be contested one week later at Whistling Straits as scheduled.</p>

<p>The Masters, which was to have climaxed at Augusta National on Sunday, has been rescheduled for November 12-15.</p>

<h2>April 8: Bundesliga leads race&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The majority of Bundesliga clubs returned to team non-contact training.</p>

<p>With talks continuing over the Bundesliga resuming on May 2, the Germans seem to be leading the race to become first major European league to return to action, even if it is behind closed doors, and offer broadcasters a live fix&nbsp;for sports-starved fans round the world.</p>


As the coronavirus pandemic has put much of the globe in lockdown, sports has not been immune, indeed the deadly fall out from a Champions League game in Milan and the speed with which the disease spread through the UAE Tour peloton raise worrying issues for the future.

As the coronavirus pandemic has put much of the globe in lockdown, sports has not been immune, indeed the deadly fall out from a Champions League game in Milan and the speed with which the disease spread through the UAE Tour peloton raise worrying issues for the future. AFP Sport picks 10 dates during the crisis that tell the tale of how sport has been hit. February 19: Spreading the virus Atalanta met Valencia in Milan in the Champions League just as infection numbers began to rise in northern Italy. Thousands of Bergamo residents travelled to the game as others crowded together at home and in bars to watch. "It's clear that evening was a situation in which the virus was widely spread," Bergamo mayor Giorgio Gori later said as the virus raged across his city. Valencia said 35 percent of their team and staff tested positive for coronavirus following the trip to Milan. February 27: Danger in the peloton The first sportsmen to come down with the virus were at cycling's UAE Tour, which was abandoned after two Italian mechanics tested positive. Tests immediately found six more cases. March 13: F1's chequered flag The opening Grand Prix of the Formula One season was called off two days before the race with teams already in Melbourne and practising. Since then, eight more races have either been postponed or cancelled and by Saturday, when Haas became the latest outfit to furlough employees, half the teams on the grid had put staff on enforced absence. March 15: The IPL declares The Indian Premier League, cricket's annual money maker which generates an estimated $11 billion, was postponed and rescheduled for April 15. That won't happen. "Let's say July-August is the earliest," said Kevin Pietersen, the former England batsman. March 17: Euro 2020 postponed UEFA postpones Euro 2020 until 2021 though for a few days it insists the name will not change. Moving its marquee international tournament gives the governing body of European football a window to sort out more pressing problems. With club football halted almost everywhere, can it finish this season before player contracts expire at the end of June and sort out relegation, promotion and Champions League qualification in time for next season? March 24: Tokyo Olympics off After an uprising from athletes and sports bodies, the Tokyo Olympics became the first peacetime Games to be postponed. The Games, originally scheduled for July 24-August 9, will be held 12 months late. The International Olympic Committee, its member sports and Japan, faced a series of problems. There was the loss of revenue, from broadcasting, sponsors and tickets that would normally go to federations, many of which were counting on the cash, or pay for the host's expenditure. There was the issue of athletes who had already qualified. There was also the knock-on impact on other events. World Athletics quickly announced it was rescheduling its world championships, set for Eugene, Oregon, next summer to 2022. The Olympic flame, meanwhile, was displayed for a week in a lantern and then put in storage in an undisclosed location, ready to burn brightly next summer. April 1: Wimbledon's net loss Wimbledon chiefs cancelled the grass-court Grand Slam tournament for the first time since World War II. Wimbledon's move contrasted with the earlier decision by Roland Garros, to reschedule their major to the autumn. French Open bosses admitted their tournament could face losses of £230 million ($284 million) but their unilateral decision raised the hackles of the ATP and WTA which have their own events to reschedule. In contrast, the All England Club had the foresight to take out insurance which will protect it from such losses. The tennis season will not resume until July 13 at the earliest. April 2: Political football As the British government struggled to cope with the spiralling crisis, health minister Matt Hancock pointed at the highly-paid Premier League players saying they should take a pay cut. Players reacted furiously, but the decision of leading clubs to use a government scheme to furlough less-well-paid staff and the failure of players to agree to cuts, has made them an inviting political football. Action in the Premier League had been halted in mid-March. April 6: Open and shut for majors For the golf majors, it was a day of scribbling out plans and pencilling in others. The 149th British Open, which was set for Royal St George's Golf Club in Kent in July, was cancelled for the first time since World War II. Less than an hour later, the three US-based major golf championships announced rescheduled dates. The PGA Championship is now scheduled to be played August 6-9 in San Francisco. It was postponed from May. The US Open was rescheduled from June to September 17-20 with the Ryder Cup to be contested one week later at Whistling Straits as scheduled. The Masters, which was to have climaxed at Augusta National on Sunday, has been rescheduled for November 12-15. April 8: Bundesliga leads race The majority of Bundesliga clubs returned to team non-contact training. With talks continuing over the Bundesliga resuming on May 2, the Germans seem to be leading the race to become first major European league to return to action, even if it is behind closed doors, and offer broadcasters a live fix for sports-starved fans round the world.

Coronavirus: The weeks that rocked sport

<p>With the COVID-19 pandemic shattering the entire sporting calendar, all eyes are on the future of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 which was earlier scheduled to start from March 29 before getting postponed till April 15. While almost the entire world is currently under lockdown to curb the spread of the dreaded COVID-19, there are major question marks on whether IPL 2020 will be played this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal has said that the board is not in a position to take a final take on the fate of IPL 2020 and it would be “too premature” to comment on whether the cash-rich tournament could be played in place of ICC T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in October-November in Australia.</p>

<p>"Right now, the picture is very hazy. We don't even know when the lockdown will end and if we don't know, how can we even have a meaningful discussion. Once we get clarity from the government, we can then sit and take fresh stock of the situation. Any speculation about its future will be premature," Dhumal told PTI.</p>

<p>"Everyone wants IPL to happen but let's have some clarity first."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nothing-is-in-favour-of-any-kind-of-sport-forget-ipl-bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-292216" hreflang="en">Nothing is in favour of any kind of sport, forget IPL: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly</a></strong></p>

<p>The BCCI treasurer confirmed that there was no conference call on Monday between the office bearers on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We office-bearers are in constant touch. It's not just IPL but there is a huge amount of pending administrative work, legal issues that need to be studied. But there was no conference call scheduled today as there is nothing to discuss till current situation persists," Dhumal said.</p>

<p>He also provided some practical insight into rescheduling of IPL as speculations are rife about the October-November window.</p>

<p>There are major speculations that IPL 2020 could be played in place of ICC T20 World Cup. But that would need the postponement of the showpiece event.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-should-have-retired-after-world-cup-seems-stuck-now-shoaib-akhtar-292206" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni should have retired after World Cup, seems stuck now: Shoaib Akhtar</a></strong></p>

<p>"Tell me one thing. Firstly, if Australia is under lockdown for six months, how can we conclude that they will allow their players to travel from next month right away? What if the travel restrictions for its citizens are still in place? How will they come to India then? And don't forget that other boards also need to agree," Dhumal said.</p>

<p>"Secondly, even if the lockdown ends in India, what if some of the major cities still have those COVID ''hotspots''? Can we risk the lives of our sportspersons? Thirdly, the players are likely to go without training for months.</p>

<p>"Even if we are in a position to conduct a tournament, for international players, we need to give them a bare minimum time to do full-fledged training before we can start a tournament. All these factors can only be clear when we are in a position to discuss," Dhumal said.</p>


With the COVID-19 pandemic shattering the entire sporting calendar, all eyes are on the future of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 which was earlier scheduled to start from March 29 before getting postponed till April 15.

With the COVID-19 pandemic shattering the entire sporting calendar, all eyes are on the future of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 which was earlier scheduled to start from March 29 before getting postponed till April 15. While almost the entire world is currently under lockdown to curb the spread of the dreaded COVID-19, there are major question marks on whether IPL 2020 will be played this year. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal has said that the board is not in a position to take a final take on the fate of IPL 2020 and it would be “too premature” to comment on whether the cash-rich tournament could be played in place of ICC T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in October-November in Australia. "Right now, the picture is very hazy. We don't even know when the lockdown will end and if we don't know, how can we even have a meaningful discussion. Once we get clarity from the government, we can then sit and take fresh stock of the situation. Any speculation about its future will be premature," Dhumal told PTI. "Everyone wants IPL to happen but let's have some clarity first." ALSO READ: Nothing is in favour of any kind of sport, forget IPL: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly The BCCI treasurer confirmed that there was no conference call on Monday between the office bearers on Monday. "We office-bearers are in constant touch. It's not just IPL but there is a huge amount of pending administrative work, legal issues that need to be studied. But there was no conference call scheduled today as there is nothing to discuss till current situation persists," Dhumal said. He also provided some practical insight into rescheduling of IPL as speculations are rife about the October-November window. There are major speculations that IPL 2020 could be played in place of ICC T20 World Cup. But that would need the postponement of the showpiece event. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni should have retired after World Cup, seems stuck now: Shoaib Akhtar "Tell me one thing. Firstly, if Australia is under lockdown for six months, how can we conclude that they will allow their players to travel from next month right away? What if the travel restrictions for its citizens are still in place? How will they come to India then? And don't forget that other boards also need to agree," Dhumal said. "Secondly, even if the lockdown ends in India, what if some of the major cities still have those COVID ''hotspots''? Can we risk the lives of our sportspersons? Thirdly, the players are likely to go without training for months. "Even if we are in a position to conduct a tournament, for international players, we need to give them a bare minimum time to do full-fledged training before we can start a tournament. All these factors can only be clear when we are in a position to discuss," Dhumal said.

Everyone wants IPL to happen but premature to comment on October-November window for IPL 2020: BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal

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