Sporting calendar has been left shattered by the COVID-19 pandemic and motorsport has also been affected heavily by the dreaded virus, postponing as many as nine races.

Sporting calendar has been left shattered by the COVID-19 pandemic and motorsport has also been affected heavily by the dreaded virus, postponing as many as nine races. The Canadian Grand Prix was the latest to join the list, consisting the likes of Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, China, Netherlands, Monaco, Spain and Vietnam Grand Prix, to be postponed in the 2020 F1 season. One of the prominent voices in Formula One and one of two Indians to race in the sport – Karun Chandhok – in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo spoke about a lot of things ranging from the halted season, how the racing season could be revived, team dynamics in F1, virtual races, life in lockdown and more. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'It is time to introspect' - Pankaj Advani opens up on COVID-19 situation, lockdown, sporting calendar and more Digvijay Singh Deo: Karun, you are in England and the news coming out of there does not make pleasant reading. How dire is it there? Karun Chandhok: The situation in England is not great at the moment, even the prime minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, has been admitted to the ICU. So it is tough, but to be honest it is the same as the rest of the world. I don't think the scenario is necessarily worse than the rest of Europe. Everyone is tracking a different curve and timeline. I think in a country like India, it's difficult to know what the actual numbers are because the population is so high and people aren't being tested enough. The same problem exists in the USA. We've all fighting a common enemy and every country is trying to deal with it the best way we can. DSD: You have an extremely young family as well so both Akshara and you have to be taking extra precautions. KC: We're very lucky because we live away from London, in the suburbs, so it is still possible to exercise self-isolation while still going out and being away from people, which is nice. The town that I live in has only 11,000 people, the population is probably less than that of my old colony in Chennai where I grew up. But for others who live in the heart of the city, it's difficult, whether you live in Delhi, Mumbai or London, it is tough to find space to isolate. DSD: And the other part of your family is in Chennai, your bother is a broadcaster and must be in Mumbai so the Chandhok's are scattered here and there at the moment... KC: It was my fathers' birthday yesterday, so we had a zoom call yesterday which involved about 20 family members from all across the world, including Australia, USA, all parts of Europe and India as well. So everyone is finding new ways of staying in touch with their loved ones. I just wish I had bought shares in 'zoom' before the coronavirus crisis started, that would have been a very fruitful investment. DSD: Let’s talk about formula one. Canadian GP has been postponed now as well. That’s the first nine races gone. Just like that... KC: Yes, nine races have been cancelled, and the decisions have been taken after due deliberation. The announcements are coming slowly, but that is because there is no immediate rush to do so. The promoters and race organisers can take their time. I personally do not think the season can start before august, and that itself is optimistic. I'm not a medical professional or a scientist so I don't know how long this crisis will carry on.but from what I'm reading and seeing in the news, I feel that the summer months will be able to flatten the curve and stop the spread. But formula one is a global event, unlike say the IPL or Wimbledon. So even if the situation improves in Europe, but not in Asia or South America, then the formula one will not be able to function. The travel restrictions need to be relaxed for people to come in from all over the world, as races take place in every corner of the globe. That's the tricky aspect for formula one, that the situation in the entire world needs to improve for the season to get up and running. However, on the flip-side, we can have a truncated season, unlike Wimbledon, which can only be held during a certain time in a year. Whereas in Formula One you can be a little more flexible and juggle the calendar to have some form of a campaign. You can race in the middle eastern countries in the winter and race in Europe in August. DSD: Let’s go back to those farcical scenes in Melbourne last month. F1 has the reputation of being a snobbish sport and the tamasha that unfolded in Melbourne is going to haunt the sport for a long long time. KC: I think it is wrong to solely blame F1 for what happened in Australia. The reality is that there were three parties involved in the decision-making process- the Formula One authorities, the Australian government/ local promoters and the governing body of the sport- FIA. There were problems of communication between those three parties, as Chase Carey, the formula one chief was in Vietnam, evaluating the situation there for the inaugural Hanoi GP. While the FIA head Jean Todt was in Europe. For the local promoters, the commercial aspect had to be looked at and there was a lot of money to be made. They also had to look at their relationship with the australian government, so the due process had to be followed. So overall it was the perfect storm. But the issue which wasn't handled well by the authorities was that of communication to the fans. Even on the Friday morning, there was news on the radio, urging fans to head to the track and people were cueing up outside the gate. So that was an error on the part of the F1 bosses. So the rest of it is hard for us to judge as there are so many layers that need to be considered. So the only thing I would fault the F1 for is the lack of communication to the fans. DSD: Let’s look at the scenarios. Bernie Ecclestone the former supremo of F1 feels the season is a write-off. Liberty says they can still salvage a season. With Canada now gone and with France looking unlikely as well you are looking at no races till the end of June. KC: There have to be at least eight rounds in a season to constitute an FIA World Championship. So if we start in August and continue the season till the second or third week of December, I think it's logistically possible to manage 12 or 13 race weekends. I think the biggest question is that of when can we start. There are enough European venues which will be willing host races if the world health organisation and the various governments clear it. I think all the European Grand Prix can be held. The Bahrain and Abu Dhabi races can be held towards December. I don't think the Singapore race will be possible as it is a street circuit and they will have to prepare the track. So for the Singapore GP to take place, they need to be told at least three months in advance, so it could happen maybe in December, but they would need to get the green light in august. So it is a slightly complicated situation. But the Chinese Grand Prix could take place, as the Shanghai track will be open in June. That would be an amazing story since china is where the crisis started. And finally, a quick North American leg can also happen depending on the pandemic situation there, with races in Texas and Mexico. So potentially a season could take place, but the main question is when it will be able to start. DSD: I spoke to Rohan Bopanna the other day and asked if he felt tennis season should resume under closed doors. F1 is thinking of the same as well but Bops said you forget about players and everyone flying in, quarantine regulations etc.thats a problem every sport is facing and unless we have a private island like the one UFC is proposing I find it difficult to believe that these restrictions will be lifted KC: As I said before, travel needs to resume, quarantines need to be wavered and various restrictions have to be lifted globally for the formula season to kick off. DSD: Economically, Karun, what is the hit we are looking at for the sport if there is no 2020 season.not just about drivers and teams there are others including possibly you not getting salaries KC: I think the reality is that the whole world is taking a hit. Regardless of the scale of the business, whether it be a local grocery store or a multinational corporation, each and every establishment of any sort is suffering. So Formula One is no different, everyone is in the same boat. The survival of F1 depends on how the sport reacts to this crisis. But there are changes being made, for example, there were rule changes that were going to take place in 2021, which have now been pushed back to 2022. That was going to be extremely expensive as the whole concept and designs of the car was going to be modified. The rules change might even get pushed back to 2023, so that is a big cost-saving strategy. Other measures are also being taken, a rule might be passed which means that the same 2020 cars will be used for the 2021 season. So that saves the cost of building and designing another car. Owners of the sport- the liberty group are very aware of the problems that are facing formula one, so I believe they know what needs to be done to help teams survive. Think of like a government, every government is trying to put together a package to help industries and businesses. So the F1, on a smaller scale is trying to do something similar. So F1 has to ensure that teams are provided with aid, but it is also difficult for them as the sport is also losing out on a lot of money. The rights fees for races aren't coming and there is no sponsorship money because the season is not on. In simple terms, if there are no races, there is no money flowing in. DSD: Mclaren has already come out and said two to four teams could fold. How significant are the operating margins? And I ask you this as you are closely involved with the sport and have a better understanding than us. KC: I think in terms of the top teams- Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari- as long as the parent companies and the factories continue to support them, they will be able to manage.those three have got enough financial muscle to survive the crisis. But the question mark remains over manufacturers like Renault, the automotive industry has taken a hit worldwide. So I'm sure their board is wondering what cutbacks they need to make to their F1 expenses. Now, these four are the manufacturers, then you have six independent teams. These independent teams spend about 100 million pounds a season to operate and compete in formula one. That sum is for a full season of 22 races. If there are fewer races, obviously less money will be spent. But the overheads of the teams are still the same, Racing Point, Williams and McLaren have announced that they are furloughing some of their staff. But as I mentioned before, the overheads of the infrastructure are still high for a team. So these teams need to figure out a way to spend I would estimate around 60-70 million pounds in the year to survive. Now a huge portion of that money comes from tv right, media rights and race hosting rights. All of this rights money constitutes a formula one pot, the teams share 65 per cent of the sum, while F1 keeps the rest of the money. Now in order for the sport to survive and for the teams to survive, the F1 could make an exception and change that equation for this year. The MotoGP have done that, they have given more money to the independent teams this year to help through this financial crisis. DSD: There also the power struggle going on about reduced budget caps. I find merit in the argument of the big teams, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull that we also sell parts to other teams so you have to factor in higher research and development costs for us. KC: I don't think that should be the case. The devil is in the detail. These are all arguments that carry on in the political world of F1. But actually it's quite simple, if you take engine development out of the budget cap, making it an operational cap for the race team, then it becomes the same for every competitor a separate engine development cap can stop the manufacturers from needing to spend more. So everything is workable, it's just that unfortunately the people associated with F1 are wired in such a way that they think of themselves sport. But I guess that is the nature of sport, you have to be selfish to a certain degree to be successful. But at this point F1 needs strong leaders, they need Chase Carey and Jean Todt to step up and come up with a concrete plan to deal with the crisis.we are at a crossroads, where F1 could go back to having more independent teams, which means the manufacturers would become engine suppliers. That was the model that existed for a long time till the early 1990s, when you had independent teams with an engine partner. So if the auto industry doesn't recover and the manufacturers feel like they need to cut back on their expenditure, maybe they will go back to being engine suppliers. For example, that is what honda are doing right now, they are not a full team, they're just partners with red bull and there's nothing wrong with that, it is actually part of the DNA of the sport. DSD: Trust is a huge part of the problem. Team dynamics aren’t exactly the greatest at the moment. The Ferrari settlement with the FIA didn’t go down well with the teams. Are teams entitled to want more transparency and is the perceived lack of transparency hurting the sport? KC: I think I can understand why the teams are not happy about Ferrari's settlement with the FIA. If I'm honest I'm a little surprised that the FIA announced that there was some sort of settlement with Ferrari. In the past, when Bernie Ecclestone was in charge, I'm sure there were many deals done that none of us even knew about since they happened behind closed doors. For whatever reason, the FIA announced they had made the settlement and that upset all the other teams. But because of the coronavirus crisis, that issue has been shelved for the time being. DSD: I want to also understand how do drivers stay fit. Most have gyms and simulators at home. Other sportspersons around the world like a tennis player do not have access to say a tennis court. Do F1 drivers then have an advantage or they need to spend time in the car? KC: Nothing beats being in an actual car, but I think it's the same for every sportsperson at the moment. I think most people have some sort of training set up at home. I, for example, have a rowing machine, so I've been spending about an hour every day on that. Some people are going for a run outdoors if it is safe to do so. They are finding ways to maintain their fitness levels. Mercedes driver Valterri Bottas has gone to Finland, where the population is very low and he's skiing to stay fit. Mclaren driver Carlos Sainz has gone back home to Madrid where he has a gym set up. Everyone is just trying to make it work somehow. It's harder for the Olympic athletes because they spend four years aiming to peak at a certain point. So I feel bad for track and field athletes because they would have prepared to peak for Tokyo 2020, and now it has been postponed by more than a year. So it must be a huge challenge for them to adapt to the new schedule. DSD: Pankaj Advani says when sport resumes there will be a level playing field for initially a few months as most will be rusty due to lack of practice.do you see that happening in F1 considering that no development has been going on since Melbourne? KC: This where the organisational level of a team or a federation comes into play. For example, as soon as the lockdown happened, Red Bull sent their driver Alex Albon all kinds of equipment which would help him train at home. So various simulation tools were sent to ensure that he kept sharp and kept training. So the preparation of the teams who are managed well will not be affected greatly at this time. Pierre Gassly is living with his trainer at the moment, so essentially they live like a family.this is when the well-run Olympic or sporting federations will be able to help their athletes because that's what the job of any sporting body is. DSD: Now at the beginning, I did say that F1 sort of is acknowledged as a snobbish sport but teams have been working to produce breathing kits and other equipment to battle pandemic. KC: There are many ways in which the F1 is helping. Seven of the teams in the UK have come together for an initiative called 'project pitlane' which has been set up to manufacture medical equipment. Mercedes have manufactured a C-Pap machine, which helps coronavirus patients with lung infections breathe more easily. But what is really great that Mercedes have made the design and specifications available on an 'open source' basis. So that means that anyone can take the design to medical equipment manufacturers anywhere in the world, and they can produce the same machine, which will hopefully help those in need. I think this is a fantastic initiative by Mercedes. The other teams are working on creating ventilator systems. I was speaking to one of the engineers the other day, and he said that British military was actually working on the design for these set of ventilators for two years, but they were not able to put together a final product. But the F1 engineers have been able to turn that working design into a product that is ready for testing on patients, in just two weeks. So that gives you an idea about the speed at which these F1 engineers work. They see a problem at one race and that has to be solved in two weeks time for the next Grand Prix. So when you get the heads of engineers from the seven teams together, that is what they are capable of. DSD: Want to end this by asking you what you think about the virtual races and do we get to see you competing in one of them? KC: The virtual races are fun, but what you will notice is those who are participating either have no children or have children who they can keep occupied with toys and other activities. I, on the other hand, have 16 month old- whose nickname is captain chaos and doesn't sit still for a moment. If I had a gaming pod, he would be grabbing at it and not let me complete the race. So I think I'll have to wait for at least a couple more years before I can take part in the virtual races.

Exclusive: 'Formula One is no different, everyone is in same boat' - Karun Chandhok opens up on halted F1 season, life in lockdown and more

With the world of sport coming to a grinding halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sportspersons, who otherwise would have been on the road because of their busy schedule, have been restricted to train indoors. Almost the entire world is under lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus which has led to&nbsp;149 deaths with over 5.000 positive cases in India. Events like the Tokyo Olympics, Wimbledon, EURO among others have been either postponed or cancelled given the current scenario surrounding the deadly virus.&nbsp;

In an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, 23-time World Champion Pankaj Advani spoke on the situation surrounding COVID-19, finding new perspective during tough times, how he is spending his time in lockdown, why people need to be more sensible and sensitive in these times and much more.

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Digvijay Singh Deo: Pankaj, thanks for taking out time for this. When I called you last evening you were playing a board game with your brother Shree. So that’s the lockdown mantra for you...

Pankaj: Absolutely, this is the time which we can use to bond with the family. Since we have to stay indoors, we are getting to do those things which we otherwise wouldn't do because we're so busy in the rat race. So we can spend some quality time with the family and indulge ourselves in board games, movies and books, something we probably miss out on a daily basis when life is normal.

My niece is winning the board game battle, kids these days are really smart and you have to hand it to them. It's good to lose sometimes and win in the real world where it really matters.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-was-devastated-to-hear-about-wimbledon-cancellation-rohan-bopanna-opens-up-on-fate-of-tennis-season-relief-package-for-players-and-more-291185" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Was devastated to hear about Wimbledon cancellation' - Rohan Bopanna opens up on fate of tennis season, relief package for players and more</a>

DSD: I have been speaking to a lot of Indian sportspersons during the lockdown. These are unprecedented times with the global sporting calendar wiped out. Everything is shut and perhaps it is in this absence that we learn to appreciate why we love sports so much...

Pankaj: This lockdown has given us a lot of perspectives. We are now truly appreciating the things that we take for granted, not just in sport, but life in general. We now understand the value of household chores, something which we conveniently tried to avoid in the past. There is a newfound respect for our house help and other family members. We also have to lend a helping hand now and ensure that we do our duty. We must respect and understand the kind of effort our house help and family members put in to make our lives comfortable.&nbsp;

When it comes to the world of sport, of course, we are missing the action and we will it value it even more once it returns. But at the moment it is very uncertain when competitive sport will return, it could be 6 months or even a year before we see any action. However I feel that we're fighting something that is bigger than sport, so each and every person has to contribute in some way to defeat the coronavirus.

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DSD: Look at it, it's not just the iconic events such as the Monaco GP, Wimbledon and the Olympics that have been cancelled. Your sport too has seen cancellations...

Pankaj: In terms of cue sports, we had the Asian Snooker Championships and team events slated for the first half of April, which was obviously cancelled. It is unfortunate that so many major events like Wimbledon or the Olympics are being cancelled or pushed back. But as I mentioned, it is understandable given the current scenario and we will get another chance to compete in the future.

In sport, the worst that can happen in sport is that you lose, but you will always get another chance unless you're retiring. But there are no second chances in life and we are fighting for survival. Our priorities have to be health and safety at the moment. If we don't take this virus seriously, we may not even get the chance to witness or compete in sporting events in the future.

So must fight this virus together as a community and get through this crisis as quickly as possible.

DSD: I spoke to boxing legend Mary Kom the other day, and even she said that there are more important things right now than a sport...

Pankaj: Absolutely. It gives us so much perspective, this time that we have to ourselves, it makes us understand the most important things in life. In India, we have a famous saying ' roti, kapda, makaan’, and that holds true now. All we really need is food, shelter and clothing.

It might be a very simplistic approach to life at the moment, but maybe this was also part of nature's plan. At some point the correction had to be made, the unfortunate thing is that so many deaths are taking place and so many people are suffering all the world. My heartfelt condolences to all those families who are going through these times.

But a lot of important lessons can be learned from this ongoing crisis, to appreciate what we have and also to adapt as humans, because in some way this is the new normal now. Nobody would have thought that we would spend weeks or months in the confines of our four walls. But this situation has taught us some very important lessons and I think we have become better human beings.

ALSO READ :&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-we-are-all-in-it-together-mary-kom-opens-up-on-covid-19-pandemic-olympic-gold-dream-life-in-lockdown-and-more-290909">Exclusive: 'We are all in it together' - Mary Kom opens up on COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic gold dream, life in lockdown and more</a>

DSD: The virus has taught us that there is a way to stay indoors and limit yourself, it has sort of hit a reset button for all of us. And also reminded us of the importance of constant adaptation...

Pankaj: It is time to introspect and look within ourselves rather than always chasing external or material goals. We must also reflect on the tough times that we are going through right now. We as athletes must contribute in any which way we can. I'm also fortunate that I am in a position to contribute in whatever way I can to those in need.

The real heroes in these times are the doctors, nurses, the support staff and police, who have been putting their health at risk to protect others. My heartfelt gratitude to all those people who are on the front-line battling the virus to save our lives.

<img alt="Exclusive | Pankaj Advani in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ea1d67e9-b0bf-495e-aaa3-b83b63b6e8f0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Del225668.jpg" />

DSD: Lots of videos emerging of animals reclaiming what was once theirs, really is fascinating to see them roam around without a fear in towns next to forests...like those disaster movies we see...

Pankaj: It's been such a massive change for all of us. It may be a message from nature to all humans to pause, reflect and make a change. It is great to see animals reclaiming their spaces, you see dolphins in Venice or even off the coast in Mumbai. It's great to see peacocks roaming around, the environment has become much purer and clean. Despite the crisis, there have been mostly positive vibes around the world. I think we have interfered with nature too much and as a result of meddling with the natural environment and order, we are paying the price. 
It is unfortunate but it probably had to happen, a lot of astrologers predicted this. But now the focus is to get back on our feet and learn our lessons from this massive crisis. We as humans must learn to live with other species and not disturb their natural order.

DSD: But as society punks, are we disciplined. Misbehaving with doctors, candlelight marches despite calls to stay at home. Governments, doctors, healthcare, police ...people are putting lives at risk to keep the country running but not everyone gets the gravity of the situation...

Pankaj: I think a lot of us need to understand the consequences of us not following the government guidelines. It was only last night, that I saw a video posted by Salman Khan, where he was saying that he was scared of the virus, but he also added that it was probably a good thing, because the more we are afraid of the disease, the more precautions we will take to not get infected. 
The rate at which the virus spreads is exponential, so it is not just about getting saving yourself from getting infected, it's about ensuring that the community at large is protected. We also have to rise above our petty differences, we must not discriminate on the basis of religion, caste, class or race. It doesn't matter if you’re black or white, rich or poor, this virus can get anyone, even if you're the prime minister of a country, you can contract the virus, and we have seen examples of it with Boris Johnson falling ill.

The virus in a way is a great leveller, everyone has to take precautions against it, regardless of your status in society. As responsible citizens of not only our country but the world, we have to ensure that we cause as little harm as possible to humanity, we also have to look out and take care of our fellow humans and even animals, because they too are getting affected by the virus.

DSD:&nbsp;I have friends who do not go out to buy groceries because they are from the northeast and there are racial taunts coming their way. That’s the sad bit isn’t it even Jwala Gutta spoke about the same and sometimes situations like these bring out the worst in people...

Pankaj: It is so unfortunate that these incidents are taking place. We have to understand the fact that we are fighting a much bigger enemy, if we do that then we will not get into these petty and irrelevant arguments and we'll stop holding each other responsible for the spread of the virus. 
It is sad that people are still not following the government's guidelines, we have seen so many religious meetings take place, even seeing people bursting crackers the other day was unfortunate. I would appeal to the public to maintain physical distancing, the reason I don't call it social distancing is because we can still be connected through technology. We are actually fighting this together, but the irony is we are doing so being away from each other. The more physically apart we are from each other, the more chances we have of winning this battle.

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DSD: How important is the role of prominent sportspersons like you in times like these?

Pankaj:&nbsp;Sport is all about following the rules and exercising fair play. Sportsmanship is about competing on the same platform, and being fair to each individual. People tend to look up to sportspersons because we follow the rules very strictly and are extremely disciplined. So as athletes we can urge the public to strictly adhere to the guidelines set by the government and the world health organisation. So not only athletes, any influential person has a responsibility to spread positive messages during the lockdown, so that we get through this as quickly as possible.

DSD: If I could use the word, you are a slave to practice. That’s one of the reasons for your success. I spoke to Mary Kom and she said that even at 37 what keeps her going against the much younger opponents is her training regime. No holding back during training sessions. But since you don't have a billiards table at home, how do you plan to overcome this problem?

Pankaj: So you know how the saying goes - 'stay home, say safe', the rule for me is to 'stay home and play safe'. For me not playing at all during this period is staying safe. To be honest every athlete is going to be so rusty when he or she gets back to competing. The lack of training and staying indoors will obviously hugely affect performance. I don't even know if any international competition will take place this year. Even in my sport, I’m not sure what will happen, the only silver lining is that I will get to be defending world champion for another year if there are no more tournaments.&nbsp;

On a serious note, every athlete is going to come into the arena with a more grateful approach, and every athlete has to accept and adapt to the situation. So when we get back I think we might see a fairer dignified approach towards sport, which means that people might not resort to unethical means while competing to win. But as I said before right now there are much bigger things to fight against. I do believe that we will come out of this stronger as human beings and this will make us better individuals, ultimately humanity will win. We must support one another and I appeal to everyone to stay home, stay safe and save lives. 
&nbsp;

With the world of sport coming to a grinding halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sportspersons, who otherwise would have been on the road because of their busy schedule, have been restricted to train indoors.

With the world of sport coming to a grinding halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sportspersons, who otherwise would have been on the road because of their busy schedule, have been restricted to train indoors. Almost the entire world is under lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus which has led to 149 deaths with over 5.000 positive cases in India. Events like the Tokyo Olympics, Wimbledon, EURO among others have been either postponed or cancelled given the current scenario surrounding the deadly virus. In an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, 23-time World Champion Pankaj Advani spoke on the situation surrounding COVID-19, finding new perspective during tough times, how he is spending his time in lockdown, why people need to be more sensible and sensitive in these times and much more. × Digvijay Singh Deo: Pankaj, thanks for taking out time for this. When I called you last evening you were playing a board game with your brother Shree. So that’s the lockdown mantra for you... Pankaj: Absolutely, this is the time which we can use to bond with the family. Since we have to stay indoors, we are getting to do those things which we otherwise wouldn't do because we're so busy in the rat race. So we can spend some quality time with the family and indulge ourselves in board games, movies and books, something we probably miss out on a daily basis when life is normal. My niece is winning the board game battle, kids these days are really smart and you have to hand it to them. It's good to lose sometimes and win in the real world where it really matters. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Was devastated to hear about Wimbledon cancellation' - Rohan Bopanna opens up on fate of tennis season, relief package for players and more DSD: I have been speaking to a lot of Indian sportspersons during the lockdown. These are unprecedented times with the global sporting calendar wiped out. Everything is shut and perhaps it is in this absence that we learn to appreciate why we love sports so much... Pankaj: This lockdown has given us a lot of perspectives. We are now truly appreciating the things that we take for granted, not just in sport, but life in general. We now understand the value of household chores, something which we conveniently tried to avoid in the past. There is a newfound respect for our house help and other family members. We also have to lend a helping hand now and ensure that we do our duty. We must respect and understand the kind of effort our house help and family members put in to make our lives comfortable. When it comes to the world of sport, of course, we are missing the action and we will it value it even more once it returns. But at the moment it is very uncertain when competitive sport will return, it could be 6 months or even a year before we see any action. However I feel that we're fighting something that is bigger than sport, so each and every person has to contribute in some way to defeat the coronavirus. DSD: Look at it, it's not just the iconic events such as the Monaco GP, Wimbledon and the Olympics that have been cancelled. Your sport too has seen cancellations... Pankaj: In terms of cue sports, we had the Asian Snooker Championships and team events slated for the first half of April, which was obviously cancelled. It is unfortunate that so many major events like Wimbledon or the Olympics are being cancelled or pushed back. But as I mentioned, it is understandable given the current scenario and we will get another chance to compete in the future. In sport, the worst that can happen in sport is that you lose, but you will always get another chance unless you're retiring. But there are no second chances in life and we are fighting for survival. Our priorities have to be health and safety at the moment. If we don't take this virus seriously, we may not even get the chance to witness or compete in sporting events in the future. So must fight this virus together as a community and get through this crisis as quickly as possible. DSD: I spoke to boxing legend Mary Kom the other day, and even she said that there are more important things right now than a sport... Pankaj: Absolutely. It gives us so much perspective, this time that we have to ourselves, it makes us understand the most important things in life. In India, we have a famous saying ' roti, kapda, makaan’, and that holds true now. All we really need is food, shelter and clothing. It might be a very simplistic approach to life at the moment, but maybe this was also part of nature's plan. At some point the correction had to be made, the unfortunate thing is that so many deaths are taking place and so many people are suffering all the world. My heartfelt condolences to all those families who are going through these times. But a lot of important lessons can be learned from this ongoing crisis, to appreciate what we have and also to adapt as humans, because in some way this is the new normal now. Nobody would have thought that we would spend weeks or months in the confines of our four walls. But this situation has taught us some very important lessons and I think we have become better human beings. ALSO READ : Exclusive: 'We are all in it together' - Mary Kom opens up on COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic gold dream, life in lockdown and more DSD: The virus has taught us that there is a way to stay indoors and limit yourself, it has sort of hit a reset button for all of us. And also reminded us of the importance of constant adaptation... Pankaj: It is time to introspect and look within ourselves rather than always chasing external or material goals. We must also reflect on the tough times that we are going through right now. We as athletes must contribute in any which way we can. I'm also fortunate that I am in a position to contribute in whatever way I can to those in need. The real heroes in these times are the doctors, nurses, the support staff and police, who have been putting their health at risk to protect others. My heartfelt gratitude to all those people who are on the front-line battling the virus to save our lives. DSD: Lots of videos emerging of animals reclaiming what was once theirs, really is fascinating to see them roam around without a fear in towns next to forests...like those disaster movies we see... Pankaj: It's been such a massive change for all of us. It may be a message from nature to all humans to pause, reflect and make a change. It is great to see animals reclaiming their spaces, you see dolphins in Venice or even off the coast in Mumbai. It's great to see peacocks roaming around, the environment has become much purer and clean. Despite the crisis, there have been mostly positive vibes around the world. I think we have interfered with nature too much and as a result of meddling with the natural environment and order, we are paying the price. It is unfortunate but it probably had to happen, a lot of astrologers predicted this. But now the focus is to get back on our feet and learn our lessons from this massive crisis. We as humans must learn to live with other species and not disturb their natural order. DSD: But as society punks, are we disciplined. Misbehaving with doctors, candlelight marches despite calls to stay at home. Governments, doctors, healthcare, police ...people are putting lives at risk to keep the country running but not everyone gets the gravity of the situation... Pankaj: I think a lot of us need to understand the consequences of us not following the government guidelines. It was only last night, that I saw a video posted by Salman Khan, where he was saying that he was scared of the virus, but he also added that it was probably a good thing, because the more we are afraid of the disease, the more precautions we will take to not get infected. The rate at which the virus spreads is exponential, so it is not just about getting saving yourself from getting infected, it's about ensuring that the community at large is protected. We also have to rise above our petty differences, we must not discriminate on the basis of religion, caste, class or race. It doesn't matter if you’re black or white, rich or poor, this virus can get anyone, even if you're the prime minister of a country, you can contract the virus, and we have seen examples of it with Boris Johnson falling ill. The virus in a way is a great leveller, everyone has to take precautions against it, regardless of your status in society. As responsible citizens of not only our country but the world, we have to ensure that we cause as little harm as possible to humanity, we also have to look out and take care of our fellow humans and even animals, because they too are getting affected by the virus. DSD: I have friends who do not go out to buy groceries because they are from the northeast and there are racial taunts coming their way. That’s the sad bit isn’t it even Jwala Gutta spoke about the same and sometimes situations like these bring out the worst in people... Pankaj: It is so unfortunate that these incidents are taking place. We have to understand the fact that we are fighting a much bigger enemy, if we do that then we will not get into these petty and irrelevant arguments and we'll stop holding each other responsible for the spread of the virus. It is sad that people are still not following the government's guidelines, we have seen so many religious meetings take place, even seeing people bursting crackers the other day was unfortunate. I would appeal to the public to maintain physical distancing, the reason I don't call it social distancing is because we can still be connected through technology. We are actually fighting this together, but the irony is we are doing so being away from each other. The more physically apart we are from each other, the more chances we have of winning this battle. DSD: How important is the role of prominent sportspersons like you in times like these? Pankaj: Sport is all about following the rules and exercising fair play. Sportsmanship is about competing on the same platform, and being fair to each individual. People tend to look up to sportspersons because we follow the rules very strictly and are extremely disciplined. So as athletes we can urge the public to strictly adhere to the guidelines set by the government and the world health organisation. So not only athletes, any influential person has a responsibility to spread positive messages during the lockdown, so that we get through this as quickly as possible. DSD: If I could use the word, you are a slave to practice. That’s one of the reasons for your success. I spoke to Mary Kom and she said that even at 37 what keeps her going against the much younger opponents is her training regime. No holding back during training sessions. But since you don't have a billiards table at home, how do you plan to overcome this problem? Pankaj: So you know how the saying goes - 'stay home, say safe', the rule for me is to 'stay home and play safe'. For me not playing at all during this period is staying safe. To be honest every athlete is going to be so rusty when he or she gets back to competing. The lack of training and staying indoors will obviously hugely affect performance. I don't even know if any international competition will take place this year. Even in my sport, I’m not sure what will happen, the only silver lining is that I will get to be defending world champion for another year if there are no more tournaments. On a serious note, every athlete is going to come into the arena with a more grateful approach, and every athlete has to accept and adapt to the situation. So when we get back I think we might see a fairer dignified approach towards sport, which means that people might not resort to unethical means while competing to win. But as I said before right now there are much bigger things to fight against. I do believe that we will come out of this stronger as human beings and this will make us better individuals, ultimately humanity will win. We must support one another and I appeal to everyone to stay home, stay safe and save lives.

Exclusive: 'It is time to introspect' - Pankaj Advani opens up on COVID-19 situation, lockdown, sporting calendar and more

Michael Clarke has been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday list for Australia with the former cricket captain recognised for both his sporting career and community work.

The 39-year-old, who retired from cricket in 2015, was appointed an Officer in the general division of the Order of Australia, the citation on the Governor General’s website said.

Former women’s captain Lynnette Larsen and two-time Olympic hockey gold medallist Renita Garard were both named a Member of the Order of Australia.

“That makes it more special for me,” Clarke told The Australian newspaper on Monday. “Obviously it’s an honour to receive it, but the fact it recognises the work I’ve done for charities makes it very special.”

Clarke played 115 tests for Australia, including 47 as captain, and led the side to their fifth one day World Cup title in 2015. He scored 8,643 test runs at an average of 49.10, with 28 centuries.

Clarke has been heavily involved in numerous health and children’s charities.

Michael Clarke has been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday list for Australia with the former cricket captain recognised for both his sporting career and community work.

Michael Clarke has been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday list for Australia with the former cricket captain recognised for both his sporting career and community work. The 39-year-old, who retired from cricket in 2015, was appointed an Officer in the general division of the Order of Australia, the citation on the Governor General’s website said. Former women’s captain Lynnette Larsen and two-time Olympic hockey gold medallist Renita Garard were both named a Member of the Order of Australia. “That makes it more special for me,” Clarke told The Australian newspaper on Monday. “Obviously it’s an honour to receive it, but the fact it recognises the work I’ve done for charities makes it very special.” Clarke played 115 tests for Australia, including 47 as captain, and led the side to their fifth one day World Cup title in 2015. He scored 8,643 test runs at an average of 49.10, with 28 centuries. Clarke has been heavily involved in numerous health and children’s charities.

Former Australia captain Clarke honoured in Queen's Birthday list

With sporting calendar ripped into pieces due to COVID-19 pandemic, athletes have been restricted to train indoors amid the ongoing lockdown to curb the spread of the deadly virus. While the ongoing crisis has led to the cancellation or postponement of many high-profile tournaments, tennis is one of the sports to be hampered most by the dreaded virus. The Tokyo Olympics 2020 has been shifted to 2021 as well.

As sportspersons continue to find new ways to keep themselves in top shape and busy, Grand Slam champion, an Olympic semi-finalist, recipient of Arjuna Award and the reigning Asian Games gold medalist in men’s doubles, Rohan Bopanna, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo spoke about how he is spending his time at his ancestral place in Coorg, how tough is to maintain peak fitness without being able to train outdoors, how's his partnership with Sania Mirza is shaping up again, decision to postpone Tokyo Olympics and much more...&nbsp;

Digvijay Singh Deo: Rohan, it is fate isn’t it? Here we are locked up and there you are in your ancestral place...

Rohan Bopanna: Thanks very much Digvijay for having me on this special broadcast. Yes, I am in Coorg at my grandparents' place. I must say I’m fortunate to be in this part of the country during the lockdown.

We have our coffee plantation here, so I go for a run in the morning around the area. Just to be able to walk around this lovely estate is a pleasure. Coffee blossoms are in full swing so its a beautiful site. I don't often get the chance to be here that often, so it's really nice to be here and spend time with the family.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-we-are-all-in-it-together-mary-kom-opens-up-on-covid-19-pandemic-olympic-gold-dream-life-in-lockdown-and-more-290909" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'We are all in it together' - Mary Kom opens up on COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic gold dream, life in lockdown and more</a>

DSD: Coffee is something which is your passion these days so is that how you are spending your time in Coorg, figuring out new blends?

Rohan: Yes actually I have been exploring new types of coffees. One of my colleagues has come out with a new cold brew series. So I thought I’ll try it out as well because it is very simple to execute. My mother also likes to experiment with coffee liqueur, so she had dried some apricots three months ago, so I put it in the cold brew and it gave the coffee a real good taste. So it's a good time to try something different and explore new things. My sister was also here and I tried my hand at cooking some dishes with her, so overall it's been really fun.

<img alt="Rohan Bopanna" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="126d58d5-0952-438e-9b58-382b6871b2a9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1IE4GI.jpg" />

DSD:&nbsp;Now when the lockdown started in various parts of the world you were on India duty weren’t you returning from Croatia after the Davis Cup tie. You had a harrowing time getting back home. The virus doesn’t differentiate between fit sportspersons like you and unfit journalists like me. It is like a reset button has been hit around the world...

Rohan: I think you're one of the few fit sports journalists out there. But on a serious note, when I was leaving Croatia, I was actually going to Los Angeles via Doha. However, just an hour or so before our flight to la from Doha, we found out that the Indian wells tournament had been cancelled. We landed in Doha at about 11:30 pm on the 8th of march and our flight to LA was in the morning.

Even though we had a transit hotel booked, we couldn't leave the airport because the immigration authorities announced that citizens of certain countries- including India- would not be allowed to leave the airport premises. So obviously when we found out the Indian wells cancellation, we booked our flights to India, but our flight was at 8 pm on the next day. So we were stranded at the airport for almost 20 hours. But fortunately, the airport had a gym and a pool, so we used that and tried to keep ourselves busy.

But looking back, I’m glad that I found out about the Indian wells cancellation before our 16-hour flight to la, because it would have been a bigger problem if had reached the USA and then got to know about the suspension.

DSD: I was speaking to Mahesh Bhupathi last week and he was telling us how difficult it is to maintain peak fitness during a period like this. How are you managing? Do you have a tennis court there in Coorg?

Rohan: I think Mahesh has made a valid point, but another problem for us players is that we don't know when the tour will resume, it is very tough to prepare for the season when there is so much uncertainty around the restart. You can practice at home as much as you can, it's difficult to reach that peak fitness. There is a tennis court very close to my house in a club, but that is closed due to the lockdown so I can't use it.

I practice in my front yard with my niece and nephew for about an hour every day, giving them some lessons, they also play` at my academy in Bangalore. But coming back to the schedule, I think health and safety is everyone's number one priority at the moment. Once the global situation improves, then we can speak about the scheduling of the season and I think we will have enough time to prepare.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-virus-rewriting-history-books-in-tennis-mahesh-bhupathi-opens-up-on-wimbledon-cancellation-life-in-lockdown-and-more-290212" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Virus rewriting history books in tennis' - Mahesh Bhupathi opens up on Wimbledon cancellation, life in lockdown and more</a>

<img alt="Rohan Bopanna" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="655ea556-3c46-4eed-b979-1efd42bfa51c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1NL7PA.jpg" />

DSD: Do you have any indication as to when the tennis season can resume with clay and the grass-court season is now gone?

Rohan: It is definitely hard that we're missing all these tournaments. I personally enjoy playing on grass, so I was devastated to hear about the Wimbledon cancellation. But as athletes we cannot control any of these things, they are not in our hands. So we have to understand the situation and adapt to it. Health and safety is the priority at the moment and we have to follow the government's guidelines. This is not just a problem for tennis, it is a global crisis. So once the circumstances improve, then we will see things return to normalcy and things are no different for tennis. So think we need to be a little patient and hope for the best. Every person in the world has been affected by the COVID-19 virus.

DSD: Has this sudden break given you a new perspective about your career, considering how volatile things are? Have you drawn up a list of want to do before I retire?

Rohan: When an athlete is still playing, the thought process behind retirement is different. You take that decision when you are mentally prepared. Overnight when such a thing happens, it is difficult to reflect on your career. Yes, there is a new perspective because you're constantly thinking about something or the other. As the proverb goes, an idle mind is a devil's workshop. But the good things is that my wife and I were blessed with a beautiful baby daughter 10 months ago and we are fortunate that we are getting this time to spend with her.

DSD: Now the Olympics too have been postponed Rohan, you and Sania Mirza reached the medal round last time in Rio. Sania has just returned to the courts and now with some extra time do you think this will play into your hands?

Rohan: Yes we definitely have more time to prepare for the Olympics, but that time would only have been useful if we were playing. As you said, Sania has made her comeback, but she has not been able to really work on her game for the past month or so and same is the case with me. 
So the preparation all depends on when the tour starts, and I think we're going to lose at least another few months before it can resume. So the time would have helped if we were competing, but given the current situation, I don't think it makes much of a difference.

<img alt="Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b21435de-494a-4b90-9cc1-a78153a7c528" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_DV986388.jpg" />

DSD: Rio was your second games after London and both Olympics have been rather tumultuous in the buildup. But what do the Olympics mean for a sportsperson who competes in it?

Rohan: Firstly, I think it was the right decision to postpone the games, it was tough on some of the athletes who had already secured their spot for the games. But at this juncture, no other option was available.

Representing your country at the Olympics is the pinnacle of any sportsperson's career. It is a proud moment to be playing for your country at any event, let alone the Olympics. An athlete works so hard to reach that level and to be able to compete at that stage is something special. Even though I have participated in two games, I am so excited for the Tokyo Olympics and hopefully, I will be part of it. It just doesn't get bigger for an athlete than representing your country at the Olympics.

DSD: There is talk of the ATP and WTA tours coming up with some sort of relief package. The British Tennis Association has already announced something for players in the UK. What are you expecting from the tours, Rohan?

Rohan: It is very tough for every tennis player out there. It is like losing a job overnight. Some players might have been better prepared for this situation financially than others, that is obvious.

So far the ATP has no concrete plan in place to provide relief packages for the players. As players, there has been no communication from the ATP on the matter. But to be fair to the ATP as well, this is a completely unprecedented situation. Not just the financial aspect of it, they also have to decide on what to do with the rankings system. &nbsp;I think the ATP will come up with the right solution, it will definitely take some time, but they will certainly try to help the players as much as they can.

DSD: Mahesh was telling me that some of the Indian players will struggle if the tour does not resume. How dire is the situation across the world as you all earn a livelihood through the sport?

Rohan: Absolutely it is very difficult for the Indian players. At the moment I think it is best for the players to not overthink it too much, just settle into a routine take every day as it comes. But then again, they can't control these things, so hopefully, this phase will pass and things will get sorted out quickly.

<img alt="Rohan Bopanna" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="84f28a9c-0a36-42db-908a-d416a606f650" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_PD4CU.jpg" />

DSD: A possibility exists of playing behind closed doors. Do you agree with that suggestion, as some money could flow into the player's pockets?

Rohan: I definitely am against the idea of playing behind closed doors. Events in tennis are not held in one country or one city, the tour takes place all around the world. So a lot more preparation goes in, the rules and regulations of each country also have to be kept in mind. In most countries, people will have to be quarantined once they reach. So due to the uncertainty surrounding all events at this time, I think it will be the wrong decision to allow tennis to be held behind closed doors.

The health and safety of each and every individual has to come first and we cannot endanger anyone in the world.

DSD: You were part of the video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few days ago. What role can sportspersons play during times of crisis like this?

Rohan: First of all, it was inspiring for all the sportspersons who got a chance to speak to the prime minister. I am grateful for him to reach out to us during these times and ensure that our voices were heard. The Indian athletes have inspired so many people in the country, and getting all of them on board really sends the right message to the people.

Even if we can spread awareness to say 1 or 2 % of the population, then that is a good start. So it was a great initiative by the prime minister and the sports minister and it was special to share the platform with them and 50 other sportspersons. I'm glad that I could be part of such a cause. 
&nbsp;

With sporting calendar ripped into pieces due to COVID-19 pandemic, athletes have been restricted to train indoors amid the ongoing lockdown to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

With sporting calendar ripped into pieces due to COVID-19 pandemic, athletes have been restricted to train indoors amid the ongoing lockdown to curb the spread of the deadly virus. While the ongoing crisis has led to the cancellation or postponement of many high-profile tournaments, tennis is one of the sports to be hampered most by the dreaded virus. The Tokyo Olympics 2020 has been shifted to 2021 as well. As sportspersons continue to find new ways to keep themselves in top shape and busy, Grand Slam champion, an Olympic semi-finalist, recipient of Arjuna Award and the reigning Asian Games gold medalist in men’s doubles, Rohan Bopanna, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo spoke about how he is spending his time at his ancestral place in Coorg, how tough is to maintain peak fitness without being able to train outdoors, how's his partnership with Sania Mirza is shaping up again, decision to postpone Tokyo Olympics and much more... Digvijay Singh Deo: Rohan, it is fate isn’t it? Here we are locked up and there you are in your ancestral place... Rohan Bopanna: Thanks very much Digvijay for having me on this special broadcast. Yes, I am in Coorg at my grandparents' place. I must say I’m fortunate to be in this part of the country during the lockdown. We have our coffee plantation here, so I go for a run in the morning around the area. Just to be able to walk around this lovely estate is a pleasure. Coffee blossoms are in full swing so its a beautiful site. I don't often get the chance to be here that often, so it's really nice to be here and spend time with the family. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'We are all in it together' - Mary Kom opens up on COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic gold dream, life in lockdown and more DSD: Coffee is something which is your passion these days so is that how you are spending your time in Coorg, figuring out new blends? Rohan: Yes actually I have been exploring new types of coffees. One of my colleagues has come out with a new cold brew series. So I thought I’ll try it out as well because it is very simple to execute. My mother also likes to experiment with coffee liqueur, so she had dried some apricots three months ago, so I put it in the cold brew and it gave the coffee a real good taste. So it's a good time to try something different and explore new things. My sister was also here and I tried my hand at cooking some dishes with her, so overall it's been really fun. DSD: Now when the lockdown started in various parts of the world you were on India duty weren’t you returning from Croatia after the Davis Cup tie. You had a harrowing time getting back home. The virus doesn’t differentiate between fit sportspersons like you and unfit journalists like me. It is like a reset button has been hit around the world... Rohan: I think you're one of the few fit sports journalists out there. But on a serious note, when I was leaving Croatia, I was actually going to Los Angeles via Doha. However, just an hour or so before our flight to la from Doha, we found out that the Indian wells tournament had been cancelled. We landed in Doha at about 11:30 pm on the 8th of march and our flight to LA was in the morning. Even though we had a transit hotel booked, we couldn't leave the airport because the immigration authorities announced that citizens of certain countries- including India- would not be allowed to leave the airport premises. So obviously when we found out the Indian wells cancellation, we booked our flights to India, but our flight was at 8 pm on the next day. So we were stranded at the airport for almost 20 hours. But fortunately, the airport had a gym and a pool, so we used that and tried to keep ourselves busy. But looking back, I’m glad that I found out about the Indian wells cancellation before our 16-hour flight to la, because it would have been a bigger problem if had reached the USA and then got to know about the suspension. DSD: I was speaking to Mahesh Bhupathi last week and he was telling us how difficult it is to maintain peak fitness during a period like this. How are you managing? Do you have a tennis court there in Coorg? Rohan: I think Mahesh has made a valid point, but another problem for us players is that we don't know when the tour will resume, it is very tough to prepare for the season when there is so much uncertainty around the restart. You can practice at home as much as you can, it's difficult to reach that peak fitness. There is a tennis court very close to my house in a club, but that is closed due to the lockdown so I can't use it. I practice in my front yard with my niece and nephew for about an hour every day, giving them some lessons, they also play` at my academy in Bangalore. But coming back to the schedule, I think health and safety is everyone's number one priority at the moment. Once the global situation improves, then we can speak about the scheduling of the season and I think we will have enough time to prepare. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Virus rewriting history books in tennis' - Mahesh Bhupathi opens up on Wimbledon cancellation, life in lockdown and more DSD: Do you have any indication as to when the tennis season can resume with clay and the grass-court season is now gone? Rohan: It is definitely hard that we're missing all these tournaments. I personally enjoy playing on grass, so I was devastated to hear about the Wimbledon cancellation. But as athletes we cannot control any of these things, they are not in our hands. So we have to understand the situation and adapt to it. Health and safety is the priority at the moment and we have to follow the government's guidelines. This is not just a problem for tennis, it is a global crisis. So once the circumstances improve, then we will see things return to normalcy and things are no different for tennis. So think we need to be a little patient and hope for the best. Every person in the world has been affected by the COVID-19 virus. DSD: Has this sudden break given you a new perspective about your career, considering how volatile things are? Have you drawn up a list of want to do before I retire? Rohan: When an athlete is still playing, the thought process behind retirement is different. You take that decision when you are mentally prepared. Overnight when such a thing happens, it is difficult to reflect on your career. Yes, there is a new perspective because you're constantly thinking about something or the other. As the proverb goes, an idle mind is a devil's workshop. But the good things is that my wife and I were blessed with a beautiful baby daughter 10 months ago and we are fortunate that we are getting this time to spend with her. DSD: Now the Olympics too have been postponed Rohan, you and Sania Mirza reached the medal round last time in Rio. Sania has just returned to the courts and now with some extra time do you think this will play into your hands? Rohan: Yes we definitely have more time to prepare for the Olympics, but that time would only have been useful if we were playing. As you said, Sania has made her comeback, but she has not been able to really work on her game for the past month or so and same is the case with me. So the preparation all depends on when the tour starts, and I think we're going to lose at least another few months before it can resume. So the time would have helped if we were competing, but given the current situation, I don't think it makes much of a difference. DSD: Rio was your second games after London and both Olympics have been rather tumultuous in the buildup. But what do the Olympics mean for a sportsperson who competes in it? Rohan: Firstly, I think it was the right decision to postpone the games, it was tough on some of the athletes who had already secured their spot for the games. But at this juncture, no other option was available. Representing your country at the Olympics is the pinnacle of any sportsperson's career. It is a proud moment to be playing for your country at any event, let alone the Olympics. An athlete works so hard to reach that level and to be able to compete at that stage is something special. Even though I have participated in two games, I am so excited for the Tokyo Olympics and hopefully, I will be part of it. It just doesn't get bigger for an athlete than representing your country at the Olympics. DSD: There is talk of the ATP and WTA tours coming up with some sort of relief package. The British Tennis Association has already announced something for players in the UK. What are you expecting from the tours, Rohan? Rohan: It is very tough for every tennis player out there. It is like losing a job overnight. Some players might have been better prepared for this situation financially than others, that is obvious. So far the ATP has no concrete plan in place to provide relief packages for the players. As players, there has been no communication from the ATP on the matter. But to be fair to the ATP as well, this is a completely unprecedented situation. Not just the financial aspect of it, they also have to decide on what to do with the rankings system. I think the ATP will come up with the right solution, it will definitely take some time, but they will certainly try to help the players as much as they can. DSD: Mahesh was telling me that some of the Indian players will struggle if the tour does not resume. How dire is the situation across the world as you all earn a livelihood through the sport? Rohan: Absolutely it is very difficult for the Indian players. At the moment I think it is best for the players to not overthink it too much, just settle into a routine take every day as it comes. But then again, they can't control these things, so hopefully, this phase will pass and things will get sorted out quickly. DSD: A possibility exists of playing behind closed doors. Do you agree with that suggestion, as some money could flow into the player's pockets? Rohan: I definitely am against the idea of playing behind closed doors. Events in tennis are not held in one country or one city, the tour takes place all around the world. So a lot more preparation goes in, the rules and regulations of each country also have to be kept in mind. In most countries, people will have to be quarantined once they reach. So due to the uncertainty surrounding all events at this time, I think it will be the wrong decision to allow tennis to be held behind closed doors. The health and safety of each and every individual has to come first and we cannot endanger anyone in the world. DSD: You were part of the video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few days ago. What role can sportspersons play during times of crisis like this? Rohan: First of all, it was inspiring for all the sportspersons who got a chance to speak to the prime minister. I am grateful for him to reach out to us during these times and ensure that our voices were heard. The Indian athletes have inspired so many people in the country, and getting all of them on board really sends the right message to the people. Even if we can spread awareness to say 1 or 2 % of the population, then that is a good start. So it was a great initiative by the prime minister and the sports minister and it was special to share the platform with them and 50 other sportspersons. I'm glad that I could be part of such a cause.

Exclusive: 'Was devastated to hear about Wimbledon cancellation' - Rohan Bopanna opens up on fate of tennis season, relief package for players and more

Boxing was one of the first sports to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Olympic Asian Qualifiers in Wuhan, China was cancelled in the first week of February before rescheduling the qualifiers in Jordan. The entire sporting calendar has been ripped apart by the dreaded virus while restricting all the athletes to train indoors during the country-wide lockdown, which was imposed to curb the spread of the COVID-19.&nbsp;

Six-time World Boxing champion and the recipient of Padma Vibhushan, MC Mary Kom, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke about a lot of things ranging from Olympic qualifiers, training in Italy during COVID-19 outbreak, dream of Olympic gold, how she is spending time in lockdown and much more.

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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-sports-is-not-important-than-life-kidambi-srikanth-opens-up-on-olympics-dream-recent-form-life-in-lockdown-and-more-290439" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Sports is not important than life' - Kidambi Srikanth opens up on Olympics dream, recent form, life in lockdown and more</a>

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Digvijay Singh Deo:&nbsp;Mary, this must be a bittersweet moment for you. You won the Olympic quota and then within weeks, the announcement came through that the games were postponed.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

MC Mary Kom: The current situation with the spread of the coronavirus pandemic is not just a problem for the athletes, it is a problem for everyone, including the International Olympic Committee and the organisers of the Tokyo Games. Who wants to die? Our health comes first and I feel the right decision has been made by the IOC. No group or individual can be blamed for the current global crisis, we are all in it together. In the current climate, no athlete wants to put their lives at risk and compete at the Olympics. So the right decision was made.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

DSD: As professional athletes, one expects you to adapt to the situation but this must feel like a personal blow as well considering that you were in top shape leading up to the Olympics.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

Mary: It is a challenge for everyone to work from home, as an athlete you will not be able to train properly due to the lack of facilities at home. But you have to adapt and work with what you have at home and make the best use of this time.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

But I have to follow the government's instructions and not go out at this time, because of the grave dangers of the COVID-19 disease. As an athlete, if I contract the virus not only will it be a health concern, I will also lose a lot of time during recovery.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;So it is best that we stay home and try to make the best use of this situation, which includes spending quality time with your family.

&nbsp;

<img alt="Mary Kom" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f0f511ab-8905-4f4b-b7b1-41ba97a4b97b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1B11JS.jpg" />

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

DSD: I think I must remind our viewers&nbsp;and readers that boxing was the first sport to suffer from the coronavirus pandemic as it was the Olympic Asian qualifiers in Wuhan that were cancelled in the first week of February. How difficult has the uncertainty been Mary especially in terms of rearranging training schedules?<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

Mary: Somehow, we have to manage in this situation, an athlete needs to adapt. We will work with our coaches and federations. The Olympic qualifiers were moved from Wuhan, which was where the virus originated from, to Jordan. The change in schedule wasn't that challenging for us as we were already prepared for every situation.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

So we have already experienced tournaments being postponed. The challenge is maintaining your stamina and physical fitness in these times. The Indian boxers were excellent in the Jordan qualifiers, 5 men and 4 women secured their berth, so they adapted very well to the postponement and hopefully, that will continue in the future.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

DSD: You must be reading that Italy is now one of the worst affected countries due to the coronavirus and the Indian team trained there ahead of the rescheduled qualifiers in Amman. What precautions did you all follow when in Italy?<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

Mary: I have to admit that we were a bit scared when we were in Italy. We were in a town called Assisi, fortunately, when we were there the virus had not reached the area yet. Cases were rapidly rising in northern Italy but things weren't as bad in Assisi. But naturally, we were scared because of the scale of the problem in the country. We were hearing rumours that those athletes who were training in Italy will not be able to participate in the Olympic qualifiers in Jordan.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

But I must say the Boxing Federation of India was very proactive in getting us to Jordan as soon as possible. The president, Ajay Singh, and the body did an excellent job in ensuring the safety of the boxers. There was a minor hiccup in our stopover in Frankfurt when we were going to Jordan. Some of the boxers and staff had to stay an extra day, but all that is in the past and the good thing is that all of us are here now in our homes.

<o:p><img alt="Mary Kom" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8dadffbc-4534-4ecd-89d1-ed074676d187" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1B11AU.jpg" /></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

DSD: You are a fighter in every sense of the term. You won the Olympic medal in 2012 when women’s boxing made its debut at the games. You narrowly missed out on qualifying for Rio 2016 and you contemplated retiring. But you never gave up hope of that Olympic gold, made a successful comeback in 2017 at the Asian championships.is this the final battle of an extraordinary career, to keep yourself in top shape till the 2021 Olympics.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

Mary: It is a huge challenge for me to stay in shape for the 2021 Olympics.it has been my dream to win a gold medal for the country at the Olympics. I thank the&nbsp;boxing&nbsp;federation of India from the bottom of my heart for their support. This Olympics is extremely important for me; I have all the medals in the world. The only one which is missing is the Olympic gold which I am desperate for. It is not easy for me to train at this age after so many years of competing at the highest level. It does take a toll on you, but I have confidence in my ability as a boxer and believe that I will be able to achieve that goal. I appeal to the people of India to support me in my quest for the gold medal. It is my dream to win the gold for my country and the people. That is my single objective for the 2021 Olympics.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

DSD: You are not getting younger and you face younger opponents each time you step into the ring. How do stay a step ahead of these young pretenders? What is the secret to your hunger and performance?<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

Mary: The secret is training regularly. I train extremely hard for 4-5 days in a week. I don't miss any session and retain 100 per cent focus during training. Maintaining high concentration levels is essential to compete at the highest level at my age of 37. I am an extremely determined individual and God has blessed me with incredible will power. I try to execute my game plan for my next bout in the training sessions so that I am fully prepared for whatever my opponent throws at me. Strategic preparation is the key to success and you cannot ever take your foot off the pedal. I'm fortunate that I am in good shape and able to compete against the youngsters.

<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

<img alt="Mary Kom" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c88df309-9754-48be-8818-5a40b794d2b3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1405HO.jpg" />

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

DSD: What is the schedule like at home nowadays, how are you keeping yourself fit during the lockdown?<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

Mary: Other people might be putting on weight at home, but us athletes have to work out whenever we can. An athlete needs to adapt to whatever the circumstances are and must continue to train. I am fortunate that I have a gym facility set up at home, so I’m using that regularly. I have not missed a single day of training during this time at home. I'm delighted that I have a gym at home, so I don't need to go out during the lockdown for my sessions.so I’m at home, I’m happy and fit.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

DSD: Every dark cloud has a silver lining. For you is it getting to spend time with the family without any distractions.

&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

Mary:&nbsp;Yes, my 4 kids ensure that I get extra training sessions while I’m at home. For us it can sometimes get boring as we are following the same routine every day. But it is also important to think about the people who are suffering during the shutdown. The daily wage labourers are finding it extremely hard to maintain their livelihoods and I’m glad that the government is taking steps to ensure that they are not deprived of their basic needs.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

I appeal to everyone to support each other, we must follow the government instructions and not go out. If we fail to understand the gravity of the situation, then it will be a major problem, not only for us but also our future generations. So the best step to take to save yourself from getting infected is to stay home. Also for me personally if I get infected with the disease, i don't know if I will be able to make a comeback in my professional career. So I again appeal to everyone to stay home, stay healthy and sleep well. That is the best medical advice I can give you during these times. If we really want to defeat the coronavirus, we have to stay home and follow government instructions, like going out only when it is necessary, washing hands regularly and practice social distancing.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

Boxing was one of the first sports to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Olympic Asian Qualifiers in Wuhan, China was cancelled in the first week of February before rescheduling the qualifiers in Jordan.

Boxing was one of the first sports to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Olympic Asian Qualifiers in Wuhan, China was cancelled in the first week of February before rescheduling the qualifiers in Jordan. The entire sporting calendar has been ripped apart by the dreaded virus while restricting all the athletes to train indoors during the country-wide lockdown, which was imposed to curb the spread of the COVID-19. Six-time World Boxing champion and the recipient of Padma Vibhushan, MC Mary Kom, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke about a lot of things ranging from Olympic qualifiers, training in Italy during COVID-19 outbreak, dream of Olympic gold, how she is spending time in lockdown and much more. × ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Sports is not important than life' - Kidambi Srikanth opens up on Olympics dream, recent form, life in lockdown and more Digvijay Singh Deo: Mary, this must be a bittersweet moment for you. You won the Olympic quota and then within weeks, the announcement came through that the games were postponed. MC Mary Kom: The current situation with the spread of the coronavirus pandemic is not just a problem for the athletes, it is a problem for everyone, including the International Olympic Committee and the organisers of the Tokyo Games. Who wants to die? Our health comes first and I feel the right decision has been made by the IOC. No group or individual can be blamed for the current global crisis, we are all in it together. In the current climate, no athlete wants to put their lives at risk and compete at the Olympics. So the right decision was made. DSD: As professional athletes, one expects you to adapt to the situation but this must feel like a personal blow as well considering that you were in top shape leading up to the Olympics. Mary: It is a challenge for everyone to work from home, as an athlete you will not be able to train properly due to the lack of facilities at home. But you have to adapt and work with what you have at home and make the best use of this time. But I have to follow the government's instructions and not go out at this time, because of the grave dangers of the COVID-19 disease. As an athlete, if I contract the virus not only will it be a health concern, I will also lose a lot of time during recovery. So it is best that we stay home and try to make the best use of this situation, which includes spending quality time with your family. DSD: I think I must remind our viewers and readers that boxing was the first sport to suffer from the coronavirus pandemic as it was the Olympic Asian qualifiers in Wuhan that were cancelled in the first week of February. How difficult has the uncertainty been Mary especially in terms of rearranging training schedules? Mary: Somehow, we have to manage in this situation, an athlete needs to adapt. We will work with our coaches and federations. The Olympic qualifiers were moved from Wuhan, which was where the virus originated from, to Jordan. The change in schedule wasn't that challenging for us as we were already prepared for every situation. So we have already experienced tournaments being postponed. The challenge is maintaining your stamina and physical fitness in these times. The Indian boxers were excellent in the Jordan qualifiers, 5 men and 4 women secured their berth, so they adapted very well to the postponement and hopefully, that will continue in the future. DSD: You must be reading that Italy is now one of the worst affected countries due to the coronavirus and the Indian team trained there ahead of the rescheduled qualifiers in Amman. What precautions did you all follow when in Italy? Mary: I have to admit that we were a bit scared when we were in Italy. We were in a town called Assisi, fortunately, when we were there the virus had not reached the area yet. Cases were rapidly rising in northern Italy but things weren't as bad in Assisi. But naturally, we were scared because of the scale of the problem in the country. We were hearing rumours that those athletes who were training in Italy will not be able to participate in the Olympic qualifiers in Jordan. But I must say the Boxing Federation of India was very proactive in getting us to Jordan as soon as possible. The president, Ajay Singh, and the body did an excellent job in ensuring the safety of the boxers. There was a minor hiccup in our stopover in Frankfurt when we were going to Jordan. Some of the boxers and staff had to stay an extra day, but all that is in the past and the good thing is that all of us are here now in our homes. DSD: You are a fighter in every sense of the term. You won the Olympic medal in 2012 when women’s boxing made its debut at the games. You narrowly missed out on qualifying for Rio 2016 and you contemplated retiring. But you never gave up hope of that Olympic gold, made a successful comeback in 2017 at the Asian championships.is this the final battle of an extraordinary career, to keep yourself in top shape till the 2021 Olympics. Mary: It is a huge challenge for me to stay in shape for the 2021 Olympics.it has been my dream to win a gold medal for the country at the Olympics. I thank the boxing federation of India from the bottom of my heart for their support. This Olympics is extremely important for me; I have all the medals in the world. The only one which is missing is the Olympic gold which I am desperate for. It is not easy for me to train at this age after so many years of competing at the highest level. It does take a toll on you, but I have confidence in my ability as a boxer and believe that I will be able to achieve that goal. I appeal to the people of India to support me in my quest for the gold medal. It is my dream to win the gold for my country and the people. That is my single objective for the 2021 Olympics. DSD: You are not getting younger and you face younger opponents each time you step into the ring. How do stay a step ahead of these young pretenders? What is the secret to your hunger and performance? Mary: The secret is training regularly. I train extremely hard for 4-5 days in a week. I don't miss any session and retain 100 per cent focus during training. Maintaining high concentration levels is essential to compete at the highest level at my age of 37. I am an extremely determined individual and God has blessed me with incredible will power. I try to execute my game plan for my next bout in the training sessions so that I am fully prepared for whatever my opponent throws at me. Strategic preparation is the key to success and you cannot ever take your foot off the pedal. I'm fortunate that I am in good shape and able to compete against the youngsters. DSD: What is the schedule like at home nowadays, how are you keeping yourself fit during the lockdown? Mary: Other people might be putting on weight at home, but us athletes have to work out whenever we can. An athlete needs to adapt to whatever the circumstances are and must continue to train. I am fortunate that I have a gym facility set up at home, so I’m using that regularly. I have not missed a single day of training during this time at home. I'm delighted that I have a gym at home, so I don't need to go out during the lockdown for my sessions.so I’m at home, I’m happy and fit. DSD: Every dark cloud has a silver lining. For you is it getting to spend time with the family without any distractions. Mary: Yes, my 4 kids ensure that I get extra training sessions while I’m at home. For us it can sometimes get boring as we are following the same routine every day. But it is also important to think about the people who are suffering during the shutdown. The daily wage labourers are finding it extremely hard to maintain their livelihoods and I’m glad that the government is taking steps to ensure that they are not deprived of their basic needs. I appeal to everyone to support each other, we must follow the government instructions and not go out. If we fail to understand the gravity of the situation, then it will be a major problem, not only for us but also our future generations. So the best step to take to save yourself from getting infected is to stay home. Also for me personally if I get infected with the disease, i don't know if I will be able to make a comeback in my professional career. So I again appeal to everyone to stay home, stay healthy and sleep well. That is the best medical advice I can give you during these times. If we really want to defeat the coronavirus, we have to stay home and follow government instructions, like going out only when it is necessary, washing hands regularly and practice social distancing.

Exclusive: 'We are all in it together' - Mary Kom opens up on COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic gold dream, life in lockdown and more

The COVID-19 pandemic has left the entire world in a stand-still. The sporting calendar has been torn apart by the outbreak of the dreaded virus with all the tournaments getting either cancelled or postponed. The 21-day lockdown period in India, which is enforced to curb the spread of the coronavirus, has restricted all the athletes to train indoors.&nbsp;

Ace Indian badminton player, Kidambi Srikanth, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke about a lot of things ranging from the decision to postpone Olympics, how it will affect the qualification scenario, his run of form of late, how he is managing to remain fit amid the lockdown and much more.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-sports-shuttler-srikanth-ready-to-grab-recond-chance-badminton-290465/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Digvijay Singh Deo: Srikanth,&nbsp;I must start with what you think of the decision to postpone the Olympic games because pushing the dates back by a year directly affects you.&nbsp;

Kidambi Srikanth:&nbsp;I think the situation the world is in right now with this deadly virus, it is the correct decision. Sport is very important to athletes, but not more important than life itself.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-virus-rewriting-history-books-in-tennis-mahesh-bhupathi-opens-up-on-wimbledon-cancellation-life-in-lockdown-and-more-290212" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Virus rewriting history books in tennis' - Mahesh Bhupathi opens up on Wimbledon cancellation, life in lockdown and more</a>

<img alt="Kidambi Srikanth" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb89f59e-fc3b-49e9-adb2-45068d76a1a0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1F64FB.jpg" />

DSD:&nbsp;Do you now firmly believe that you will get a fair chance at qualification once again? And I empashize the word fair here.

KS:&nbsp;I’m not sure about the process to qualify for the Games. The Badminton World Federation has not given an official statement yet. They will have to decide what tournaments they will form part of the qualifiers. I think every player who is capable of being in the top 16 of the rankings, be it this year or next year will get the chance to make it to the Olympics

DSD: Let’s look at the problems all the Indian shuttlers we’re facing. Parupalli Kashyap was very vocal about it as well and Saina Nehwal too. When we play a sport we believe in the principle of fair play. You think that was missing with the BWF cancelling tournaments and then not announcing any backup. That is favoured only a certain set of players who were all but qualified for the Olympics.

KS:&nbsp;Initially, they cancelled some tournaments and I was one of the players whose ranking got severely affected as no compensation in the form of an event was being offered. But now since the games have been postponed, it gives BWF 12 months’ time to figure out what tournaments to include as part of the qualifying process before the deadline. Now the ball is in BWF’s court and they have to make a decision which is fair to all the players.

DSD:&nbsp;I must remind everyone that you reached the quarterfinals of the Rio Olympics four years ago and played a memorable match against Lin Dan. PV Sindhu went on to win a silver there for India and you were cheering from the stands. What did playing in an Olympics mean to you Srikanth?

KS:&nbsp;Every athlete dreams of participating in the Olympics. Once you're there you obviously want to do well and win a medal for your country. At the Olympics, the athletes are not just playing for themselves, they are representing their countries. A medal won is added to the country's tally and not attributed to just the athlete. So being part of the games is something you cherish as an athlete. The whole country feels a sense of pride when an athlete wins a medal, so it is a dream of mine to do that and I will give it all I’ve got.

DSD: Talk us through if you will about how your approach and training changes in the approach to a big tournament like the Olympics that only comes once every 4 years. How far out do you start to plan for it?

KS:&nbsp;The other tournaments happen throughout the year, so you don't get a substantial amount of time to prepare. But the Olympics is one tournament where you get about one and a half to two months before the event with no tournaments. So that gives us players the time to work on every aspect of our game. Usually before other tournaments because of the time constraint, we can only work on specific aspects or our weaknesses. But that is not the case for the Olympics, so you actually go there with all you've got.

DSD: For you personally this forced break gives you a chance of recalibrating and figuring out what to change. Results over the last 12-18 months have not been good and by the standards, you have set you will be extremely disappointed.

KS:&nbsp;I think this is the ideal time for me to work on my fitness and physical state. I can also fix some posture issues. Unfortunately, I can't go to the gym at the moment, so I’m doing whatever I can at home. It's very important to maintain physical fitness at this time because whenever I get back to training on the court, my body should be ready. I have to put this time to good use so that I don't have to start from scratch when I’m back on the court. Apart from that, I’m also reflecting on my game, trying to figure out what worked for me in 2017-2018 and what my game has lacked in 2019.

DSD:&nbsp;If I may ask you - what do you think is missing? Is it a lack of confidence, errors in executing game plans, or a feeling that the same things that worked previously aren’t working anymore?

KS:&nbsp;I think initially it was my injury that was a major setback for me. Then when I recovered I feel like I was pushing myself too hard, playing too many tournaments. Subsequently, I dropped ranking points and put too much pressure on myself, because of that I got a few more injuries. So I probably won't play many tournaments in the next 12 months. I'll work on my physical fitness and work on my body, which will hopefully result in good performances on the court. I'll probably play one tournament a month in the next 12 months.

<img alt="Kidambi Srikanth" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3403f59a-22ff-4729-b10f-b5b9e3b91b6e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1FL3B5.jpg" />

DSD:&nbsp;There was a suggestion from Pullela Gopichand earlier in the season that playing too many tournaments was a reason for the early exits of the Indian shuttlers in&nbsp;a few consecutive events. Also, badminton as a sport requires consistency over a 12-month period to qualify for the Olympics, unlike sports like shooting and archery where there are designated tournaments where you can qualify.

KS:&nbsp;I think one mistake the BWF continues to make every year is it puts pressure on players to play minimum 12 super series events every year, along with that there will be tournaments like the Thomas Cup and the World Championships. So that adds up to about 17-18 tournaments every year, which puts a lot of pressure on the players. I don't think it is possible for a player to be fit for 18 tournaments ever year. So that is what taking a toll on many players' bodies and resulting in injuries. So the calendar is something the BWF should definitely look at. I think from the player's point of view, the number of mandatory tournaments in a year should be reduced to 12 to 15. That'll help the players stay fit and as a result, they'll be able to compete at the highest level.

DSD:&nbsp;&nbsp;Let’s now talk about how you are approaching your day in these times. The lockdown has been much longer for you as you all had to enter a period of self-isolation after returning from All England

KS:&nbsp;After a long time, I’ve been at home for this long period. I think in the last 12-16 months; I’ve not spent more than 2 weeks at home in total. I'm also in Guntur and not in Hyderabad, which is also rare. In the last 10 or 12 years, i have not spent more than 4 days at my home in Guntur at a stretch. I've been in Guntur since 13th march, so it’s almost been 3 weeks, it is a bit strange almost difficult to be at one place. Suddenly I feel that travelling is easier. If training facilities would have been open in Hyderabad, I think I would have preferred being there. But staying at home with nothing much to do is a bit difficult for me.

DSD:&nbsp;&nbsp;What about badminton.is it necessary for you to keep playing every day and how are you managing that?

KS: There are some indoor courts nearby but they are all shut. So as of now, I have nowhere I can train. Even all the gyms are closed.

DSD: We are seeing many international athletes post videos etc, of their fitness regimes. Indian athletes like Ashwini Ponnappa and Anjum Moudgil also doing the same. So what are you up to?

KS:&nbsp;There are exercises I do every day for about 30 to 45 minutes. It's about staying fit so that the fitness levels of my body do not drop down drastically. I think that's my main goal in this period to stay physically fit.

<img alt="Kidambi Srikanth" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="29b5e62b-1741-4b5d-95bd-dae1c8f04fdf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1416MA.jpg" />

DSD: since you are in Guntur and with pretty much nothing to do how are you spending time with family. Are you trying your hand at cooking?&nbsp;Do you have a WhatsApp group of fellow shuttlers. What are they up to and what are all you talking about?

KS:&nbsp;I’m not cooking, but I watch TV with my parents and sometimes play carrom. I usually watch whatever comes up on TV, no particular show as I haven't planned anything to watch. I also do some gaming on my mobile. I’m in touch with my team-mates and know what they're up to.

&nbsp;

<o:p></o:p>

The COVID-19 pandemic has left the entire world in a stand-still. The sporting calendar has been torn apart by the outbreak of the dreaded virus with all the tournaments getting either cancelled or postponed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left the entire world in a stand-still. The sporting calendar has been torn apart by the outbreak of the dreaded virus with all the tournaments getting either cancelled or postponed. The 21-day lockdown period in India, which is enforced to curb the spread of the coronavirus, has restricted all the athletes to train indoors. Ace Indian badminton player, Kidambi Srikanth, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke about a lot of things ranging from the decision to postpone Olympics, how it will affect the qualification scenario, his run of form of late, how he is managing to remain fit amid the lockdown and much more. Watch | Digvijay Singh Deo: Srikanth, I must start with what you think of the decision to postpone the Olympic games because pushing the dates back by a year directly affects you. Kidambi Srikanth: I think the situation the world is in right now with this deadly virus, it is the correct decision. Sport is very important to athletes, but not more important than life itself. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Virus rewriting history books in tennis' - Mahesh Bhupathi opens up on Wimbledon cancellation, life in lockdown and more DSD: Do you now firmly believe that you will get a fair chance at qualification once again? And I empashize the word fair here. KS: I’m not sure about the process to qualify for the Games. The Badminton World Federation has not given an official statement yet. They will have to decide what tournaments they will form part of the qualifiers. I think every player who is capable of being in the top 16 of the rankings, be it this year or next year will get the chance to make it to the Olympics DSD: Let’s look at the problems all the Indian shuttlers we’re facing. Parupalli Kashyap was very vocal about it as well and Saina Nehwal too. When we play a sport we believe in the principle of fair play. You think that was missing with the BWF cancelling tournaments and then not announcing any backup. That is favoured only a certain set of players who were all but qualified for the Olympics. KS: Initially, they cancelled some tournaments and I was one of the players whose ranking got severely affected as no compensation in the form of an event was being offered. But now since the games have been postponed, it gives BWF 12 months’ time to figure out what tournaments to include as part of the qualifying process before the deadline. Now the ball is in BWF’s court and they have to make a decision which is fair to all the players. DSD: I must remind everyone that you reached the quarterfinals of the Rio Olympics four years ago and played a memorable match against Lin Dan. PV Sindhu went on to win a silver there for India and you were cheering from the stands. What did playing in an Olympics mean to you Srikanth? KS: Every athlete dreams of participating in the Olympics. Once you're there you obviously want to do well and win a medal for your country. At the Olympics, the athletes are not just playing for themselves, they are representing their countries. A medal won is added to the country's tally and not attributed to just the athlete. So being part of the games is something you cherish as an athlete. The whole country feels a sense of pride when an athlete wins a medal, so it is a dream of mine to do that and I will give it all I’ve got. DSD: Talk us through if you will about how your approach and training changes in the approach to a big tournament like the Olympics that only comes once every 4 years. How far out do you start to plan for it? KS: The other tournaments happen throughout the year, so you don't get a substantial amount of time to prepare. But the Olympics is one tournament where you get about one and a half to two months before the event with no tournaments. So that gives us players the time to work on every aspect of our game. Usually before other tournaments because of the time constraint, we can only work on specific aspects or our weaknesses. But that is not the case for the Olympics, so you actually go there with all you've got. DSD: For you personally this forced break gives you a chance of recalibrating and figuring out what to change. Results over the last 12-18 months have not been good and by the standards, you have set you will be extremely disappointed. KS: I think this is the ideal time for me to work on my fitness and physical state. I can also fix some posture issues. Unfortunately, I can't go to the gym at the moment, so I’m doing whatever I can at home. It's very important to maintain physical fitness at this time because whenever I get back to training on the court, my body should be ready. I have to put this time to good use so that I don't have to start from scratch when I’m back on the court. Apart from that, I’m also reflecting on my game, trying to figure out what worked for me in 2017-2018 and what my game has lacked in 2019. DSD: If I may ask you - what do you think is missing? Is it a lack of confidence, errors in executing game plans, or a feeling that the same things that worked previously aren’t working anymore? KS: I think initially it was my injury that was a major setback for me. Then when I recovered I feel like I was pushing myself too hard, playing too many tournaments. Subsequently, I dropped ranking points and put too much pressure on myself, because of that I got a few more injuries. So I probably won't play many tournaments in the next 12 months. I'll work on my physical fitness and work on my body, which will hopefully result in good performances on the court. I'll probably play one tournament a month in the next 12 months. DSD: There was a suggestion from Pullela Gopichand earlier in the season that playing too many tournaments was a reason for the early exits of the Indian shuttlers in a few consecutive events. Also, badminton as a sport requires consistency over a 12-month period to qualify for the Olympics, unlike sports like shooting and archery where there are designated tournaments where you can qualify. KS: I think one mistake the BWF continues to make every year is it puts pressure on players to play minimum 12 super series events every year, along with that there will be tournaments like the Thomas Cup and the World Championships. So that adds up to about 17-18 tournaments every year, which puts a lot of pressure on the players. I don't think it is possible for a player to be fit for 18 tournaments ever year. So that is what taking a toll on many players' bodies and resulting in injuries. So the calendar is something the BWF should definitely look at. I think from the player's point of view, the number of mandatory tournaments in a year should be reduced to 12 to 15. That'll help the players stay fit and as a result, they'll be able to compete at the highest level. DSD: Let’s now talk about how you are approaching your day in these times. The lockdown has been much longer for you as you all had to enter a period of self-isolation after returning from All England KS: After a long time, I’ve been at home for this long period. I think in the last 12-16 months; I’ve not spent more than 2 weeks at home in total. I'm also in Guntur and not in Hyderabad, which is also rare. In the last 10 or 12 years, i have not spent more than 4 days at my home in Guntur at a stretch. I've been in Guntur since 13th march, so it’s almost been 3 weeks, it is a bit strange almost difficult to be at one place. Suddenly I feel that travelling is easier. If training facilities would have been open in Hyderabad, I think I would have preferred being there. But staying at home with nothing much to do is a bit difficult for me. DSD: What about badminton.is it necessary for you to keep playing every day and how are you managing that? KS: There are some indoor courts nearby but they are all shut. So as of now, I have nowhere I can train. Even all the gyms are closed. DSD: We are seeing many international athletes post videos etc, of their fitness regimes. Indian athletes like Ashwini Ponnappa and Anjum Moudgil also doing the same. So what are you up to? KS: There are exercises I do every day for about 30 to 45 minutes. It's about staying fit so that the fitness levels of my body do not drop down drastically. I think that's my main goal in this period to stay physically fit. DSD: since you are in Guntur and with pretty much nothing to do how are you spending time with family. Are you trying your hand at cooking? Do you have a WhatsApp group of fellow shuttlers. What are they up to and what are all you talking about? KS: I’m not cooking, but I watch TV with my parents and sometimes play carrom. I usually watch whatever comes up on TV, no particular show as I haven't planned anything to watch. I also do some gaming on my mobile. I’m in touch with my team-mates and know what they're up to.

Exclusive: 'Sports is not important than life' - Kidambi Srikanth opens up on Olympics dream, recent form, life in lockdown and more

The Tokyo Olympics were postponed by a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) didn’t take much time to announce the rescheduled dates as the Games will now open on July 23, 2021, while the closing ceremony will be held on August 8, 2021.

India’s only Olympic gold medallist and now an entrepreneur, Abhinav Bindra, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on the postponed Games, how Japan is going to overcome the setback and the cost of pushing the quadrennial event back by a year.

Bindra said that the decision to postpone was a real positive move by the IOC considering the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as the Padma Bhushan awardee said the athletes were getting really anxious due to the uncertainty surrounding the Games while adding the announcement comes&nbsp;a huge relief for the athletes. &nbsp; &nbsp;

“I think the decision has been made pretty quickly, only two weeks back there was a lot of uncertainty about the games getting postponed. The International Olympic Committee has taken a very prompt decision. They initially came up with a four-week deadline to make the call and didn't even use all of it and took a decision within 2 days. They have already revealed the new dates for the games in 2021 which is very good for the athletes. The athletes were getting extremely anxious due to the uncertainty surrounding the Games. They would have continued to train if the game were not postponed, thereby putting their lives and their families at risk. So it is a very good decision to postpone and I am happy it was taken very quickly,” Bindra told WION.

The decision to postpone the Olympics wasn’t easy at all. With a lot riding on the events, fresh logistical nightmares are bound to crop up after the Games were postponed by a year. The IOC has already indicated that the first priorities are the athletes’ village, venues and hotel bookings. &nbsp;

A decision to postpone the Olympic Games is not an easy one. There is just so much riding on the games and new logistical nightmares are bound to crop up when you push the Games back. Already the IOC has indicated that first priorities are the games village, sports venues and hotel bookings. However, Bindra is of the view that such a massive decision just can’t be taken by the IOC alone as it has to consult with all relevant stakeholders, government and sponsors before coming to a final decision.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

<h2>"A&nbsp;timely decision was taken"</h2>

“The decision cannot just be taken by the IOC, they have to consult all the relevant stakeholders, those are the organising committee, the government, and the many sponsors. Putting together the Olympic Games is an extremely complex process, keeping that in mind I think the decision to delay the Games was taken very quickly. There was a little bit of pressure being built by the media, but given the stakeholders involved and the magnitude of the event, a timely decision was taken,” Bindra opined.

The estimated cost of pushing the Tokyo Olympics is being pegged at around $3 Billion to $6 Billion, hence, there were many stating that the Japanese taxpayer will have to bear the brunt. However, with Japan taking up the responsibility and agreeing to bear the cost of the postponements, they deserve to be lauded. Bindra said that the Tokyo Games had the best-prepared event ever while lauding the effort by everyone working behind the scenes.&nbsp;

"Japan needs to be lauded for agreeing to bear the cost of the postponement of the Games. Do remember that due to the virus the economic outlook is pretty bleak but they have not flinched. It is extremely commendable, especially during these tough economic times for them to do that. The Japanese people are extremely determined and the preparations to the games have probably been the best ever. All the venues were ready well before time and they have done a fantastic job. They remain committed to hosting the best ever Olympics and I hope to come next year that will be the case," Bindra said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Tokyo Olympics were postponed by a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) didn’t take much time to announce the rescheduled dates as the Games will now open on July 23, 2021, while the closing ceremony will be held on August 8, 2021.

The Tokyo Olympics were postponed by a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) didn’t take much time to announce the rescheduled dates as the Games will now open on July 23, 2021, while the closing ceremony will be held on August 8, 2021. India’s only Olympic gold medallist and now an entrepreneur, Abhinav Bindra, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on the postponed Games, how Japan is going to overcome the setback and the cost of pushing the quadrennial event back by a year. Bindra said that the decision to postpone was a real positive move by the IOC considering the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as the Padma Bhushan awardee said the athletes were getting really anxious due to the uncertainty surrounding the Games while adding the announcement comes a huge relief for the athletes. “I think the decision has been made pretty quickly, only two weeks back there was a lot of uncertainty about the games getting postponed. The International Olympic Committee has taken a very prompt decision. They initially came up with a four-week deadline to make the call and didn't even use all of it and took a decision within 2 days. They have already revealed the new dates for the games in 2021 which is very good for the athletes. The athletes were getting extremely anxious due to the uncertainty surrounding the Games. They would have continued to train if the game were not postponed, thereby putting their lives and their families at risk. So it is a very good decision to postpone and I am happy it was taken very quickly,” Bindra told WION. The decision to postpone the Olympics wasn’t easy at all. With a lot riding on the events, fresh logistical nightmares are bound to crop up after the Games were postponed by a year. The IOC has already indicated that the first priorities are the athletes’ village, venues and hotel bookings. A decision to postpone the Olympic Games is not an easy one. There is just so much riding on the games and new logistical nightmares are bound to crop up when you push the Games back. Already the IOC has indicated that first priorities are the games village, sports venues and hotel bookings. However, Bindra is of the view that such a massive decision just can’t be taken by the IOC alone as it has to consult with all relevant stakeholders, government and sponsors before coming to a final decision. × "A timely decision was taken" “The decision cannot just be taken by the IOC, they have to consult all the relevant stakeholders, those are the organising committee, the government, and the many sponsors. Putting together the Olympic Games is an extremely complex process, keeping that in mind I think the decision to delay the Games was taken very quickly. There was a little bit of pressure being built by the media, but given the stakeholders involved and the magnitude of the event, a timely decision was taken,” Bindra opined. The estimated cost of pushing the Tokyo Olympics is being pegged at around $3 Billion to $6 Billion, hence, there were many stating that the Japanese taxpayer will have to bear the brunt. However, with Japan taking up the responsibility and agreeing to bear the cost of the postponements, they deserve to be lauded. Bindra said that the Tokyo Games had the best-prepared event ever while lauding the effort by everyone working behind the scenes. "Japan needs to be lauded for agreeing to bear the cost of the postponement of the Games. Do remember that due to the virus the economic outlook is pretty bleak but they have not flinched. It is extremely commendable, especially during these tough economic times for them to do that. The Japanese people are extremely determined and the preparations to the games have probably been the best ever. All the venues were ready well before time and they have done a fantastic job. They remain committed to hosting the best ever Olympics and I hope to come next year that will be the case," Bindra said.

Exclusive: 'Timely decision was taken' - Abhinav Bindra on Tokyo Olympics postponement

Australia goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak has tested positive for coronavirus, his Japanese club Nagoya Grampus announced, becoming the second player infected at the J-League side.

The 31-year-old, who won the last of his eight caps for the Socceroos in 2017 but is usually back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Matt Ryan, is showing no symptoms of the virus, the club said.

Striker Mu Kanazaki tested positive for the virus last week, prompting the club to investigate everyone who had come into close contact with him.

Players and staff were screened on Saturday with only Langerak's result returning positive out of 26 tests.

"We are trying to identify people who had close contacts with Langerak" in cooperation with a local health centre, and "will continue to promptly carry out" COVID-19 tests on other top team players and staff who have not yet performed the tests, the club said.

Professional football in Japan will resume in early July without spectators after a four-month suspension due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Langerak's last appearance for the Socceroos was as a substitute in a 5-0 friendly win over Oman in December 2018.

Australia goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak has tested positive for coronavirus, his Japanese club Nagoya Grampus announced, becoming the second player infected at the J-League side.

Australia goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak has tested positive for coronavirus, his Japanese club Nagoya Grampus announced, becoming the second player infected at the J-League side. The 31-year-old, who won the last of his eight caps for the Socceroos in 2017 but is usually back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Matt Ryan, is showing no symptoms of the virus, the club said. Striker Mu Kanazaki tested positive for the virus last week, prompting the club to investigate everyone who had come into close contact with him. Players and staff were screened on Saturday with only Langerak's result returning positive out of 26 tests. "We are trying to identify people who had close contacts with Langerak" in cooperation with a local health centre, and "will continue to promptly carry out" COVID-19 tests on other top team players and staff who have not yet performed the tests, the club said. Professional football in Japan will resume in early July without spectators after a four-month suspension due to the coronavirus outbreak. Langerak's last appearance for the Socceroos was as a substitute in a 5-0 friendly win over Oman in December 2018.

Australia keeper Langerak tests positive for COVID-19 in Japan

The Premier League has received a major boost in their planning to resume the halted 2019-20 season on June 17 as, after the latest round of coronavirus testing of players and staff, no new positive cases were reported in English football’s top-flight league. The Premier League is looking to resume the campaign, following the footsteps of German Bundesliga.

As many as 1,195 players and club staff were tested in what was the sixth edition of screening, which took place on Thursday and Friday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bundesliga-werder-slip-towards-drop-union-eye-safety-as-teams-take-knee-for-floyd-304185" hreflang="en">Bundesliga: Werder slip towards drop, Union eye safety as teams take knee for Floyd</a>

"The Premier League can confirm that on Thursday 4 June and Friday 5 June, 1,195 players and club staff were tested for COVID-19. Of these, zero have tested positive," the league said in a statement.

The latest announcement by Premier League means only 13 positive cases have been reported from overall 6,274 tests carried out on players and staff. However, testing will continue on a twice-weekly basis as officials look to resume services after the league was suspended in March due to COVID-19 pandemic.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/racism-only-disease-right-now-says-sterling-304181" hreflang="en">Racism 'only disease right now,' says Sterling</a>

Clubs have started playing inter-friendlies to get back to match-fitness before the resumption of the league on June 17. Whereas many Premier League clubs have invited Championship teams for friendly matches before the campaign restarts.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Liverpool are expected to wrap up the proceedings as soon as Premier League campaign resumes as the Reds are on course to end their 30-year-long break for the coveted trophy. However, they won’t be allowed to go overboard with their celebrations inside empty stadiums but the Merseyside club is ready to wait till next season to go with their celebrations and bus parade.

The Premier League has received a major boost in their planning to resume the halted 2019-20 season on June 17 as, after the latest round of coronavirus testing of players and staff, no new positive cases were reported in English football’s top-flight league.

The Premier League has received a major boost in their planning to resume the halted 2019-20 season on June 17 as, after the latest round of coronavirus testing of players and staff, no new positive cases were reported in English football’s top-flight league. The Premier League is looking to resume the campaign, following the footsteps of German Bundesliga. As many as 1,195 players and club staff were tested in what was the sixth edition of screening, which took place on Thursday and Friday. ALSO READ: Bundesliga: Werder slip towards drop, Union eye safety as teams take knee for Floyd "The Premier League can confirm that on Thursday 4 June and Friday 5 June, 1,195 players and club staff were tested for COVID-19. Of these, zero have tested positive," the league said in a statement. The latest announcement by Premier League means only 13 positive cases have been reported from overall 6,274 tests carried out on players and staff. However, testing will continue on a twice-weekly basis as officials look to resume services after the league was suspended in March due to COVID-19 pandemic. ALSO READ: Racism 'only disease right now,' says Sterling Clubs have started playing inter-friendlies to get back to match-fitness before the resumption of the league on June 17. Whereas many Premier League clubs have invited Championship teams for friendly matches before the campaign restarts. Meanwhile, Liverpool are expected to wrap up the proceedings as soon as Premier League campaign resumes as the Reds are on course to end their 30-year-long break for the coveted trophy. However, they won’t be allowed to go overboard with their celebrations inside empty stadiums but the Merseyside club is ready to wait till next season to go with their celebrations and bus parade.

No positives in latest round of Premier League coronavirus tests

Former Liverpool captain and England international John Barnes, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a variety of things ranging from COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, resumption of Premier League, Project Restart, home ground vs neutral venues, Liverpool's stunning campaign, transfer marker post-pandemic, and much more.

Former Liverpool captain and England international John Barnes, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a variety of things ranging from COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, resumption of Premier League, Project Restart, home ground vs neutral venues, Liverpool's stunning campaign, transfer marker post-pandemic, and much more. Digvijay Singh Deo: Thank you for your time John, really appreciate you joining us from England. How has this lockdown life been for you? John Barnes: The lockdown has been great for me personally because I like a quiet life. Obviously the global circumstances are extremely unfortunate because the virus is causing so much damage. I am a homebody, I sometimes take long walks around my house and this lockdown suits me perfectly. Most people are bored because they aren't able to go out and lead a social life, but it has been absolutely no problem for me. DSD: The numbers coming out of the UK have been pretty scary. How has this pandemic and the high number of cases affected the daily lives of people... John Barnes: If you look at the two biggest hit countries, the UK and USA, citizens of both nations have a very strong sense of individual freedom and human rights. People there don't like governments telling them exactly what to do. However, in a global health crisis, there is a need for people to be extremely vigilant and curb their freedom to some degree for their health and safety. It is also a time when people must adhere to strict health protocols. Those countries which have initiated strict lockdown measures and been stronger with their citizens have dealt with the crisis better than the US & UK. So, it doesn't surprise me that the US & UK have been the worst hit coronavirus countries because of the citizens' perception of their human rights. DSD: Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand told me last month that the world was moving too fast and the virus took advantage. What for you should be the learning we take on board from this pandemic? John Barnes: Well this is not the first time in history that such a devastating crisis has taken place. Worse disasters have happened. In those times as well, people must have hoped that the world would learn to live in peace while spreading the message of love and unity. But what lessons did humanity learn? Nothing. In the past, people have vowed to learn certain lessons from various crises but have failed to act on them. People always end up becoming their normal selfish selves after a period of time. We should not need a pandemic to teach us lessons of love, unity and respect. We should show these traits all the time when the world isn't in such a crisis. So, I am hopeful that people will learn from this experience, but there aren't many reasons to be optimistic about that if you look at our history. Unfortunately, I think once we get back to our normal lives, even if it is a 'new normal', we are still going to see people being greedy and selfish. DSD: Football and footballers have had close shaves too. Your former teammate and manager Sir Kenny Dalglish too had the coronavirus and that would have been an early wake-up call for all you senior footballers. John Barnes: No one is safe, it doesn't matter how much money you make or what race you belong to, everyone is susceptible to the virus. There are certain people in the west who think they are 'untouchable' and they have been so in the past in terms of the impact that other people or things can have on their lives, but that is not the case now. There are some 'superior people', who are always immune to problems because of the socio-economic structure of the world. But when a health crisis like this happens, everyone becomes 'touchable'. I have sympathy for everyone who has been affected by the disease, not just Kenny Dalglish. I have two children who are doctors and working tirelessly for the national health service, fortunately, they are safe. It is a time for people to come together and show empathy with everyone, not just a particular group of people because they are famous or part of an elite group. DSD: More than 2 months now since the premier league was suspended. It has been tough for a lot of people associated with the sport with the layoffs and pay cuts. Is it time now for the season to resume? John Barnes: Only if it is safe to do so. Thousands of people, who are not footballers and don't work in the football industry, have lost their jobs, so why are we separating football from the rest of society. Why are we feeling more sorry for footballers as opposed to factory workers? It's not just important for footballers to get back to action, it is important for all of us to get back to our lives. Players in the lower divisions are struggling, but premier league footballers can probably financially sustain themselves for the next year without getting back to work. Whereas most people in the world, who do not have such high-paying jobs cannot afford to do that. The most important thing for us is to be relatively safe from the coronavirus. If we wait for the virus to completely disappear, then we might not return to competitive football in the next few years. At the moment, it is impossible for anyone to guarantee 100% safety of players, coaches and fans from the coronavirus. Eventually, we will have to get back to some sort of normality and that will be when the health risks involved in playing football are mitigated to a certain extent. Once we get used to the new normal, then we will adapt to the circumstances, that is how human beings have survived for hundreds and thousands of years. We aren't the strongest or biggest creatures, but we have dominated the planet because we have adapted better than any other species and that is what we will continue to do. DSD: Project Restart is on in full earnest, full training will begin soon. But players remain apprehensive and rightfully so, as we have seen with the likes of Troy Deeney and N’golo Kante, do you think they have put their family ahead of the commercial interest of the sport.? John Barnes: I believe that it's not a question about commercial interests, it is about whether an individual feels it is safe enough for him to go back to work. I support Troy Deeney and N'golo Kante with the decision they have taken, but I also support those players who have started training. There are no right or wrong decisions in this situation. It will be impossible to get the approval of every footballer to return to training because there are some who are bound to feel uncomfortable. The authorities have to come up with a detailed training plan for the clubs in a certain time frame and then let the player decide if he wants to return to training or not. We have to respect the individual's choice in the matter. Once again, this problem is not limited to footballers. Factory workers will be facing the same dilemma, but because of the current financial crisis, they will be willing to take health risks because they can't afford to forego their wages, whereas a top-level footballer probably can. DSD: We have seen the Bundesliga start and La Liga is headed for a June 11 restart as well. On paper, the Bundesliga's concept seems to be working - but should the Premier League follow? Because England appears to be behind Germany and even Spain in the fight against the coronavirus? John Barnes: Absolutely. Any authority must look at the state of affairs in their own country and then make an informed decision with proper government and medical advice, and I think that is what the Premier League is doing. It would be unwise to just blindly follow the German Bundesliga template because the situation in England is unfortunately completely different. DSD: What have you made of what we have seen in the Bundesliga - football in the COVID era - I found it rather bizarre that the players are being made to socially distance on the substitutes benches even though many of them end up on the pitch together at some point. John Barnes: These are unprecedented times and necessary compromises have to be made for football to get back. We are not going to be able to get back to the sport as we knew it before the pandemic, so we have to adapt, there is no other option. If that means having no fans in the stadium and adhering to certain protocols, then those steps have to be taken for the game to take place. We cannot wait for the time when it will be safe to resume football as it were before the crisis, because if we do then we won't get to see the game we love for years. DSD: Lots of debate in England about playing at home grounds or neutral venues when the season resumes.where do you stand on this - a big part of home advantage is the fans, so if they are not around - should it be such a big talking point? John Barnes: The advantage of playing at your home stadium is not just limited to having the fans on your side, it is also about being in a comfortable environment. If the fans are not present in the stadium, the home team will still have an advantage because the players are familiar with the dressing room, the pitch and they have a routine which they follow on a home match-day, since they are coming from their own houses and not from a team hotel. There are some who feel that if matches are held at home stadiums, then fans will congregate around those arenas during and after the matches, which will defeat the purpose of holding games behind-closed-doors. This is again a problem that you will probably only see only in the UK & us because of the sense of entitlement that people have about certain freedoms. That would have not been a danger if matches were being held in some other country. So the authorities maybe do not trust the fans to stay at home on match-days and in order to avoid those large gatherings outside stadiums, they are planning to hold the matches at distant neutral venues, which would ensure that such congregations do not take place. DSD: Another big concern around the restart is the susceptibility to injuries. We've seen in the Bundesliga that more players are getting injured every match - in the Premier League, managers are warning against rushing to action in mid-June, saying players need 4 weeks of proper training. Are you concerned that the restart plans are being rushed? John Barnes: I don't think that is an exceptional concern. The players have still continued their individual fitness training at home, they have just not been playing football, so they are still in good shape. Players will probably have a month of on-ground training before they start competing again, so the situation is very similar to what we see in pre-season. During the off-season, players usually have a six-week break when they go on holiday and there is an obvious drop in their fitness levels. However, in this case, the players have not been on holiday and they have in fact continued their fitness sessions at home. So I don't see any reason that suggests there will be an exceptional increase in the number of injuries because of this break. There are bound to be 'natural' injuries in the game, which would happen with or without this enforced break. DSD: Lots of uncertainty at the moment but one thing for certain is that Liverpool will be crowned Premier League champions for the first time since your team in 1990. Will, it be the albatross off the neck? John Barnes: Hopefully the season will start soon. There are a lot of people who are pushing for the season to be scrapped and straightaway begins the next campaign, which is ridiculous. The German Bundesliga plans to finish the current campaign by the end of June, which leaves them with more than enough time to begin the next season as scheduled. So the premier league can also easily follow that precedent and finish the current season in about six weeks or two months. As for Liverpool, I think unless there is a calamity, they are going to crowned champions. I think it's not just about this season, the team cannot take their foot off the gas and rest on their laurels if they do manage to win the premier league. A true marker of success is being able to win trophies for a sustained period of time. The team will enjoy the triumph, but then the focus should shift to the next season. Jurgen Klopp will hopefully drive the players to maintain such levels of performance in the years to come. I hope this is the start of another great era in the history of the club when the Reds can challenge for the domestic league title and champions league title every season, as they did in the past. The league triumph will no doubt be fantastic for the club, but the success must not stop there. DSD: Liverpool were almost there last season, but lost by just a point to a great Manchester City team. To have the intensity to bounce back from that near-miss and go unbeaten till February has been remarkable, as of now they sit 25 points clear at the top. John Barnes: Liverpool only lost one premier league match in the 2018-19 season as well, so it is not as if they are performing considerably better than last year. In fact, I think Liverpool were playing better football last season, but Manchester City were just unstoppable. This season, there has been a dip in city's performances, largely because they have lost key defensive players to injury. Whereas Liverpool have continued to be consistent, so I think nothing has changed from last season. In the 2018-19 campaign, Liverpool missed out on the league title despite having 97 points, but still won the champions league crown. This season Liverpool have been knocked out of the champions league in the knockout stages, but are well on their way to win the league crown, so Jurgen Klopp has maximised the club's potential to be consistent. Manchester City have been inconsistent this season, whereas Liverpool have been consistent, that's the difference. Those two teams are still superior to the other teams in the league. DSD: Have Liverpool sort of set the benchmark now in the league about the way they have gone about rebuilding in the last 5-6 years. Jurgen Klopp was given time and club backed him in the players he wanted. The patience has been rewarded. John Barnes: This has always been the recipe for success. Sir Alex Ferguson was given time by Manchester United, he had the complete support and trust of the board, which is why he was able to build such a great side. Chelsea did the same with Jose Mourinho in his first spell and were richly rewarded with trophies. Clubs will be successful if they give their manager the right resources and a sufficient amount of time to build a team. The most important thing is that the players should know that the manager is the man in charge. Player power is now a big issue all over the world, where players are seen as more important than the managers. The clubs in which the players have been calling the shots have been inconsistent. A manager's role is undermined when the players are made to seem more important. It comes as no surprise to me that Liverpool and manchester city have been the two most successful clubs in England over the last two years, because the manager in both those clubs is truly the man in charge, the power doesn't lie with the owners or the players. If Liverpool lose a game, the fans aren't going to blame Jurgen Klopp. Similarly, if he drops mo salah, the club won't get on his back because the players realise that he is the man in charge and the ultimate decision lies with him. At other clubs, when the team loses, the blame is put on the manager rather than the players, which makes the footballers feel more empowered and in a way makes them less accountable. At Liverpool and manchester city, players will be criticised for poor performances and not just the managers. DSD: What will that league title mean to the fans and the city of Liverpool? John Barnes: Well, it won't mean much to half of the city, because they are Everton fans and they'll be quite disappointed. For us Liverpool fans, it'll be pure joy, but only until the next season starts. The club has to forget about the championship as soon as the first ball is kicked next season. The team has to show the same hunger for the title next season to remain champions of England. It'll be unbelievable for me and the city of Liverpool but once the next season begins, it must be forgotten. DSD: Lots of talk about Sadio Mane moving on, Timo Werner and Kylian Mbappe linked. Are Liverpool today on the same level as Real Madrid and Barcelona in terms of attracting players. John Barnes: Every club is a selling club in modern football. A club like Barcelona was forced to sell Neymar. What attracts footballers today is the salaries that they are going to get. Whoever the player may be, whether it be Sadio \Mmane or Mo Salah if anyone is offered a million pounds per week by any club, then they will join that team regardless of their quality or standing, that is the reality of modern football. We have had so many fantastic players leave the Liverpool- Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho. It is great that Liverpool have a bit of muscle now because of the on-field success, but ultimately players come and players go. I always tell the fans to support the club and not the players. A player must not be compelled to stay at a club against his own will, because that will make the player feel more powerful than the club and hence it will make him less accountable for his performances on the pitch. The good thing is that I can guarantee that such a situation will not arise under Klopp because of the control he has over the players and the club. Players know they cannot overstep their mark with him in charge. DSD: How do you see the pandemic affecting the transfer market? John Barnes: The big-money moves look unlikely in the short-term. Clubs will be worried about long-term financial stability. I'm hoping clubs learn to exercise some restraint in the future because of the coronavirus crisis, given the financially precarious situation the game is in right now. Hopefully, it will be a long-term change and not a short-term one. You never know, we just might get back to players being sold for 300 million euros in a few years. It is also the responsibility of the game as a whole to manage finances better. It should not be possible for a rich organisation to purchase a club and just buy all the best players in the world, that is not what sport and competition is about. There has to be a level-playing field and a structure in place to ensure that clubs do not misuse their finances, DSD: Ok before we let you go, Jordan Henderson said it would be strange to win the Premier League title without fans. That’s the reality of sport across the globe. How would John Barnes celebrate Henderson and the team lifting that trophy? John Barnes: I will celebrate with a small glass of wine and I'll be excited for about 20 seconds like I was last season after Liverpool won the Champions League crown. The triumph will soon be forgotten. The team must chase that title again next year. The way the players and the club treat this season's success will determine how successful the club will be next season. From a fan's perspective, it is going to be a fantastic achievement, but from a professional point of view, I would want the players to forget about the title as soon as the next season begins.

John Barnes: Liverpool on the verge of starting another great era of domination

The Premier League is gearing up for resumption of the 2019-20 season after the clubs unanimously voted in favour of contact training on Wednesday. The English top-flight league is eyeing June 19/20 as the possible dates for the return of the halted season and, in all likelihood, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will be crowned champions of England after a 30-year wait.&nbsp;

Not only the United Kingdom but the entire world has witnessed unprecedented scenarios created by the dreaded COVID-19. While some countries have tackled it well and are heading towards the resumption of normal activities, the Premier League will come as a fresh breath of air for fans of the most-watched league in the world.&nbsp;

Former Liverpool captain John Barnes, in an exclusive interview&nbsp;with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo,&nbsp;spoke on a range of topics as he discussed&nbsp;Liverpool’s stellar season and what separated them from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.&nbsp;

Read the complete interview:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/john-barnes-liverpool-on-the-verge-of-starting-another-great-era-of-domination-301606" hreflang="en">John Barnes: Liverpool on the verge of starting another great era of domination</a>

Liverpool came mighty close to lifting the Premier League trophy last season only to see Manchester City topple them for the coveted title by just one point. However, Liverpool went on to lift their sixth UEFA Champions Trophy and the Club World Cup last season in what was regarded as a splendid season for the Reds.&nbsp;

While Manchester City faltered in the 2019-20 season, Liverpool maintained the consistency and took a&nbsp;25-point lead atop the Premier League table and when the most-watched league in the world resumes, the Reds will look to complete the formality and put the red bands on the Premier League trophy, ending a two-season winning run for Guardiola's Man City.

Barnes hopes that Klopp will continue to motivate the players and win more trophies in future while adding that this could be a start of another great era for the Reds.&nbsp;

"Hopefully, the season will start soon. There are a lot of people who are pushing for the season to be scrapped and straightaway begins the next campaign, which is ridiculous. The German Bundesliga plans to finish the current campaign by the end of June, which leaves them with more than enough time to begin the next season as scheduled. So the Premier League can also easily follow that precedent and finish the current season in about six weeks or two months," Barnes said.&nbsp;

"As for Liverpool, I think unless there is a calamity, they are going to crowned champions. I think it's not just about this season, the team cannot take their foot off the gas and rest on their laurels if they do manage to win the Premier League. A true marker of success is being able to win trophies for a sustained period of time. The team will enjoy the triumph, but then the focus should shift to the next season. Jurgen Klopp will hopefully drive the players to maintain such levels of performance in the years to come. I hope this is the start of another great era in the history of the club when the Reds can challenge for the domestic league title and Champions League title every season, as they did in the past. The league triumph will no doubt be fantastic for the club, but the success must not stop there," the former Liverpool skipper added.

<img alt="Liverpool" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c11c4b22-dcd2-45a3-bafa-fb7cdf5b1547" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1O90DU.jpg" />

Interestingly, Liverpool have lost just one Premier League in the 2018-19 season in what has been termed as one of the greatest seasons, if not the greatest, in the history of English top-flight football. Barnes is of the view that Man City suffered a dip due to injuries to key defenders, whereas Liverpool have learned not to take that foot off the gas during crucial moments in the league. The former left-winger, who also played as an attacking midfielder, said Klopp has maximised club's potential to be consistent.

"Liverpool only lost one Premier League match in the 2018-19 season as well, so it is not as if they are performing considerably better than last year. In fact, I think Liverpool were playing better football last season, but Manchester City was just unstoppable. This season, there has been a dip in city's performances, largely because of they have lost key defensive players to injury. Whereas Liverpool have continued to be consistent, so I think nothing has changed from last season.

"In the 2018-19 campaign, Liverpool missed out on the league title despite having 97 points, but still won the Champions League crown. This season Liverpool have been knocked out of the Champions League in the knockout stages, but are well on their way to win the league crown, so Jurgen Klopp has maximised the club's potential to be consistent. Manchester City have been inconsistent this season, whereas Liverpool have been consistent, that's the difference. Those two teams are still superior to the other teams in the league. It comes as no surprise to me that Liverpool and Manchester City have been the two most successful clubs in England over the last two years, because the manager in both those clubs is truly the man in charge, the power doesn't lie with the owners or the players," Barnes said.

How Klopp and Guardiola have taken control of their respective clubs is something English football has been lacking for a while. Both the managers, highly respected, have authority over their players and that has come as a welcome step for both Liverpool and Man City as they become the two of the most dominating sides in the history of English and world football.

"If Liverpool lose a game, the fans aren't going to blame Klopp. Similarly, if he drops Mo Salah, the club won't get on his back because the players realise that he is the man in charge and the ultimate decision lies with him. At other clubs, when the team loses, the blame is put on the manager rather than the players, which makes the footballers feel more empowered and in a way makes them less accountable. At Liverpool and Manchester City, players will be criticised for poor performances and not just the managers. The most important thing is that the players should know that the manager is the man in charge. Player power is now a big issue all over the world, where players are seen as more important than the managers. The clubs in which the players have been calling the shots have been inconsistent. A manager's role is undermined when the players are made to seem more important," Barnes explained.

The Premier League is gearing up for resumption of the 2019-20 season after the clubs unanimously voted in favour of contact training on Wednesday. The English top-flight league is eyeing June 19/20 as the possible dates for the return of the halted season and, in all likelihood, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will be crowned champions of England after a 30-year wait.

The Premier League is gearing up for resumption of the 2019-20 season after the clubs unanimously voted in favour of contact training on Wednesday. The English top-flight league is eyeing June 19/20 as the possible dates for the return of the halted season and, in all likelihood, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will be crowned champions of England after a 30-year wait. Not only the United Kingdom but the entire world has witnessed unprecedented scenarios created by the dreaded COVID-19. While some countries have tackled it well and are heading towards the resumption of normal activities, the Premier League will come as a fresh breath of air for fans of the most-watched league in the world. Former Liverpool captain John Barnes, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a range of topics as he discussed Liverpool’s stellar season and what separated them from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Read the complete interview: John Barnes: Liverpool on the verge of starting another great era of domination Liverpool came mighty close to lifting the Premier League trophy last season only to see Manchester City topple them for the coveted title by just one point. However, Liverpool went on to lift their sixth UEFA Champions Trophy and the Club World Cup last season in what was regarded as a splendid season for the Reds. While Manchester City faltered in the 2019-20 season, Liverpool maintained the consistency and took a 25-point lead atop the Premier League table and when the most-watched league in the world resumes, the Reds will look to complete the formality and put the red bands on the Premier League trophy, ending a two-season winning run for Guardiola's Man City. Barnes hopes that Klopp will continue to motivate the players and win more trophies in future while adding that this could be a start of another great era for the Reds. "Hopefully, the season will start soon. There are a lot of people who are pushing for the season to be scrapped and straightaway begins the next campaign, which is ridiculous. The German Bundesliga plans to finish the current campaign by the end of June, which leaves them with more than enough time to begin the next season as scheduled. So the Premier League can also easily follow that precedent and finish the current season in about six weeks or two months," Barnes said. "As for Liverpool, I think unless there is a calamity, they are going to crowned champions. I think it's not just about this season, the team cannot take their foot off the gas and rest on their laurels if they do manage to win the Premier League. A true marker of success is being able to win trophies for a sustained period of time. The team will enjoy the triumph, but then the focus should shift to the next season. Jurgen Klopp will hopefully drive the players to maintain such levels of performance in the years to come. I hope this is the start of another great era in the history of the club when the Reds can challenge for the domestic league title and Champions League title every season, as they did in the past. The league triumph will no doubt be fantastic for the club, but the success must not stop there," the former Liverpool skipper added. Interestingly, Liverpool have lost just one Premier League in the 2018-19 season in what has been termed as one of the greatest seasons, if not the greatest, in the history of English top-flight football. Barnes is of the view that Man City suffered a dip due to injuries to key defenders, whereas Liverpool have learned not to take that foot off the gas during crucial moments in the league. The former left-winger, who also played as an attacking midfielder, said Klopp has maximised club's potential to be consistent. "Liverpool only lost one Premier League match in the 2018-19 season as well, so it is not as if they are performing considerably better than last year. In fact, I think Liverpool were playing better football last season, but Manchester City was just unstoppable. This season, there has been a dip in city's performances, largely because of they have lost key defensive players to injury. Whereas Liverpool have continued to be consistent, so I think nothing has changed from last season. "In the 2018-19 campaign, Liverpool missed out on the league title despite having 97 points, but still won the Champions League crown. This season Liverpool have been knocked out of the Champions League in the knockout stages, but are well on their way to win the league crown, so Jurgen Klopp has maximised the club's potential to be consistent. Manchester City have been inconsistent this season, whereas Liverpool have been consistent, that's the difference. Those two teams are still superior to the other teams in the league. It comes as no surprise to me that Liverpool and Manchester City have been the two most successful clubs in England over the last two years, because the manager in both those clubs is truly the man in charge, the power doesn't lie with the owners or the players," Barnes said. How Klopp and Guardiola have taken control of their respective clubs is something English football has been lacking for a while. Both the managers, highly respected, have authority over their players and that has come as a welcome step for both Liverpool and Man City as they become the two of the most dominating sides in the history of English and world football. "If Liverpool lose a game, the fans aren't going to blame Klopp. Similarly, if he drops Mo Salah, the club won't get on his back because the players realise that he is the man in charge and the ultimate decision lies with him. At other clubs, when the team loses, the blame is put on the manager rather than the players, which makes the footballers feel more empowered and in a way makes them less accountable. At Liverpool and Manchester City, players will be criticised for poor performances and not just the managers. The most important thing is that the players should know that the manager is the man in charge. Player power is now a big issue all over the world, where players are seen as more important than the managers. The clubs in which the players have been calling the shots have been inconsistent. A manager's role is undermined when the players are made to seem more important," Barnes explained.

John Barnes: League title will be fantastic for Liverpool but success must not stop here

Sporting world have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with almost every tournament either cancelled or posponed. The Tokyo Olympics was postponed till 2021 and there are murmurs that the Games may not be held next year if the world is unable to find a vaccine for the dreaded virus.

Sporting world have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with almost every tournament either cancelled or posponed. The Tokyo Olympics was postponed till 2021 and there are murmurs that the Games may not be held next year if the world is unable to find a vaccine for the dreaded virus. Badminton is one of the sports to be affected the most by the pandemic with numerous events suspended. The reigning queen of world badminton, PV Sindhu, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on life in lockdown, badminton post-lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, the rise of women's badminton, the role of mental strength in the world of sports, and much more. × Digvijay Singh Deo: Sindhu, good to see you smiling as always, how have you been? Sindhu: Well it has been nice actually because this experience is something completely new for me. Since I am usually travelling a lot, I don't get to spend much time with my parents, so it is nice to be able to do that and learn new things. I'm trying to stay positive during the break, I understand that it can be difficult being locked indoors, but it has been a welcome break for me and I'm enjoying it. DSD: Social distancing is extremely vital Sindhu but you also stay with elderly parents, so how are the daily essentials being managed at home? Sindhu: We have actually been practising social distancing since I came back from England in early March. All of us stayed in separate rooms for 21 days and even now we are maintaining a considerable physical distance while we are inside the house. Initially, for those 21 days, I couldn't even meet my nephew or sister in that period. Fortunately, we live in a gated society, so we do not need to leave our colony for any essential services. DSD: Life as a badminton player is one of extreme practice, for you usually the day begins at 4:30 in the morning at times so how have you controlled that urge of staying indoors? Sindhu: Well it is difficult to adjust to this new life.before the lockdown, my life revolved around training and playing tournaments. I obviously do not have the opportunity to train outdoors, but I am working on my physical fitness at home. My father helps me with my training at home and I am in constant touch with my trainer through video calls. Apart from that, I am trying to learn new skills and attempting to make the most of my time away from badminton. I am definitely missing the game and being out there on the court, but I understand the need of the hour is for people to stay at home. It is the right decision that has been taken by the government and we must adhere to their guidelines. DSD: None of us has a choice at the moment Sindhu but has this period been of one of reflection for you. You still have a good many years ahead of you but its been a pretty impressive career so far, four straight finals in major tournaments and a first global title for Indian badminton... Sindhu: I must say this lockdown is a welcome break. When I was 18 or 19, many people used to ask me whether I had a life away from badminton, since I was not able to do much else. So this break is giving me a taste of life on the other side and I'm happy to be able to spend quality time with my family. DSD: Usually badminton players raise it a notch when a big tournament approaches, so right now with no tournament on the horizon how are you dealing with this period of uncertainty? Sindhu: I think every athlete was working hard ahead of the Olympics because there were only a few months left for the showpiece event when the virus started to spread. I feel the correct decision was made regarding the Olympic postponement because we cannot endanger the health of so many people. I'm sure it is a problem for some of the athletes because it means restructuring your entire plan for the games. But we cannot control the prevailing situation and there is bound to be uncertainty in these times because we don't know when badminton will resume. But athletes can still work on their physical fitness and remain focussed. It is important to stay in shape because once the sport resumes if it will be tough for players to perform well unless they have maintained their fitness. DSD: You stay in a gated community, so are you managing to go for a run? Sindhu: Yes, I have recently started going for a run inside my community, but have not stepped out of the society on to the main streets. When I returned from England, I was initially in self-isolation for 15 days, but then officials from the health department instructed me to remain indoors for five more days. I realised how important these precautionary measures were and followed the government's guidelines. We have to ensure that we religiously follow the rules for our health as a society. DSD: I did see you hitting the shuttle against the wall in an attempt to keep the skill levels up, is that the biggest worry of staying sharp till this lockdown ends... Sindhu: I think the skill level of all badminton players is bound to go down because of the lack of training. But there are various exercises one can do stay sharp, these can be shadow practice sessions or wall exercises. It is important to not lose touch while playing with the shuttle. But overall, players will be a bit rusty when they return to the circuit and will take some time for all of us to perform at the top level. DSD: As a badminton player and as an elite athlete what are the areas that you think all players will struggle when this period ends… Sindhu: I think athletes will struggle, both in terms of fitness and skill. Players will need some amount of game training before they can get into the natural shot-making rhythm. Movement is crucial for badminton players and the mobility of the players will be affected post the lockdown. Our stamina levels will also go down because of the lack of on-court action. It will take time to build our endurance levels as well. There is, of course, some aspects of our game which we can work on indoors, but ultimately nothing can replace on-court training. So overall. I think it will be a mental, physical and skill-based challenge for all players when we return. DSD: How long in your opinion will it take for the top athletes to return to their peak levels once the lockdown ends? Sindhu: I think it will take a considerable amount of time. Every player has a distinct style of play, so the way they approach the game is different. Every player also has a different endurance level and that will determine how they deal with things once the lockdown ends. So there is no a specific time frame I can give in which the players will return to their peak levels, it completely depends on the fitness and ability of the player. DSD: As a badminton player what are the precautions you would advise your fellow team-mates and even young players to follow.obviously the mandatory handshakes will have to go for the time being. as Rafael Nadal said even giving your best friend a hug when you see them after ages is not going to be allowed. Sindhu: I think social distancing rules should be continued for an extended period of time, even in the world of sport. Pre-match and post-match handshakes should be avoided once sport resumes. We cannot take a casual approach towards the coronavirus even when it is safe to restart sporting activities. We must take basic precautionary measures like wearing masks or carrying hand sanitizer at all times with us. But most importantly our attitude towards the virus should not change once things start opening up, some precautions must be taken otherwise the virus will continue to spread. DSD: For a majority of sportspersons across the world the big goal this year was the Olympic Games. You have fond memories of the Olympics of course and your track record in big tournaments is outstanding. So for you personally was the postponement a huge disappointment or had you mentally prepared yourself for the announcement given the situation? Sindhu: When the virus started spreading rapidly and became a global threat, the thought did enter my mind that there was a possibility of the Olympics being postponed. So when the announcement was made, it wasn't a complete shock. But at the same time, till the official announcement was made, I kept preparing for the July 2020 Olympics because you cannot afford to lose any time ahead of the biggest event in the sporting world. It was obviously the right decision because it is impossible to travel and hold tournaments during a global health crisis. Our rankings have also been frozen, and whatever decision the badminton world federation takes regarding the Olympic qualification will have to be respected. DSD: There has been continuous messaging that the Olympics may not be held next year as well if the world is unable to find a vaccine. As an elite athlete how disturbing is that thought? Sindhu: Yes it is difficult to process that if a vaccine does not come up, then the Tokyo Olympics might not even be held. But even if that is the case, our health always has to be the top priority. It is difficult to say what the global situation will be in a year, so things are very uncertain. As of now, we have no idea when the tournaments will begin. I don't think the dates for any major event can be set in stone right now and we can only speculate. We must wait for the situation to improve. I believe the decision on the 2021 Olympics will also not be made until we have more clarity, which will obviously be sometime next year. DSD: Every sport is different and has different preparations, Sindhu. The boxers usually are aggressive and have more swagger, from your experience in badminton what is the correct mental preparation for the Olympics and World Championships? Sindhu: In a big tournament like the Olympics, mental preparation plays an even bigger role in your performance. Rest is also key in the Olympics because there can be lots of distractions when you're playing at that level. There is also a lot of pressure. The approach to each game is different and you have to be confident of your abilities at that level. At the same time, one cannot be overconfident because every player aims to be at their peak during the showpiece event. So, each player has a different approach towards the Olympics, but hard-work and mental toughness are key. DSD: Also just to follow up on that how important is mental toughness on the court? You obviously head into every match believing you could win but many a time the opponent goes on a deep run, so how do you stay in the game? Sindhu: You cannot give up at any point during the match, one must have the confidence to turn things around at the top level. One the other hand, when you are leading, you can never get complacent and take your victory for granted. That is why your temperament plays a key role at the highest level. I always to aim to give my best as a player, winning and losing is secondary. My priority for every match is to go out there and give my absolute all for my country. There might be matches when a player performs brilliantly but falls to a defeat. There can even be occasions when luck doesn't favour you, but what must stay consistent is the effort that you put into a match. DSD: You had two high profile losses in the World Championship finals and I remember you in tears after losing to Carolina Marin in 2018 final. Yet when it came to 2019 final you absolutely thrashed Okuhara in the summit clash. What did you do differently? Sindhu: I was desperate for the world championship title. Having lost 2 world championship finals I was determined to put my final blues behind me and was better prepared mentally and physically. I was actually prepared for a long match against Japan's Nozomi Okuhara. I knew there would be a lot of pressure on me because of my past results, but I ensured that I turned everything out when I went on the court. From the first point in that match till the very last one, I gave my absolute all and that is why I was able to win in the manner that I did. That's what made the victory so sweet. DSD: There has been a slight dip in form in your performances since that world championship crown, was it expected given how much effort you put in to get that world title? Sindhu: Losing is part of the game and I must learn from the mistakes I made after the world championships. I was definitely disappointed with my performances, but at the same time, I tried not to obsess over my form since that can have an adverse effect and further deteriorate my results. I have also learnt to accept the fact that I will lose some games, no player in the world is capable of winning every match. In 2020, I reached the quarter-final in a couple of tournaments and was building confidence ahead of the Olympics. Before the postponement announcement, I approached all tournaments that I played in as preparation for the Olympics. My ultimate goal remains to win a gold medal at the games. When I lose, I try not to get too disheartened and when I win, I do not allow myself to get complacent. It is important to keep your feet on the ground and never lose belief in yourself. DSD: You constantly stay in touch with your fellow players, even those who are your immediate rivals and I still remember you on a see-saw with Yihan Wang the night of your Olympic final in Rio. How is the rest of the badminton world coping with this lockdown? Sindhu: Yes I am in touch with many Indian sportspersons and inquire about their well-being. I spoke with Carolina Marin as well, since Spain was badly hit by the virus. I think the lockdown measures in most countries are the same. Marin is also staying indoors and trying to make the best of use of her time. It is good to see various athletes from all sports posting motivational videos on social media. DSD: Right through last year we saw a bit of a gap opening up in women’s singles. There was Tai Tzu Ying who was dominating and there was very little to separate the next 7-8 players.Akane Yamaguchi, Okuhara, Ratchanok Intanon, the returning Marin, you. Is this the tightest field in women’s badminton that you have seen in your decade long career? Sindhu: Even before the 2016 Olympics, the women's game was very competitive, with a lot of top Chinese players. But since the 2016 Games, the level of competition has improved further. I think that is essential for the growth of women's badminton. As you said, it is great that any of the top ten players can beat each other on their day and all of them are capable of winning big tournaments. The pace of the game has also changed, it has become faster and more intense. Also, all top players have a different style of play, which is great for the game. Tai Tzu Ying is a very wristy, skilful player while Marin has a powerful attacking game. The level of competition is very high and hopefully, it will continue for a long time. DSD: You have had some great matches against Tai Tzu. You beat her at the Rio Olympics but she then went on a run against you.now when the losses pile up how do you keep believing that I can beat her. Ultimately you beat her at two of the biggest tournaments that matter, the world tour finals in 2018 and then the world championship last year... Sindhu: Yes it has been a very tough battle against her over the years. That world championship quarter-final victory last year gave me a lot of confidence to go on and win the whole tournament. I came back from a set down and eventually prevailed after the scores were locked at 19 all in the deciding set. Winning such a tight affair against a player like Tai Tzu Ying was really a turning point for me. DSD: Of all these players I mentioned though who is the most difficult to play against where you know that you have no breathing space and that every shot has to be perfect. Sindhu: I think every player presents a different challenge. But yes Tai Tzu Ying can produce that moment of magic at any point during the match, she is so skilful. Even Ratchanak Intanon is a very challenging player to face. The top ten are all players of the highest order and even one mistake can lead to a defeat. Every point in a match is crucial regardless of the quality of the opponent. DSD: Time to wind this down. What is on your bucket list the moment the lockdown is lifted and we can safely get on with our lives? Sindhu: I just want to be back on the court and start playing badminton again, as simple as that.

Exclusive: 'Level of competition is high, game is now faster and more intense' - PV Sindhu discusses rise of women's badminton, postponement of Olympics, and more

Former South African captain Shaun Pollock is of the view that cricket can resume normally and the usage of saliva won’t post any health risk if matches are played inside ‘bio-secure’ environment. Earlier, the ICC Cricket Committee had recommended a ban on the use of saliva to polish the ball but allowed sweat as a measure to curb the COVID-19 threat.&nbsp;

England will create a bio-secure environment in a bid to host the West Indies for a three-match series starting July 8, subject to the UK government clearance. And Pollock reckons such measures wouldn’t require banning the usage of saliva.&nbsp;

“I think the environment that’ll end up being created is almost going to be like a bubble. People will get tested, they’ll go into a two-week camp where they’re just going to sit and monitor how the conditions of their bodies change,” Pollock told the ‘Following On Cricket Podcast’.

“And if there are no symptoms, it doesn’t really matter about shining the ball then, because you’re in the bubble and no one you come into contact with will have coronavirus. So you can just get on with normal proceedings.”

The ECB is gearing up to put up a set of safety measures including playing matches in venues with on-site hotels and compulsory 14-day quarantine period for the visiting team.&nbsp;

“I’d presume that there’d be no crowds in place, every single environment they go into would be cleaned down and sprayed, and everything along those lines,” said Pollock, who has played 303 ODIs and 101 Tests for South Africa.&nbsp;

The cricket fraternity has been left divided after ICC Cricket Committee’s recommendation with former and current bowlers throwing their weight behind the decision. The proposed ban on saliva is likely to be discussed finally during the ICC Board meeting on Wednesday.

Former South African captain Shaun Pollock is of the view that cricket can resume normally and the usage of saliva won’t post any health risk if matches are played inside ‘bio-secure’ environment.

Former South African captain Shaun Pollock is of the view that cricket can resume normally and the usage of saliva won’t post any health risk if matches are played inside ‘bio-secure’ environment. Earlier, the ICC Cricket Committee had recommended a ban on the use of saliva to polish the ball but allowed sweat as a measure to curb the COVID-19 threat. England will create a bio-secure environment in a bid to host the West Indies for a three-match series starting July 8, subject to the UK government clearance. And Pollock reckons such measures wouldn’t require banning the usage of saliva. “I think the environment that’ll end up being created is almost going to be like a bubble. People will get tested, they’ll go into a two-week camp where they’re just going to sit and monitor how the conditions of their bodies change,” Pollock told the ‘Following On Cricket Podcast’. “And if there are no symptoms, it doesn’t really matter about shining the ball then, because you’re in the bubble and no one you come into contact with will have coronavirus. So you can just get on with normal proceedings.” The ECB is gearing up to put up a set of safety measures including playing matches in venues with on-site hotels and compulsory 14-day quarantine period for the visiting team. “I’d presume that there’d be no crowds in place, every single environment they go into would be cleaned down and sprayed, and everything along those lines,” said Pollock, who has played 303 ODIs and 101 Tests for South Africa. The cricket fraternity has been left divided after ICC Cricket Committee’s recommendation with former and current bowlers throwing their weight behind the decision. The proposed ban on saliva is likely to be discussed finally during the ICC Board meeting on Wednesday.

Using saliva inside 'bio-secure' environment won't pose any health risk: Shaun Pollock

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday clarified that it has not filed any complaint with the cyber crime unit of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against former pacer Shoaib Akhtar, insisting that the charge was made by its legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi in his individual capacity.

Akhtar has been summoned to the FIA office in Lahore on Friday.

"Just received an absolutely vague, incomprehensible, imprecise and ambiguous Notice from FIA, Lahore. I will issue my response after due consultation with my Lawyer Salman Niazi," Akhtar tweeted.

A PCB spokesman, however, said Akhtar was summoned on Rizvi's complaint and the board has nothing to do with this matter.

"Tafazzul Rizvi is pursuing a defamation case against Shoaib Akhtar in his personal capacity, the board has filed no complaint against the fast bowler with the FIA," the spokesperson said.

Rizvi had complained to the FIA that Akhtar has been spreading propaganda and false allegations against him through social media and his youtube channel.

Rizvi has sent two notices to Akhtar -- one in Pakistan and one through a law firm in the United Kingdom -- seeking a public apology and damages worth 10 million rupees after the former fast bowler ripped him apart on his channel.

Akhtar's lawyer has responded to the notice sent in Pakistan but Rizvi said a reply was still waiting for the notice sent from the UK.

Rizvi made it clear that he intended to pursue his defamation case against the fast bowler, who had made false allegations against him and tried to damage his standing in the legal community.

The PCB has, however, filed a complaint with the FIA cyber crime cell against three former and present members of its Board of Governors.

The complaint has been filed after Shakeel Shaikh, Noman Butt and Tariq Sarwar targeted PCB chief executive Wasim Khan.&nbsp;

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday clarified that it has not filed any complaint with the cyber crime unit of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against former pacer Shoaib Akhtar, insisting that the charge was made by its legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi in his individual capacity.

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday clarified that it has not filed any complaint with the cyber crime unit of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against former pacer Shoaib Akhtar, insisting that the charge was made by its legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi in his individual capacity. Akhtar has been summoned to the FIA office in Lahore on Friday. "Just received an absolutely vague, incomprehensible, imprecise and ambiguous Notice from FIA, Lahore. I will issue my response after due consultation with my Lawyer Salman Niazi," Akhtar tweeted. A PCB spokesman, however, said Akhtar was summoned on Rizvi's complaint and the board has nothing to do with this matter. "Tafazzul Rizvi is pursuing a defamation case against Shoaib Akhtar in his personal capacity, the board has filed no complaint against the fast bowler with the FIA," the spokesperson said. Rizvi had complained to the FIA that Akhtar has been spreading propaganda and false allegations against him through social media and his youtube channel. Rizvi has sent two notices to Akhtar -- one in Pakistan and one through a law firm in the United Kingdom -- seeking a public apology and damages worth 10 million rupees after the former fast bowler ripped him apart on his channel. Akhtar's lawyer has responded to the notice sent in Pakistan but Rizvi said a reply was still waiting for the notice sent from the UK. Rizvi made it clear that he intended to pursue his defamation case against the fast bowler, who had made false allegations against him and tried to damage his standing in the legal community. The PCB has, however, filed a complaint with the FIA cyber crime cell against three former and present members of its Board of Governors. The complaint has been filed after Shakeel Shaikh, Noman Butt and Tariq Sarwar targeted PCB chief executive Wasim Khan.

Rizvi filed complaint against Akhtar, not PCB: clarifies cricket board

Bayern Munich face one of the final obstacles in their hunt for an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title this weekend as players in Germany contemplate staging collective protests following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

The German FA said on Wednesday footballers including Jadon Sancho who paid tributes to Floyd during last week's games would not be punished, with calls since growing from several Bayern players for further action.

"Sport always was and is able to share the power, to try to show to the world we are a community and that we are strong together," said Bayern forward Thomas Mueller, ahead of Saturday's game with Bayer Leverkusen.

"We have so many different people in the sport, it doesn't matter the colour. Sports have the power to bring people together to speak with one tongue."&nbsp;

Joshua Kimmich revealed Bayern players have talked about using their platform to reinforce their stance against racism, while World Cup winner Jerome Boateng urged more famous white sportspeople to add their voices to the chorus of outrage over Floyd's death.&nbsp;

Floyd, a black American man, died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes. His death has sparked several days of protests in US cities, some of which have turned violent amid accusations of further police brutality used against demonstrators.

<h2>- 'We can do much more' -</h2>

"Our voices carry, we have a platform and we touch many people," Boateng, whose father is from Ghana, told Deutsche Welle radio.

"All white sportspeople who don't speak out are obviously not racists, but of course it is desirable that they also use their notoriety for this cause. Many do it, but I think we can do much more."

With five games remaining Bayern hold a seven-point lead over Borussia Dortmund, whose players took a knee during Thursday's training session in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Dortmund coach Lucien Favre said he "stood 100 percent behind" Sancho's call for justice although a number of players including the England winger courted controversy after they were pictured without masks alongside a hairdresser.

At the other end of the table, Werder Bremen have slipped back deep into relegation trouble after a 3-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday greatly complicated the task of maintaining their top-flight status.

The loss was all the more disappointing for the four-time champions after a 1-0 win at Freiburg on May 23 had given them hope. Werder are now three points from safety and need a positive result at home against Wolfsburg on Sunday.

"That was a setback but definitely not a knockout," Werder coach Florian Kohfeldt said after the Eintracht defeat. "It has become harder but it's not impossible. We all knew that it would be hard, but we're going to give it a go."

<h2>One to watch:&nbsp;Marcus Thuram</h2>

The Borussia Moenchengladbach striker has scored four times in as many games since the Bundesliga resumed last month to reach double digits in his debut season in Germany.

Thuram, the son of 1998 World Cup winner and anti-racism activist Lilian, made a statement of his own in last Sunday's 4-1 win over Union Berlin, kneeling and bowing his head after scoring the first of his two goals, in a gesture reminiscent of past protests by NFL players in the US against racism and police brutality.

Gladbach return to action on Friday at Freiburg as they jostle with RB Leipzig and Leverkusen for Champions League qualification.

<h2>Key stats</h2>

86 - Bayern's league goals this season. No team has ever scored as many times through 29 games of a Bundesliga campaign.

17 - seconds Stefan Ilsanker was on the field before scoring against Werder Bremen. The Austria international struck twice in Wednesday's 3-0 victory after coming on as a late substitute.

308 - Bundesliga appearances made by Japan's Makoto Hasebe, an Asian record he shares with South Korean great Cha Bum-kun.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Freiburg v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1830)

Saturday

RB Leipzig v Paderborn, Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz, Fortuna Dusseldorf v Hoffenheim (all 1330), Borussia Dortmund v Hertha Berlin (1630)

Sunday

Werder Bremen v Wolfsburg (1130), Union Berlin v Schalke (1330), Augsburg v Cologne (1600)

Bayern Munich face one of the final obstacles in their hunt for an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title this weekend as players in Germany contemplate staging collective protests following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

Bayern Munich face one of the final obstacles in their hunt for an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title this weekend as players in Germany contemplate staging collective protests following the death of George Floyd in the United States. The German FA said on Wednesday footballers including Jadon Sancho who paid tributes to Floyd during last week's games would not be punished, with calls since growing from several Bayern players for further action. "Sport always was and is able to share the power, to try to show to the world we are a community and that we are strong together," said Bayern forward Thomas Mueller, ahead of Saturday's game with Bayer Leverkusen. "We have so many different people in the sport, it doesn't matter the colour. Sports have the power to bring people together to speak with one tongue." Joshua Kimmich revealed Bayern players have talked about using their platform to reinforce their stance against racism, while World Cup winner Jerome Boateng urged more famous white sportspeople to add their voices to the chorus of outrage over Floyd's death. Floyd, a black American man, died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes. His death has sparked several days of protests in US cities, some of which have turned violent amid accusations of further police brutality used against demonstrators. - 'We can do much more' - "Our voices carry, we have a platform and we touch many people," Boateng, whose father is from Ghana, told Deutsche Welle radio. "All white sportspeople who don't speak out are obviously not racists, but of course it is desirable that they also use their notoriety for this cause. Many do it, but I think we can do much more." With five games remaining Bayern hold a seven-point lead over Borussia Dortmund, whose players took a knee during Thursday's training session in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Dortmund coach Lucien Favre said he "stood 100 percent behind" Sancho's call for justice although a number of players including the England winger courted controversy after they were pictured without masks alongside a hairdresser. At the other end of the table, Werder Bremen have slipped back deep into relegation trouble after a 3-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday greatly complicated the task of maintaining their top-flight status. The loss was all the more disappointing for the four-time champions after a 1-0 win at Freiburg on May 23 had given them hope. Werder are now three points from safety and need a positive result at home against Wolfsburg on Sunday. "That was a setback but definitely not a knockout," Werder coach Florian Kohfeldt said after the Eintracht defeat. "It has become harder but it's not impossible. We all knew that it would be hard, but we're going to give it a go." One to watch: Marcus Thuram The Borussia Moenchengladbach striker has scored four times in as many games since the Bundesliga resumed last month to reach double digits in his debut season in Germany. Thuram, the son of 1998 World Cup winner and anti-racism activist Lilian, made a statement of his own in last Sunday's 4-1 win over Union Berlin, kneeling and bowing his head after scoring the first of his two goals, in a gesture reminiscent of past protests by NFL players in the US against racism and police brutality. Gladbach return to action on Friday at Freiburg as they jostle with RB Leipzig and Leverkusen for Champions League qualification. Key stats 86 - Bayern's league goals this season. No team has ever scored as many times through 29 games of a Bundesliga campaign. 17 - seconds Stefan Ilsanker was on the field before scoring against Werder Bremen. The Austria international struck twice in Wednesday's 3-0 victory after coming on as a late substitute. 308 - Bundesliga appearances made by Japan's Makoto Hasebe, an Asian record he shares with South Korean great Cha Bum-kun. Fixtures (all times GMT) Friday Freiburg v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1830) Saturday RB Leipzig v Paderborn, Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz, Fortuna Dusseldorf v Hoffenheim (all 1330), Borussia Dortmund v Hertha Berlin (1630) Sunday Werder Bremen v Wolfsburg (1130), Union Berlin v Schalke (1330), Augsburg v Cologne (1600)

Growing calls for anti-racism protests as Bayern scent Bundesliga title

The NBA's board of governors approved a return-to-play plan on Thursday, paving the way for the league to resume in Florida following a three-month coronavirus shutdown.

The NBA said a proposal put to the league's board that will see 22 teams based at a single location had passed comfortably.

"We are in the equivalent of the first inning. We've got a long ways to go here," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told American cable station TNT on Thursday night. "We have always been looking for a safe way to resume, knowing we are going to be living with this virus for a while."

Twenty-nine teams voted in favor of the return-to-play plan, with Portland the lone vote against, according to reports.

Under the NBA's proposals, the league would resume on July 31 with 22 teams based at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando to minimize the threat of COVID-19. Games will be played without spectators.

Playoffs would take place in August, with the NBA Finals set to be completed by October 12.&nbsp;

The league has also penciled in a provisional December 1 start date for the 2020-2021 season.

"The Board's approval of the restart format is a necessary step toward resuming the NBA season," Silver said.

"While the COVID-19 pandemic presents formidable challenges, we are hopeful of finishing the season in a safe and responsible manner based on strict protocols now being finalized with public health officials and medical experts."

The NBA Players Association must sign off on the restart plan for it to take effect. The NBAPA is expected to vote on the plan during a conference call set for Friday.

Silver said there are still some complex issues to be decided, including how to ensure the safety of some of their older coaches. He indicated that "certain coaches" may not be on the bench at all. San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is 71, and New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry is 65.

Silver meanwhile referred to the protests that have erupted across the United States since the death of an unarmed black man in police custody in Minneapolis last week.

"We also recognize that as we prepare to resume play, our society is reeling from recent tragedies of racial violence and injustice, and we will continue to work closely with our teams and players to use our collective resources and influence to address these issues in very real and concrete ways," Silver said.

<h2>- Quarantine, testing -</h2>

The NBA suspended its season on March 11 as the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, leaving professional sport in North America at a standstill.

Sixteen teams occupying the playoff berths in the Western and Eastern Conferences will be joined by six more teams to determine the final playoff line-up.

Nine teams from the Eastern Conference will be led by the Milwaukee Bucks and the reigning NBA champion Toronto Raptors.&nbsp;

The Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards complete the contingent from the East.

The Western Conference will provide 13 teams, including LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers.&nbsp;

Each of the 22 teams will play eight regular-season games for seeding purposes for the postseason.

The league plans for teams to start training camps in their home cities on June 30 before travelling to Orlando on July 7.&nbsp;

The league wants to have daily testing, and if a player tests positive, he would be isolated and quarantined.&nbsp;

The others would carry on playing while still being tested on a daily basis.

This year's regular season was halted abruptly after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive.&nbsp;

Gobert, of France, was given the all-clear about two weeks later.

So far, less than a dozen NBA players have been confirmed as testing positive for the coronavirus, although not all have been identified.

The NBA is the first major professional sports league disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak in North America to confirm a return date.

Although the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer have both announced plans to return, neither league has revealed details of when they expect competition to resume.

Major League Baseball meanwhile remains mired in a bitter contractual wrangle between teams and players with no clear idea of when the season may start.

The NBA's board of governors approved a return-to-play plan on Thursday, paving the way for the league to resume in Florida following a three-month coronavirus shutdown.

The NBA's board of governors approved a return-to-play plan on Thursday, paving the way for the league to resume in Florida following a three-month coronavirus shutdown. The NBA said a proposal put to the league's board that will see 22 teams based at a single location had passed comfortably. "We are in the equivalent of the first inning. We've got a long ways to go here," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told American cable station TNT on Thursday night. "We have always been looking for a safe way to resume, knowing we are going to be living with this virus for a while." Twenty-nine teams voted in favor of the return-to-play plan, with Portland the lone vote against, according to reports. Under the NBA's proposals, the league would resume on July 31 with 22 teams based at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando to minimize the threat of COVID-19. Games will be played without spectators. Playoffs would take place in August, with the NBA Finals set to be completed by October 12. The league has also penciled in a provisional December 1 start date for the 2020-2021 season. "The Board's approval of the restart format is a necessary step toward resuming the NBA season," Silver said. "While the COVID-19 pandemic presents formidable challenges, we are hopeful of finishing the season in a safe and responsible manner based on strict protocols now being finalized with public health officials and medical experts." The NBA Players Association must sign off on the restart plan for it to take effect. The NBAPA is expected to vote on the plan during a conference call set for Friday. Silver said there are still some complex issues to be decided, including how to ensure the safety of some of their older coaches. He indicated that "certain coaches" may not be on the bench at all. San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is 71, and New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry is 65. Silver meanwhile referred to the protests that have erupted across the United States since the death of an unarmed black man in police custody in Minneapolis last week. "We also recognize that as we prepare to resume play, our society is reeling from recent tragedies of racial violence and injustice, and we will continue to work closely with our teams and players to use our collective resources and influence to address these issues in very real and concrete ways," Silver said. - Quarantine, testing - The NBA suspended its season on March 11 as the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, leaving professional sport in North America at a standstill. Sixteen teams occupying the playoff berths in the Western and Eastern Conferences will be joined by six more teams to determine the final playoff line-up. Nine teams from the Eastern Conference will be led by the Milwaukee Bucks and the reigning NBA champion Toronto Raptors. The Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards complete the contingent from the East. The Western Conference will provide 13 teams, including LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. Each of the 22 teams will play eight regular-season games for seeding purposes for the postseason. The league plans for teams to start training camps in their home cities on June 30 before travelling to Orlando on July 7. The league wants to have daily testing, and if a player tests positive, he would be isolated and quarantined. The others would carry on playing while still being tested on a daily basis. This year's regular season was halted abruptly after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive. Gobert, of France, was given the all-clear about two weeks later. So far, less than a dozen NBA players have been confirmed as testing positive for the coronavirus, although not all have been identified. The NBA is the first major professional sports league disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak in North America to confirm a return date. Although the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer have both announced plans to return, neither league has revealed details of when they expect competition to resume. Major League Baseball meanwhile remains mired in a bitter contractual wrangle between teams and players with no clear idea of when the season may start.

NBA to return as board approves return-to-play plan

When Mohammad Amir bowled a no-ball against England on the opening day of the 2010 Test at Lord's, no one could have imagined his long stride past the crease marked the first step in a historic fixing scandal.

Two days later it was revealed that three no-balls -- two by Amir, and one by his pace partner Mohammad Asif -- had been part of a shady betting deal.

Pakistan's captain Salman Butt had orchestrated the deliberate no-balls in return for money offered by undercover journalist&nbsp;Mazhar Majeed posing as a bookmaker.

The scandal, exposed in the sting by Britain's now-defunct News of the World tabloid, rocked the cricketing world, and aftershocks can still be felt a decade on in Pakistan.

Not only did that dark morning at the revered 'home of cricket' derail the careers of three players who were banned and jailed, the saga also led to calls for Pakistan to be booted from international cricket.

Butt, Amir and Asif were tried in a London court for offences under the Gambling Act and were jailed in November 2011.

Announcing the sentences, the judge underscored the severity of the crime.

"The image and integrity of what was once a game, but is now a business, is damaged in the eyes of all, including the many youngsters who regarded three of you as heroes," Justice Jeremy Cooke said.

It marked a new low for Pakistan cricket, already reeling from the aftermath of terror attacks in Lahore on the Sri Lankan team a year before, which triggered the suspension of home internationals.

Because he pleaded guilty earlier than his two teammates, and on account of his youth, the 18-year-old Amir received worldwide sympathy.&nbsp;

He was allowed to play international cricket again in 2016 and, now 28, has been successfully reintegrated into the Pakistan team.

Asif, who received a seven-year ban and a one-year prison sentence, is now 37 and in the twilight of his career.&nbsp;

Butt, 35, still harbours hopes of an international comeback after consistent domestic performances.

As the orchestrator of one of the darkest episodes in the cricket-mad country's history, that seems unlikely, especially with match-fixing still haunting the game.

Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were banned after a Pakistan Super League spot-fixing case in 2017.

And in April this year, the talented-yet-maverick Umar Akmal was banned in April for three years for failing to report fixing offers.

<h2>- Trouble shooting -&nbsp;</h2>

The cases have led to calls for the country to criminalise fixing, a campaign taken up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

"We need to make match-fixing a criminal offence... I have talked to the government to bring in this change and make a law related to match-fixing," PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said.

Former Pakistan captain-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja went a step further, recommending tainted players should not play again for the national team, as Pakistan contemplate the return of Sharjeel after serving his ban.

"We have suffered numerous times from bringing back tainted players yet we continue to welcome them just because of their talent," Raja told AFP.

"We should avoid being desperate and rather give new talent a chance to prosper.&nbsp;

"Cricket cannot condone such behaviour and fans need to realise that rooting for tainted players is actually harming Pakistan cricket and its image."

On the field at least, Pakistan have managed to lift the clouds.&nbsp;

They found an astute skipper to replace Butt in Misbah-ul-Haq, who had been contemplating retirement after being left out for infamous England tour.&nbsp;

He led Pakistan to number one in the Test rankings in 2016.&nbsp;

A tentative return of international touring sides has followed, culminating in Azhar Ali having the honour of leading Pakistan in their first Test on home soil in 10 years when Sri Lanka played in Rawalpindi in December.

When Mohammad Amir bowled a no-ball against England on the opening day of the 2010 Test at Lord's, no one could have imagined his long stride past the crease marked the first step in a historic fixing scandal.

When Mohammad Amir bowled a no-ball against England on the opening day of the 2010 Test at Lord's, no one could have imagined his long stride past the crease marked the first step in a historic fixing scandal. Two days later it was revealed that three no-balls -- two by Amir, and one by his pace partner Mohammad Asif -- had been part of a shady betting deal. Pakistan's captain Salman Butt had orchestrated the deliberate no-balls in return for money offered by undercover journalist Mazhar Majeed posing as a bookmaker. The scandal, exposed in the sting by Britain's now-defunct News of the World tabloid, rocked the cricketing world, and aftershocks can still be felt a decade on in Pakistan. Not only did that dark morning at the revered 'home of cricket' derail the careers of three players who were banned and jailed, the saga also led to calls for Pakistan to be booted from international cricket. Butt, Amir and Asif were tried in a London court for offences under the Gambling Act and were jailed in November 2011. Announcing the sentences, the judge underscored the severity of the crime. "The image and integrity of what was once a game, but is now a business, is damaged in the eyes of all, including the many youngsters who regarded three of you as heroes," Justice Jeremy Cooke said. It marked a new low for Pakistan cricket, already reeling from the aftermath of terror attacks in Lahore on the Sri Lankan team a year before, which triggered the suspension of home internationals. Because he pleaded guilty earlier than his two teammates, and on account of his youth, the 18-year-old Amir received worldwide sympathy. He was allowed to play international cricket again in 2016 and, now 28, has been successfully reintegrated into the Pakistan team. Asif, who received a seven-year ban and a one-year prison sentence, is now 37 and in the twilight of his career. Butt, 35, still harbours hopes of an international comeback after consistent domestic performances. As the orchestrator of one of the darkest episodes in the cricket-mad country's history, that seems unlikely, especially with match-fixing still haunting the game. Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were banned after a Pakistan Super League spot-fixing case in 2017. And in April this year, the talented-yet-maverick Umar Akmal was banned in April for three years for failing to report fixing offers. - Trouble shooting - The cases have led to calls for the country to criminalise fixing, a campaign taken up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). "We need to make match-fixing a criminal offence... I have talked to the government to bring in this change and make a law related to match-fixing," PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said. Former Pakistan captain-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja went a step further, recommending tainted players should not play again for the national team, as Pakistan contemplate the return of Sharjeel after serving his ban. "We have suffered numerous times from bringing back tainted players yet we continue to welcome them just because of their talent," Raja told AFP. "We should avoid being desperate and rather give new talent a chance to prosper. "Cricket cannot condone such behaviour and fans need to realise that rooting for tainted players is actually harming Pakistan cricket and its image." On the field at least, Pakistan have managed to lift the clouds. They found an astute skipper to replace Butt in Misbah-ul-Haq, who had been contemplating retirement after being left out for infamous England tour. He led Pakistan to number one in the Test rankings in 2016. A tentative return of international touring sides has followed, culminating in Azhar Ali having the honour of leading Pakistan in their first Test on home soil in 10 years when Sri Lanka played in Rawalpindi in December.

A decade after Lord's scandal, match-fixing still haunts Pakistan cricket

Neymar, the world's most expensive footballer, was approved to receive a $120 welfare payment meant for low-paid Brazilian workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic, in an apparent case of identity theft, a report said Thursday.

The Paris Saint-Germain star's name, date of birth and Brazilian ID number were used to register for the 600-real stimulus payment from the federal government, news site UOL reported.

The emergency payments are meant to help Brazilians employed in the informal sector -- such as cleaners or cooks -- whose jobs and incomes have evaporated with stay-at-home measures to contain the virus.

With a contract at PSG, estimated earnings of $95.5 million this year and the record for most expensive football transfer in history, at 222 million euros, Neymar does not qualify.

Yet according to UOL, the application in his name "was initially approved and scheduled for payment... before being frozen and placed 'under evaluation' due to indications it failed to meet the requirements."

The striker's communications staff did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.

UOL reported his staff said Neymar "obviously never applied for this benefit, and does not know who would have done so."

Brazil is one of the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic. It has the third-highest death toll globally, at more than 34,000, behind only the US and Britain.

Neymar, 28, is riding out the pandemic at his luxury villa in Mangaratiba, a resort town outside Rio de Janeiro.

Neymar, the world's most expensive footballer, was approved to receive a $120 welfare payment meant for low-paid Brazilian workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic, in an apparent case of identity theft, a report said Thursday.

Neymar, the world's most expensive footballer, was approved to receive a $120 welfare payment meant for low-paid Brazilian workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic, in an apparent case of identity theft, a report said Thursday. The Paris Saint-Germain star's name, date of birth and Brazilian ID number were used to register for the 600-real stimulus payment from the federal government, news site UOL reported. The emergency payments are meant to help Brazilians employed in the informal sector -- such as cleaners or cooks -- whose jobs and incomes have evaporated with stay-at-home measures to contain the virus. With a contract at PSG, estimated earnings of $95.5 million this year and the record for most expensive football transfer in history, at 222 million euros, Neymar does not qualify. Yet according to UOL, the application in his name "was initially approved and scheduled for payment... before being frozen and placed 'under evaluation' due to indications it failed to meet the requirements." The striker's communications staff did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP. UOL reported his staff said Neymar "obviously never applied for this benefit, and does not know who would have done so." Brazil is one of the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic. It has the third-highest death toll globally, at more than 34,000, behind only the US and Britain. Neymar, 28, is riding out the pandemic at his luxury villa in Mangaratiba, a resort town outside Rio de Janeiro.

Neymar mistakenly approved for $120 virus welfare payment: report

The Asian Football Confederation has awarded the hosting rights of the 2022 Women's Asian Cup to India for the first time since 1979.

The decision was taken at the AFC Women's Football Committee meeting. In February, the AFC Women's Football Committee had recommended India to be hosts.

In a letter to the All India Football Federation, Dato Windsor John, General Secretary, AFC wrote: "The Committee awarded the hosting rights of the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2022 Finals to the All India Football Federation."

The tournament will likely be held in the second half of the year. In the 1979 edition, India had finished as runners-up.

"I need to thank the Asian Football Confederation for finding us suitable to host the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2022," AIFF President, Praful Patel said.

"The tournament will galvanise the aspiring women players and bring in a holistic social revolution as far as women's football in the country is concerned," he added.

The tournament will feature 12 teams, expanded from the previous slot of eight teams.

India qualify directly as hosts. The event will also serve as the final qualification tournament for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The tournament comes as the latest boost to AIFF as India are slated to host the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup next year.

India had also hosted the AFC U-16 Championships in 2016 and the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017.

"The tournament will play a huge role in further popularising women's football in India. The Women's Asian Cup 2022 comes on the back of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020, and will help us sustain, and build on the momentum gained," AIFF General Secretary, Kushal Das said.

The Asian Football Confederation has awarded the hosting rights of the 2022 Women's Asian Cup to India for the first time since 1979. The decision was taken at the AFC Women's Football Committee meeting.

The Asian Football Confederation has awarded the hosting rights of the 2022 Women's Asian Cup to India for the first time since 1979. The decision was taken at the AFC Women's Football Committee meeting. In February, the AFC Women's Football Committee had recommended India to be hosts. In a letter to the All India Football Federation, Dato Windsor John, General Secretary, AFC wrote: "The Committee awarded the hosting rights of the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2022 Finals to the All India Football Federation." The tournament will likely be held in the second half of the year. In the 1979 edition, India had finished as runners-up. "I need to thank the Asian Football Confederation for finding us suitable to host the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2022," AIFF President, Praful Patel said. "The tournament will galvanise the aspiring women players and bring in a holistic social revolution as far as women's football in the country is concerned," he added. The tournament will feature 12 teams, expanded from the previous slot of eight teams. India qualify directly as hosts. The event will also serve as the final qualification tournament for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. The tournament comes as the latest boost to AIFF as India are slated to host the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup next year. India had also hosted the AFC U-16 Championships in 2016 and the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017. "The tournament will play a huge role in further popularising women's football in India. The Women's Asian Cup 2022 comes on the back of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020, and will help us sustain, and build on the momentum gained," AIFF General Secretary, Kushal Das said.

India to host 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup

In what comes as one of the sweetest scoops, Chelsea have agreed to pay Red Bull Leipzig forward Timo Werner’s £54 million release clause. Werner, who is regarded as one of the most promising strikers in Europe, will head to the London club with fans excited to see the German striker take the Premier League by storm.&nbsp;

Werner has been enjoying a prolific season for Leipzig in Bundesliga 2019-20 season, scoring 25 goals in 25 appearances while helping the club battle for the top four spots in the league.

The 24-year-old was heavily linked with a number of big European clubs including Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid but as per reports, Chelsea have&nbsp;toppled everyone by agreeing to pay the release clause.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chelsea-declared-english-womens-champions-on-points-per-game-303640" hreflang="en">Chelsea declared English women's champions on points-per-game</a>

The exact amount of the release clause will depend on Leipzig’s Champions League qualification fate, however, Chelsea has agreed to pay the amount regardless of their achievement. The Frank Lampard-managed outfit has offered Werner contract worth £9m per year at Stamford Bridge and is now expected to go ahead and sign the German forward.

While Lampard did admit that he wants to make a “few additions” to his squad before the next season as Chelsea have unable to sign players in the last two transfer windows due to a ban.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-announces-fixtures-for-2019-20-season-restart-303624" hreflang="en">Premier League announces fixtures for 2019-20 season restart</a>

Meanwhile, Werner will be back in action with his current club Leipzig on Saturday as he will look to find the net against Paderborn. In the golden boot race, Werner is just four goals behind Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski after scoring in 4-2 win against Cologne.

In what comes as one of the sweetest scoops, Chelsea have agreed to pay Red Bull Leipzig forward Timo Werner’s £54 million release clause. Werner, who is regarded as one of the most promising strikers in Europe, will head to the London club with fans excited to see the German striker take the Premier League by storm.

In what comes as one of the sweetest scoops, Chelsea have agreed to pay Red Bull Leipzig forward Timo Werner’s £54 million release clause. Werner, who is regarded as one of the most promising strikers in Europe, will head to the London club with fans excited to see the German striker take the Premier League by storm. Werner has been enjoying a prolific season for Leipzig in Bundesliga 2019-20 season, scoring 25 goals in 25 appearances while helping the club battle for the top four spots in the league. The 24-year-old was heavily linked with a number of big European clubs including Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid but as per reports, Chelsea have toppled everyone by agreeing to pay the release clause. ALSO READ: Chelsea declared English women's champions on points-per-game The exact amount of the release clause will depend on Leipzig’s Champions League qualification fate, however, Chelsea has agreed to pay the amount regardless of their achievement. The Frank Lampard-managed outfit has offered Werner contract worth £9m per year at Stamford Bridge and is now expected to go ahead and sign the German forward. While Lampard did admit that he wants to make a “few additions” to his squad before the next season as Chelsea have unable to sign players in the last two transfer windows due to a ban. ALSO READ: Premier League announces fixtures for 2019-20 season restart Meanwhile, Werner will be back in action with his current club Leipzig on Saturday as he will look to find the net against Paderborn. In the golden boot race, Werner is just four goals behind Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski after scoring in 4-2 win against Cologne.

Chelsea agree to pay Timo Werner's release clause as Liverpool lose out on Leipzig forward

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh landed himself into controversy for his remarks on Yuzvendra Chahal which created outrage all over social media. A complaint was lodged against Yuvraj regarding the matter by a lawyer from Haryana – Rajat Kalsan – as he stated that remarks made by the former India all-rounder were casteist against Dalits, as per reports. However, Yuvraj on Friday released a statement in which the World Cup-winning all-rounder said that he was misunderstood while having conversation with friends.&nbsp;

Yuvraj further said that he never believed in disparity and will continue to spend his life for the welfare of people. He expressed regrets for unintentionally hurting sentiments.&nbsp;

“We are investigating the matter. But nothing has been decided so far. No FIR has been registered yet,” Hansi Superintendent of Police Lokender Singh told a leading daily.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kohli-only-cricketer-in-top-10-highest-earning-athletes-on-instagram-during-lockdown-303595" hreflang="en">Kohli only cricketer in top-10 highest-earning athletes on Instagram during lockdown</a>

Meanwhile, Yuvraj has been one of the most active voices during the time of COVID-19 as the former Indian cricketer continues to keep his fans engaged on social media platforms while spreading awareness around COVID-19 pandemic. He was also seen taking up challenges with fellow former and active cricketers on Twitter.

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— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) <a href="https://twitter.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1268810700429897728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Here’s the full text of Yuvraj Singh’s statement issued on Twitter:</h2>

"This is to clarify that I have never believed in any kind of disparity, be it on the basis of caste, colour, creed or gender. I have given, and continue to spend my life for the welfare of people. I believe in the dignity of life and respect unintentionally hurt anybody’s sentiments or feelings, I would like to express regret for the same.&nbsp;

"My love for India and all its people is eternal."

 
&nbsp;

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh landed himself into controversy for his remarks on Yuzvendra Chahal which created outrage all over social media. A complaint was lodged against Yuvraj regarding the matter by a lawyer from Haryana – Rajat Kalsan – as he stated that remarks made by the former India all-rounder were casteist against Dalits, as per reports.

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh landed himself into controversy for his remarks on Yuzvendra Chahal which created outrage all over social media. A complaint was lodged against Yuvraj regarding the matter by a lawyer from Haryana – Rajat Kalsan – as he stated that remarks made by the former India all-rounder were casteist against Dalits, as per reports. However, Yuvraj on Friday released a statement in which the World Cup-winning all-rounder said that he was misunderstood while having conversation with friends. Yuvraj further said that he never believed in disparity and will continue to spend his life for the welfare of people. He expressed regrets for unintentionally hurting sentiments. “We are investigating the matter. But nothing has been decided so far. No FIR has been registered yet,” Hansi Superintendent of Police Lokender Singh told a leading daily. ALSO READ: Kohli only cricketer in top-10 highest-earning athletes on Instagram during lockdown Meanwhile, Yuvraj has been one of the most active voices during the time of COVID-19 as the former Indian cricketer continues to keep his fans engaged on social media platforms while spreading awareness around COVID-19 pandemic. He was also seen taking up challenges with fellow former and active cricketers on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/pnA2FMVDXD — yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) June 5, 2020 × Here’s the full text of Yuvraj Singh’s statement issued on Twitter: "This is to clarify that I have never believed in any kind of disparity, be it on the basis of caste, colour, creed or gender. I have given, and continue to spend my life for the welfare of people. I believe in the dignity of life and respect unintentionally hurt anybody’s sentiments or feelings, I would like to express regret for the same. "My love for India and all its people is eternal."

Yuvraj Singh issues statement after alleged casteist remark on Yuvzendra Chahal

Chelsea were awarded the Women's Super League title on Friday as the Football Association applied a points-per-game formula to decide standings from the curtailed season.

The Blues were a point behind Manchester City at the top of the table when the campaign was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, but had played one game fewer.

At the other end of the table, Liverpool are relegated to the Championship, with Aston Villa promoted to the 12-team top-flight.

Chelsea and City will represent England in the 2020/21 women's Champions League.

"Football pales into insignificance at a time like this, but it also has the capacity to bring joy and happiness to fans and communities everywhere," said Chelsea manager Emma Hayes.

"For my players and staff, winning the league is something to be proud of and I will tell them that when I speak to them.

"A lot of blood, sweat and tears from every player, at every club, has gone into this season and it is important we recognise that and celebrate the fact we have ended a highly competitive season as champions."

The cost involved in providing testing kits to complete the season was a major hurdle for even the top level of the women's game to overcome.

Liverpool expressed their disappointment that the WSL would not follow the example of the top two leagues in the men's game in England by returning to complete the campaign.

"Liverpool FC is disappointed by today's decision on how the 2019/20 Women's Super League season has been concluded, which will see the Reds relegated to the Championship," the club said in a statement.

"The focus of our women’s team and staff since the beginning of the crisis was to be ready to return to WSL play when it was safe and proper to do so.

"We believe we would have been able to meet all operational requirements but a return to play was deemed impractical."

However, City accepted the decision that sees them miss out on the title by the finest of margins.

Chelsea were awarded the Women's Super League title on Friday as the Football Association applied a points-per-game formula to decide standings from the curtailed season.

Chelsea were awarded the Women's Super League title on Friday as the Football Association applied a points-per-game formula to decide standings from the curtailed season. The Blues were a point behind Manchester City at the top of the table when the campaign was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, but had played one game fewer. At the other end of the table, Liverpool are relegated to the Championship, with Aston Villa promoted to the 12-team top-flight. Chelsea and City will represent England in the 2020/21 women's Champions League. "Football pales into insignificance at a time like this, but it also has the capacity to bring joy and happiness to fans and communities everywhere," said Chelsea manager Emma Hayes. "For my players and staff, winning the league is something to be proud of and I will tell them that when I speak to them. "A lot of blood, sweat and tears from every player, at every club, has gone into this season and it is important we recognise that and celebrate the fact we have ended a highly competitive season as champions." The cost involved in providing testing kits to complete the season was a major hurdle for even the top level of the women's game to overcome. Liverpool expressed their disappointment that the WSL would not follow the example of the top two leagues in the men's game in England by returning to complete the campaign. "Liverpool FC is disappointed by today's decision on how the 2019/20 Women's Super League season has been concluded, which will see the Reds relegated to the Championship," the club said in a statement. "The focus of our women’s team and staff since the beginning of the crisis was to be ready to return to WSL play when it was safe and proper to do so. "We believe we would have been able to meet all operational requirements but a return to play was deemed impractical." However, City accepted the decision that sees them miss out on the title by the finest of margins.

Chelsea declared English women's champions on points-per-game

The Premier League on Friday announced the fixture schedule for the 2019-20 season until July 2 as the most-watched football league in the world gears up for resumption. The first three-match rounds of the halted 2019-20 season have been confirmed and the players have less than two weeks to complete their final preparations before the resumption of services.&nbsp;

The Premier League will restart on June 17 if all safety requirements are in place. All matches will be played behind closed doors.

Aston Villa and Sheffield United will resume the league on June 17 before Manchester City take on Arsenal later on June 17. The full match round will begin on June 19.&nbsp; Liverpool, in all likelihood, are expected to wrap up the formalities and lift the Premier League trophy after 30 long years.

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"We are extremely happy that more than a third of our remaining fixtures will be televised free-to-air here in the UK," Richard Masters, Premier League CEO, said.

&nbsp;"We are pleased to provide fans with further updates on the provisional restart of the Premier League season.

"We know it won't be the same without our loyal supporters in stadiums but, together with our broadcast partners, we are able to ensure fans can watch or listen to each match live from home.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jesus-corona-scores-for-porto-on-premeira-liga-return-netizens-say-you-cant-write-a-better-script-303578" hreflang="en">Jesus Corona scores for Porto on Premeira Liga return, netizens say "you can't write a better script"</a>

"It is important that as many people as possible can access our games so we are extremely happy that more than a third of our remaining fixtures will be televised free-to-air here in the UK.

"I am delighted we are able to take another positive step towards the season returning in just under two weeks' time."

<h2>Premier League 2019-20: Revised fixtures</h2>

Wednesday 17 June

Aston Villa v Sheff Utd

Man City v Arsenal&nbsp;

Friday 19 June

Norwich City v Southampton

Spurs v Man Utd&nbsp;

Saturday 20 June

Watford v Leicester City&nbsp;

Brighton v Arsenal

West Ham v Wolves &nbsp;

AFC Bournemouth v Crystal Palace&nbsp;

Sunday 21 June

Newcastle United v Sheff Utd&nbsp;

Aston Villa v Chelsea&nbsp;

Everton v Liverpool*

Monday 22 June

Man City v Burnley&nbsp;

Tuesday 23 June

Leicester City v Brighton&nbsp;

Spurs v West Ham&nbsp;

Wednesday 24 June

Man Utd v Sheff Utd

Newcastle United v Aston Villa&nbsp;

Norwich City v Everton&nbsp;

Wolves v AFC Bournemouth&nbsp;

Liverpool v Crystal Palace&nbsp;

Thursday 25 June

Burnley v Watford

Southampton v Arsenal&nbsp;

Chelsea v Man City&nbsp;

Saturday 27 June

12:30 Aston Villa v Wolves&nbsp;

Sunday 28 June

16:30 Watford v Southampton

Monday 29 June

Crystal Palace v Burnley&nbsp;

Tuesday 30 June

Brighton v Man Utd&nbsp;

Wednesday 1 July

Arsenal v Norwich City&nbsp;

AFC Bournemouth v Newcastle United

Everton v Leicester City&nbsp;

West Ham v Chelsea&nbsp;

Thursday 2 July

Sheff Utd v Spurs&nbsp;

Man City v Liverpool&nbsp;

*Venue TBC 
&nbsp;

The Premier League on Friday announced the fixture schedule for the 2019-20 season until July 2 as the most-watched football league in the world gears up for resumption.

The Premier League on Friday announced the fixture schedule for the 2019-20 season until July 2 as the most-watched football league in the world gears up for resumption. The first three-match rounds of the halted 2019-20 season have been confirmed and the players have less than two weeks to complete their final preparations before the resumption of services. The Premier League will restart on June 17 if all safety requirements are in place. All matches will be played behind closed doors. Aston Villa and Sheffield United will resume the league on June 17 before Manchester City take on Arsenal later on June 17. The full match round will begin on June 19. Liverpool, in all likelihood, are expected to wrap up the formalities and lift the Premier League trophy after 30 long years. ALSO READ: Barcelona confident Lionel Messi will be ready for Mallorca, despite 'minor' thigh injury "We are extremely happy that more than a third of our remaining fixtures will be televised free-to-air here in the UK," Richard Masters, Premier League CEO, said. "We are pleased to provide fans with further updates on the provisional restart of the Premier League season. "We know it won't be the same without our loyal supporters in stadiums but, together with our broadcast partners, we are able to ensure fans can watch or listen to each match live from home. ALSO READ: Jesus Corona scores for Porto on Premeira Liga return, netizens say "you can't write a better script" "It is important that as many people as possible can access our games so we are extremely happy that more than a third of our remaining fixtures will be televised free-to-air here in the UK. "I am delighted we are able to take another positive step towards the season returning in just under two weeks' time." Premier League 2019-20: Revised fixtures Wednesday 17 June Aston Villa v Sheff Utd Man City v Arsenal Friday 19 June Norwich City v Southampton Spurs v Man Utd Saturday 20 June Watford v Leicester City Brighton v Arsenal West Ham v Wolves AFC Bournemouth v Crystal Palace Sunday 21 June Newcastle United v Sheff Utd Aston Villa v Chelsea Everton v Liverpool* Monday 22 June Man City v Burnley Tuesday 23 June Leicester City v Brighton Spurs v West Ham Wednesday 24 June Man Utd v Sheff Utd Newcastle United v Aston Villa Norwich City v Everton Wolves v AFC Bournemouth Liverpool v Crystal Palace Thursday 25 June Burnley v Watford Southampton v Arsenal Chelsea v Man City Saturday 27 June 12:30 Aston Villa v Wolves Sunday 28 June 16:30 Watford v Southampton Monday 29 June Crystal Palace v Burnley Tuesday 30 June Brighton v Man Utd Wednesday 1 July Arsenal v Norwich City AFC Bournemouth v Newcastle United Everton v Leicester City West Ham v Chelsea Thursday 2 July Sheff Utd v Spurs Man City v Liverpool *Venue TBC

Premier League announces fixtures for 2019-20 season restart

Qatar announced the completion of its third stadium for the 2022 World Cup, state media reported late Thursday, as the emirate prepared to mark three years of a regional feud.

Education City stadium had been due to host the semi-final of the Club World Cup on December 18, but its opening was postponed because of delays to certification.

"The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and the Qatar Foundation announce the completion of the preparations for the third FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium, located in Education City," the state-run Qatar News Agency reported.

The Education City ground, named for the surrounding university and research campuses, will host fixtures through to the quarter-finals.

After the tournament, half of its 40,000 seats will be donated to build stadiums in developing countries.

Two and a half years before the World Cup kicks off, Qatar has already launched the brand new 40,000-capacity Al-Janoub stadium and the refurbished Khalifa International ground.

Five new stadiums remain under construction.

Friday marked the third anniversary of a Saudi-led effort to isolate Qatar over claims it supports radical Islamist movements and is too close to Iran. Doha denies the claims.

On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia along with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut diplomatic ties, closed their airspace and borders to Qatar and severed economic links.

Despite several signs of reconciliation, including Saudi, the UAE and Bahrain participating in a regional football tournament in Doha last year, the dispute remains deadlocked.

Qatar announced the completion of its third stadium for the 2022 World Cup, state media reported late Thursday, as the emirate prepared to mark three years of a regional feud.

Qatar announced the completion of its third stadium for the 2022 World Cup, state media reported late Thursday, as the emirate prepared to mark three years of a regional feud. Education City stadium had been due to host the semi-final of the Club World Cup on December 18, but its opening was postponed because of delays to certification. "The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and the Qatar Foundation announce the completion of the preparations for the third FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium, located in Education City," the state-run Qatar News Agency reported. The Education City ground, named for the surrounding university and research campuses, will host fixtures through to the quarter-finals. After the tournament, half of its 40,000 seats will be donated to build stadiums in developing countries. Two and a half years before the World Cup kicks off, Qatar has already launched the brand new 40,000-capacity Al-Janoub stadium and the refurbished Khalifa International ground. Five new stadiums remain under construction. Friday marked the third anniversary of a Saudi-led effort to isolate Qatar over claims it supports radical Islamist movements and is too close to Iran. Doha denies the claims. On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia along with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut diplomatic ties, closed their airspace and borders to Qatar and severed economic links. Despite several signs of reconciliation, including Saudi, the UAE and Bahrain participating in a regional football tournament in Doha last year, the dispute remains deadlocked.

Qatar completes third World Cup stadium

Football fans are bracing themselves to watch the return of Argentine maestro Lionel Messi when Barcelona face Mallorca on June 13 in what will be their first game back post the resumption of La Liga 2019-20 season.&nbsp;

Messi sustained a “minor” thigh injury due to which he could miss the action but Barcelona are confident that the left-footed talisman will be fit for their match against Mallorca. Messi hasn’t trained with the rest of the squad since Tuesday and worked separately in the gym on Wednesday and Friday with Thursday being common off for players.

The Catalan club said that Messi should return to training “in a few days’ time” but his repeated absence from full training raises doubts over his fitness as clubs gear up for resumption.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jesus-corona-scores-for-porto-on-premeira-liga-return-netizens-say-you-cant-write-a-better-script-303578" hreflang="en">Jesus Corona scores for Porto on Premeira Liga return, netizens say "you can't write a better script"</a>

"Leo Messi has a minor right quadriceps injury and trained in isolation, doing specific exercises to avoid unnecessary risks with just eight days remaining before Barca finally get back to playing matches," a club statement read.&nbsp;

"He should be able to rejoin his team-mates in a few days’ time."

Messi has had an injury-laden 2019-20 season thus far. The 32-year-old was sidelined due to calf injury between August and September and missed another week due to a problem in his left thigh. However, like every other season, Messi has been lethal in front of the goal as he scored 24 goals in 31 appearances in the 2019-20 season with Barcelona sitting two points clear atop the La Liga table.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/forbes-highest-paid-athletes-roger-federer-edges-out-cristiano-ronaldo-for-top-spot-virat-kohli-only-cricketer-in-the-list-303568" hreflang="en">Forbes highest-paid athletes: Roger Federer edges out Cristiano Ronaldo for top spot; Virat Kohli only cricketer in the list</a>

Barca added the team will train on the pitch at Camp Nou on Saturday as coach Quique Setien "works to get his players ready for the return to football, but with games being played behind closed doors

Football fans are bracing themselves to watch the return of Argentine maestro Lionel Messi when Barcelona face Mallorca on June 13 in what will be their first game back post the resumption of La Liga 2019-20 season.

Football fans are bracing themselves to watch the return of Argentine maestro Lionel Messi when Barcelona face Mallorca on June 13 in what will be their first game back post the resumption of La Liga 2019-20 season. Messi sustained a “minor” thigh injury due to which he could miss the action but Barcelona are confident that the left-footed talisman will be fit for their match against Mallorca. Messi hasn’t trained with the rest of the squad since Tuesday and worked separately in the gym on Wednesday and Friday with Thursday being common off for players. The Catalan club said that Messi should return to training “in a few days’ time” but his repeated absence from full training raises doubts over his fitness as clubs gear up for resumption. ALSO READ: Jesus Corona scores for Porto on Premeira Liga return, netizens say "you can't write a better script" "Leo Messi has a minor right quadriceps injury and trained in isolation, doing specific exercises to avoid unnecessary risks with just eight days remaining before Barca finally get back to playing matches," a club statement read. "He should be able to rejoin his team-mates in a few days’ time." Messi has had an injury-laden 2019-20 season thus far. The 32-year-old was sidelined due to calf injury between August and September and missed another week due to a problem in his left thigh. However, like every other season, Messi has been lethal in front of the goal as he scored 24 goals in 31 appearances in the 2019-20 season with Barcelona sitting two points clear atop the La Liga table. ALSO READ: Forbes highest-paid athletes: Roger Federer edges out Cristiano Ronaldo for top spot; Virat Kohli only cricketer in the list Barca added the team will train on the pitch at Camp Nou on Saturday as coach Quique Setien "works to get his players ready for the return to football, but with games being played behind closed doors

Barcelona confident Lionel Messi will be ready for Mallorca, despite 'minor' thigh injury

A bus carrying the Benfica soccer team was stoned on Thursday, breaking the glass and injuring two players, after they had played their first game since the novel coronavirus halted the season, Benfica football club said in a statement.

German midfielder Julian Weigl, 24, and Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic, 23, were hit with shrapnel and taken to the Hospital da Luz in Lisbon to be treated as a precaution, Benfica said.

The attack on a major motorway between the club’s Estadio da Luz and training ground followed Benfica’s first game in three months after the season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Sport Lisboa and Benfica denounce and lament the criminal stoning the bus of its players was victim to,” the statement read.

“We guarantee total collaboration with authorities to whom we appeal for the greatest effort to be made in identifying the delinquents responsible for these criminal acts.”

Portuguese champions Benfica missed the chance to move clear of title rivals Porto at the top of the table after being held to a 0-0 draw by lowly Tondela. The top two are now level on 60 points with nine rounds of matches remaining.

Fans had gathered outside the gates of Benfica’s stadium in Lisbon to support the team because restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak prevented them entering the ground.

A bus carrying the Benfica soccer team was stoned on Thursday, breaking the glass and injuring two players, after they had played their first game since the novel coronavirus halted the season, Benfica football club said in a statement.

A bus carrying the Benfica soccer team was stoned on Thursday, breaking the glass and injuring two players, after they had played their first game since the novel coronavirus halted the season, Benfica football club said in a statement. German midfielder Julian Weigl, 24, and Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic, 23, were hit with shrapnel and taken to the Hospital da Luz in Lisbon to be treated as a precaution, Benfica said. The attack on a major motorway between the club’s Estadio da Luz and training ground followed Benfica’s first game in three months after the season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Sport Lisboa and Benfica denounce and lament the criminal stoning the bus of its players was victim to,” the statement read. “We guarantee total collaboration with authorities to whom we appeal for the greatest effort to be made in identifying the delinquents responsible for these criminal acts.” Portuguese champions Benfica missed the chance to move clear of title rivals Porto at the top of the table after being held to a 0-0 draw by lowly Tondela. The top two are now level on 60 points with nine rounds of matches remaining. Fans had gathered outside the gates of Benfica’s stadium in Lisbon to support the team because restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak prevented them entering the ground.

Benfica bus stoned after first game back, two players injured

India skipper Virat Kohli emerged as the only cricketer in the world's top-10 list of highest-earning athletes through sponsored Instagram posts during the lockdown, according to a report.

The cricket superstar was sixth on the list, the figures for which were collected by 'Attain' during the period between March 12 and May 14, when the world literally shut down to stem the growth of the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the list, Kohli earned a total of 379,294 pounds through his sponsored posts, raking up 126,431 pounds per post.

Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list with an estimated earning of 1.8 million pounds while Argentina and FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi and PSG's Neymar were second and third with earnings of 1.2 million and 1.1 million respectively.

Basketball great Shaquille O'Neal and (583,628 pounds) former England football captain David Beckham (405,359 pounds) wrap up the top five.

Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic (184,413 pounds), ex NBA star Dwayne Wade (143,146), Brazillian footballer Dani Alves (133,694) and boxer Anthony Joshua (121,500) complete the top-10 list of highest-earning athletes during the lockdown period worldwide.

India skipper Virat Kohli emerged as the only cricketer in the world's top-10 list of highest-earning athletes through sponsored Instagram posts during the lockdown, according to a report.

India skipper Virat Kohli emerged as the only cricketer in the world's top-10 list of highest-earning athletes through sponsored Instagram posts during the lockdown, according to a report. The cricket superstar was sixth on the list, the figures for which were collected by 'Attain' during the period between March 12 and May 14, when the world literally shut down to stem the growth of the coronavirus outbreak. According to the list, Kohli earned a total of 379,294 pounds through his sponsored posts, raking up 126,431 pounds per post. Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list with an estimated earning of 1.8 million pounds while Argentina and FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi and PSG's Neymar were second and third with earnings of 1.2 million and 1.1 million respectively. Basketball great Shaquille O'Neal and (583,628 pounds) former England football captain David Beckham (405,359 pounds) wrap up the top five. Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic (184,413 pounds), ex NBA star Dwayne Wade (143,146), Brazillian footballer Dani Alves (133,694) and boxer Anthony Joshua (121,500) complete the top-10 list of highest-earning athletes during the lockdown period worldwide.

Kohli only cricketer in top-10 highest-earning athletes on Instagram during lockdown

The Portuguese top-flight football league – Primeira Liga – resumed services on June 3 as clubs returned back to action after a prolonged break due to COVID-19. FC Porto, one of the most decorated teams in Portugal, resumed their hunt for the title against Famalicao but failed to bag the three points as the hosts won the match 2-1.&nbsp;

Famalicao took the lead right after the second half kicked off, in the 48th minute, as Martins found the back of the net. However, football fans watching over, went crazy after FC Porto’s Mexican forward Jesus Corona equalized for the visitors in the 74th minute.

Netizens were quick to spot the name and to social media platform Twitter to express their surprise and amazement. One fan wrote: “You can’t make this up”.

Reactions soon flooded in and the name of the Porto forward started trending on Twitter.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/forbes-highest-paid-athletes-roger-federer-edges-out-cristiano-ronaldo-for-top-spot-virat-kohli-only-cricketer-in-the-list-303568" hreflang="en">Forbes highest-paid athletes: Roger Federer edges out Cristiano Ronaldo for top spot; Virat Kohli only cricketer in the list</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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That is incredible. 
 
Porto’s first goal back since lockdown was scored by... 
 
Jesus Corona. <a href="https://t.co/ffKpTy9QwK">pic.twitter.com/ffKpTy9QwK</a>
— Pete Evans (@PeteEvans87) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteEvans87/status/1268300271555358721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Tonight was FC Porto’s first game since the Coronavirus outbreak. Guess name of their goalscorer? 
 
Jesus Corona... 2020 is a script! <a href="https://t.co/ebaJoK5kqO">pic.twitter.com/ebaJoK5kqO</a>
— Series Abíọ́dún (@Engr_Series) <a href="https://twitter.com/Engr_Series/status/1268311124061106176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Who scored FC Porto’s first goal in their first game after the enforced break due to Coronavirus? 
 
Me: Jesus Corona. <a href="https://t.co/4wWFjn5c9x">pic.twitter.com/4wWFjn5c9x</a>
— MR KEMS (@mr_kems4) <a href="https://twitter.com/mr_kems4/status/1268589065911369728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“Jesus Corona” scored Porto's first goal after the lockdown. You cannot write a better script.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JKLive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JKLive</a> <a href="https://t.co/s3uGQ2JTta">pic.twitter.com/s3uGQ2JTta</a>
— MuthuiMkenya 🇰🇪 (@MuthuiMkenya) <a href="https://twitter.com/MuthuiMkenya/status/1268307736980316160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Jesus Corona scores for Porto. Unbelievable. <a href="https://t.co/W0KRZu74mD">pic.twitter.com/W0KRZu74mD</a>
— Derek (@MyBets2020) <a href="https://twitter.com/MyBets2020/status/1268300936272896001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Tonight was FC Porto’s first game since the Coronavirus outbreak. 
Guess the goal scorer? Jesús Corona. 
 
And great gesture from their sponsor Super Bock. They replaced their name with “Super Doc” to pay tribute to all the doctors &amp; nurses on the frontline. <a href="https://t.co/dbeLFS2P7v">pic.twitter.com/dbeLFS2P7v</a>
— Mbuotidem - Digital Marketing (@MB_ofLife) <a href="https://twitter.com/MB_ofLife/status/1268337099545227271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The footballing world re-aligns 🙌🏽 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JesusCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JesusCorona</a> <a href="https://t.co/S1ZzMl7gYk">pic.twitter.com/S1ZzMl7gYk</a>
— Taranjit S Badh (@DentistWhoRuns) <a href="https://twitter.com/DentistWhoRuns/status/1268647578851332097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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When you see that Porto’s first goalscorer post-lockdown is called ‘Jesus Corona’... <a href="https://t.co/dIQVClZCJA">pic.twitter.com/dIQVClZCJA</a>
— ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) <a href="https://twitter.com/ODDSbible/status/1268635327826202629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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However, Jesus Corona’s effort went in vain as Pote scored the winner for Famalicao in the 78th minute to bag all three points for his club to take them to the fifth spot in the league standings. With the win, Famalicao moved to fifth in the table whereas FC Porto were joint-second with Benfica with 60 points each after 25 matches.&nbsp;

The Portuguese top-flight football league – Primeira Liga – resumed services on June 3 as clubs returned back to action after a prolonged break due to COVID-19. FC Porto, one of the most decorated teams in Portugal, resumed their hunt for the title against Famalicao but failed to bag the three points as the hosts won the match 2-1.

The Portuguese top-flight football league – Primeira Liga – resumed services on June 3 as clubs returned back to action after a prolonged break due to COVID-19. FC Porto, one of the most decorated teams in Portugal, resumed their hunt for the title against Famalicao but failed to bag the three points as the hosts won the match 2-1. Famalicao took the lead right after the second half kicked off, in the 48th minute, as Martins found the back of the net. However, football fans watching over, went crazy after FC Porto’s Mexican forward Jesus Corona equalized for the visitors in the 74th minute. Netizens were quick to spot the name and to social media platform Twitter to express their surprise and amazement. One fan wrote: “You can’t make this up”. Reactions soon flooded in and the name of the Porto forward started trending on Twitter. ALSO READ: Forbes highest-paid athletes: Roger Federer edges out Cristiano Ronaldo for top spot; Virat Kohli only cricketer in the list That is incredible. Porto’s first goal back since lockdown was scored by... Jesus Corona. pic.twitter.com/ffKpTy9QwK — Pete Evans (@PeteEvans87) June 3, 2020 × Tonight was FC Porto’s first game since the Coronavirus outbreak. Guess name of their goalscorer? Jesus Corona... 2020 is a script! pic.twitter.com/ebaJoK5kqO — Series Abíọ́dún (@Engr_Series) June 3, 2020 × Who scored FC Porto’s first goal in their first game after the enforced break due to Coronavirus? Me: Jesus Corona. pic.twitter.com/4wWFjn5c9x — MR KEMS (@mr_kems4) June 4, 2020 × “Jesus Corona” scored Porto's first goal after the lockdown. You cannot write a better script.#JKLive pic.twitter.com/s3uGQ2JTta — MuthuiMkenya 🇰🇪 (@MuthuiMkenya) June 3, 2020 × Jesus Corona scores for Porto. Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/W0KRZu74mD — Derek (@MyBets2020) June 3, 2020 × Tonight was FC Porto’s first game since the Coronavirus outbreak. Guess the goal scorer? Jesús Corona. And great gesture from their sponsor Super Bock. They replaced their name with “Super Doc” to pay tribute to all the doctors & nurses on the frontline. pic.twitter.com/dbeLFS2P7v — Mbuotidem - Digital Marketing (@MB_ofLife) June 4, 2020 × The footballing world re-aligns 🙌🏽 #JesusCorona pic.twitter.com/S1ZzMl7gYk — Taranjit S Badh (@DentistWhoRuns) June 4, 2020 × When you see that Porto’s first goalscorer post-lockdown is called ‘Jesus Corona’... pic.twitter.com/dIQVClZCJA — ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) June 4, 2020 × However, Jesus Corona’s effort went in vain as Pote scored the winner for Famalicao in the 78th minute to bag all three points for his club to take them to the fifth spot in the league standings. With the win, Famalicao moved to fifth in the table whereas FC Porto were joint-second with Benfica with 60 points each after 25 matches.

Jesus Corona scores for Porto on Premeira Liga return, netizens say "you can't write a better script"

With COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc across sports, paydays for world’s top-earning athletes dropped for the first time in four years, as per the latest 2020 Forbes rankings. Many sporting leagues and tournaments were postponed and suspended due to the dreaded virus which led to financial troubles for many teams and sporting federations.&nbsp;

The 100 highest-paid athletes for the last 12 months earned a combined $3.6 billion this year, which is around 9% less than what they had earned in 2019 and the first dip since 2016.&nbsp;

Tennis legend Roger Federer sits atop the standings for the first time, with $106 million of pre-tax earnings, as he pipped Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who have dominated the first two spots in three of the last four years.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/growing-calls-for-anti-racism-protests-as-bayern-scent-bundesliga-title-303535" hreflang="en">Growing calls for anti-racism protests as Bayern scent Bundesliga title</a>

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Roger Federer is the world's highest-paid athlete for the first time, thanks to an endorsement portfolio that is unmatched among the world's celebrities <a href="https://t.co/SICoEXoEX0">https://t.co/SICoEXoEX0</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Celeb100?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Celeb100</a> <a href="https://t.co/hDsJtLHV83">pic.twitter.com/hDsJtLHV83</a>
— Forbes (@Forbes) <a href="https://twitter.com/Forbes/status/1268708801663959040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Federer becomes the ninth athlete to have bagged the top spot since 1990. The Swiss also becomes the first tennis player to sit at No. 1 after drawing more than $100 million off the court. Whereas Ronaldo earned $45 million while Messi swept in $32 million.&nbsp;

However, Ronaldo continues to set the record on and off the football pitch as the Portuguese stalwart became the first billionaire footballer in the world through his career earnings. Ronaldo is only the third sportsperson to hit the billion dollar-mark with Tiger Woods being the first (2009) and Floyd Mayweather the second (2017).

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-black-legend-carter-in-shock-super-rugby-comeback-303198" hreflang="en">All Black legend Carter in shock Super Rugby comeback</a>

Athletes from 21 countries across 10 sports made the cut this year with Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams included in the list. This is the first time more than one woman has made it into the rankings since 2016.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli is the only cricketer&nbsp;to feature in the list with an estimated total earnings of $26 million as the Indian cricket team’s skipper jumped over 30 places from 2019.&nbsp;

The factors that Forbes held were athletes’ revenue, including prize money, salaries, contract bonuses, endorsements, royalties and appearances fees from June 1, 2019, to June 1, 2020.

With COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc across sports, paydays for world’s top-earning athletes dropped for the first time in four years, as per the latest 2020 Forbes rankings.

With COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc across sports, paydays for world’s top-earning athletes dropped for the first time in four years, as per the latest 2020 Forbes rankings. Many sporting leagues and tournaments were postponed and suspended due to the dreaded virus which led to financial troubles for many teams and sporting federations. The 100 highest-paid athletes for the last 12 months earned a combined $3.6 billion this year, which is around 9% less than what they had earned in 2019 and the first dip since 2016. Tennis legend Roger Federer sits atop the standings for the first time, with $106 million of pre-tax earnings, as he pipped Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who have dominated the first two spots in three of the last four years. ALSO READ: Growing calls for anti-racism protests as Bayern scent Bundesliga title Roger Federer is the world's highest-paid athlete for the first time, thanks to an endorsement portfolio that is unmatched among the world's celebrities https://t.co/SICoEXoEX0 #Celeb100 pic.twitter.com/hDsJtLHV83 — Forbes (@Forbes) June 5, 2020 × Federer becomes the ninth athlete to have bagged the top spot since 1990. The Swiss also becomes the first tennis player to sit at No. 1 after drawing more than $100 million off the court. Whereas Ronaldo earned $45 million while Messi swept in $32 million. However, Ronaldo continues to set the record on and off the football pitch as the Portuguese stalwart became the first billionaire footballer in the world through his career earnings. Ronaldo is only the third sportsperson to hit the billion dollar-mark with Tiger Woods being the first (2009) and Floyd Mayweather the second (2017). ALSO READ: All Black legend Carter in shock Super Rugby comeback Athletes from 21 countries across 10 sports made the cut this year with Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams included in the list. This is the first time more than one woman has made it into the rankings since 2016. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli is the only cricketer to feature in the list with an estimated total earnings of $26 million as the Indian cricket team’s skipper jumped over 30 places from 2019. The factors that Forbes held were athletes’ revenue, including prize money, salaries, contract bonuses, endorsements, royalties and appearances fees from June 1, 2019, to June 1, 2020.

Forbes highest-paid athletes: Roger Federer edges out Cristiano Ronaldo for top spot; Virat Kohli only cricketer in the list

With international cricket gearing up for return, the ICC is discussing the possibility of introducing substitutions if a player tests positive for COVID-19 during a Test match, the ECB director of special projects Steve Elworthy said. It would be on similar grounds as the “like for like” concussions substitute across all formats of international cricket during matches and Elworthy said a similar rule could be approved for COVID-19 subs.&nbsp;

“COVID replacements are certainly something that the ICC are discussing,” Elworthy told a news portal. “I’ve seen communication about that and it’s certainly something we hope would be allowed — specifically for test matches, not necessarily ODIs (one-day internationals) or T20s (Twenty20).

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/west-indies-name-test-squad-for-england-tour-3-players-sit-out-over-covid-19-fears-302964" hreflang="en">West Indies name Test squad for England tour; 3 players sit out over COVID-19 fears</a>

“That replacement would have to be a ‘like for like’ player... Our on-site COVID medical practitioner and Public Health England would be informed immediately and that player would then be put into isolation for a period of time.”

England are set to host the West Indies in a three-match Test series starting July 8 with the Men from the Caribbean gearing up to fly to the United Kingdom. A 14-man squad plus 11 reserves who will train and quarantine together upon reaching England have been already announced by the Cricket West Indies.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-vs-west-indies-ecb-announces-schedule-and-venues-for-3-match-test-series-302670" hreflang="en">England vs West Indies: ECB announces schedule and venues for 3-match Test series</a>

“With the testing protocols of getting those players into that (bio-secure) bubble first, you would hope that wouldn’t be a scenario we’d have to deal with,” Elworthy added.

“But clearly it’s something we are planning for.”

<h2>Proposed match schedule for England vs West Indies three-match Test series:</h2>

- July 8-12: 1st Test at Ageas Bowl, Southampton 
- July 16-20: 2nd Test at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester 
- July 24-28: 3rd Test at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester 
&nbsp;

With international cricket gearing up for return, the ICC is discussing the possibility of introducing substitutions if a player tests positive for COVID-19 during a Test match, the ECB director of special projects Steve Elworthy said.

With international cricket gearing up for return, the ICC is discussing the possibility of introducing substitutions if a player tests positive for COVID-19 during a Test match, the ECB director of special projects Steve Elworthy said. It would be on similar grounds as the “like for like” concussions substitute across all formats of international cricket during matches and Elworthy said a similar rule could be approved for COVID-19 subs. “COVID replacements are certainly something that the ICC are discussing,” Elworthy told a news portal. “I’ve seen communication about that and it’s certainly something we hope would be allowed — specifically for test matches, not necessarily ODIs (one-day internationals) or T20s (Twenty20). ALSO READ: West Indies name Test squad for England tour; 3 players sit out over COVID-19 fears “That replacement would have to be a ‘like for like’ player... Our on-site COVID medical practitioner and Public Health England would be informed immediately and that player would then be put into isolation for a period of time.” England are set to host the West Indies in a three-match Test series starting July 8 with the Men from the Caribbean gearing up to fly to the United Kingdom. A 14-man squad plus 11 reserves who will train and quarantine together upon reaching England have been already announced by the Cricket West Indies. ALSO READ: England vs West Indies: ECB announces schedule and venues for 3-match Test series “With the testing protocols of getting those players into that (bio-secure) bubble first, you would hope that wouldn’t be a scenario we’d have to deal with,” Elworthy added. “But clearly it’s something we are planning for.” Proposed match schedule for England vs West Indies three-match Test series: - July 8-12: 1st Test at Ageas Bowl, Southampton - July 16-20: 2nd Test at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester - July 24-28: 3rd Test at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

ICC in talks regarding COVID-19 substitutes in Test cricket: ECB official

Two-time All Blacks World Cup winner Dan Carter announced a shock Super Rugby comeback with Auckland Blues on Thursday at the age of 38, saying he realised during coronavirus lockdown how much he missed the game.

Carter, a three-time world player of the year, has been a free agent since returning to New Zealand in March from Japan, where a virus-enforced shutdown ended his lucrative stint with Kobe Steelers.

"Two things from the lockdown&nbsp;that I realised was that I really enjoyed spending more time with my family and that I miss rugby," Carter said.

"For me it is a chance to mentor some young players and to give back to New Zealand rugby," he added.

The signing comes as New Zealand's Super Rugby teams prepare to start a domestic tournament next week, after COVID-19 halted the southern hemisphere championship in March.

Carter has not played in his homeland since his international retirement in 2015, when he helped the All Blacks seal back-to-back World Cup titles at Twickenham.

Blues head coach Leon MacDonald said Carter signed a short-term deal as cover for injured fullback Stephen Perofeta. He joins a squad already containing Beauden Barrett, his successor as All Blacks playmaker.

As a replacement player, Carter will reportedly be on a minimum contract worth NZ$1,800 (US$1,155) a week, a huge cut from the millions he earned playing club rugby in France and Japan.

"It definitely not about money, he's not getting rich doing it," MacDonald said.

As the Blues already have Barrett -- himself a two-time world player of the year -- Carter may fill the role of supersub off the bench.

"I have not played for several months so it will take me a little bit of time to get game-ready," he said.

Former All Blacks coach Graham Henry had no doubt Carter still had the ability to play at the top level, despite his age.

"It's marvellous, he'll add a huge amount of experience but he's also been playing very well in Japan," Henry told Radio New Zealand.

All Blacks halfback and former teammate Aaron Smith tweeted: "The goat (greatest of all time) is back in Super rugby!"

<h2>- Thumbs-up from nanna -</h2>

MacDonald indicated Carter would be behind Barrett and rising star Otare Black in the pecking order.

"If he gets back into playing form that warrants selection, then he could help us as a utility back in midfield or fullback," he said.

Carter played the first of his 112 Tests for the All Blacks in 2003, scored a record 1,598 points during his international career and was the world player of the year in 2005, 2012 and 2015.

He played for French club Racing 92 after retiring from Test rugby following the 2015 World Cup, before signing a two-year deal with Kobe Steelers in 2018.

The South Island native already has three Super Rugby titles from his 13-year stint with the Canterbury Crusaders and remains the competition's top points-scorer with 1,708.

Often described as the best fly-half to play the game, Carter revealed in his autobiography that he turned down an approach from the Blues in 2009 after his Crusaders-supporting grandmother Pam Carter opposed the move.

However, Nanna Carter said on Thursday that she had no problems with the latest deal and would support the Blues over the Crusaders when her grandson was playing for the Aucklanders.

"I don't care where he plays as long as he plays," she told stuff.co.nz.

"I miss him playing. I'm thrilled. I heard it on the news this morning and I thought 'Good on you Dan'."

The Blues claimed the last of their three Super Rugby titles in 2003 and have not made the playoffs since 2011.&nbsp;

Once regarded as a regional powerhouse, they have been the worst performing New Zealand Super Rugby team since 2014.

Two-time All Blacks World Cup winner Dan Carter announced a shock Super Rugby comeback with Auckland Blues on Thursday at the age of 38, saying he realised during coronavirus lockdown how much he missed the game.

Two-time All Blacks World Cup winner Dan Carter announced a shock Super Rugby comeback with Auckland Blues on Thursday at the age of 38, saying he realised during coronavirus lockdown how much he missed the game. Carter, a three-time world player of the year, has been a free agent since returning to New Zealand in March from Japan, where a virus-enforced shutdown ended his lucrative stint with Kobe Steelers. "Two things from the lockdown that I realised was that I really enjoyed spending more time with my family and that I miss rugby," Carter said. "For me it is a chance to mentor some young players and to give back to New Zealand rugby," he added. The signing comes as New Zealand's Super Rugby teams prepare to start a domestic tournament next week, after COVID-19 halted the southern hemisphere championship in March. Carter has not played in his homeland since his international retirement in 2015, when he helped the All Blacks seal back-to-back World Cup titles at Twickenham. Blues head coach Leon MacDonald said Carter signed a short-term deal as cover for injured fullback Stephen Perofeta. He joins a squad already containing Beauden Barrett, his successor as All Blacks playmaker. As a replacement player, Carter will reportedly be on a minimum contract worth NZ$1,800 (US$1,155) a week, a huge cut from the millions he earned playing club rugby in France and Japan. "It definitely not about money, he's not getting rich doing it," MacDonald said. As the Blues already have Barrett -- himself a two-time world player of the year -- Carter may fill the role of supersub off the bench. "I have not played for several months so it will take me a little bit of time to get game-ready," he said. Former All Blacks coach Graham Henry had no doubt Carter still had the ability to play at the top level, despite his age. "It's marvellous, he'll add a huge amount of experience but he's also been playing very well in Japan," Henry told Radio New Zealand. All Blacks halfback and former teammate Aaron Smith tweeted: "The goat (greatest of all time) is back in Super rugby!" - Thumbs-up from nanna - MacDonald indicated Carter would be behind Barrett and rising star Otare Black in the pecking order. "If he gets back into playing form that warrants selection, then he could help us as a utility back in midfield or fullback," he said. Carter played the first of his 112 Tests for the All Blacks in 2003, scored a record 1,598 points during his international career and was the world player of the year in 2005, 2012 and 2015. He played for French club Racing 92 after retiring from Test rugby following the 2015 World Cup, before signing a two-year deal with Kobe Steelers in 2018. The South Island native already has three Super Rugby titles from his 13-year stint with the Canterbury Crusaders and remains the competition's top points-scorer with 1,708. Often described as the best fly-half to play the game, Carter revealed in his autobiography that he turned down an approach from the Blues in 2009 after his Crusaders-supporting grandmother Pam Carter opposed the move. However, Nanna Carter said on Thursday that she had no problems with the latest deal and would support the Blues over the Crusaders when her grandson was playing for the Aucklanders. "I don't care where he plays as long as he plays," she told stuff.co.nz. "I miss him playing. I'm thrilled. I heard it on the news this morning and I thought 'Good on you Dan'." The Blues claimed the last of their three Super Rugby titles in 2003 and have not made the playoffs since 2011. Once regarded as a regional powerhouse, they have been the worst performing New Zealand Super Rugby team since 2014.

All Black legend Carter in shock Super Rugby comeback

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