Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is ready to take part in the Premier League's proposed restart during the coronavirus crisis despite being in the vulnerable age group.

Hodgson is the oldest manager in Premier League history at 72, potentially putting the former England coach in danger if he contracts the virus.

But Hodgson said he had no fears about getting back to work if the Premier League stick to their plan to let clubs start training next week.

Asked if he would be able to return, Hodgson told beIN SPORTS: "Yes. No concerns. Age is age. It's how you feel really. Your age doesn't necessarily relate to your fitness or how you're feeling, or your capacity to do a job."

Hodgson, whose long managerial career has included stints at Liverpool and Inter Milan, said he had used the enforced break since the Premier League was suspended in March to work on his fitness.

"So I have no qualms whatsoever," he said. "When I'm called back to work I shall be very happy to go back to work."

Several Premier League players have expressed concern about putting themselves and their families at risk.

Newcastle defender Danny Rose and Manchester City stars Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling are among the players to go public with worries about being forced back into action too soon.

Hodgson said he and Palace chairman Steve Parish would not have a problem if any of his players did not want to return to work before they felt completely safe.

"This is going to be a matter for the individual and a matter for the club at the end of the day," Hodgson said.&nbsp;

"I would be very surprised, knowing my club and Steve Parish as I do, that he would not be sympathetic to a player that came and said: 'Look, I have serious reservations about playing'."

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is ready to take part in the Premier League's proposed restart during the coronavirus crisis despite being in the vulnerable age group.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is ready to take part in the Premier League's proposed restart during the coronavirus crisis despite being in the vulnerable age group. Hodgson is the oldest manager in Premier League history at 72, potentially putting the former England coach in danger if he contracts the virus. But Hodgson said he had no fears about getting back to work if the Premier League stick to their plan to let clubs start training next week. Asked if he would be able to return, Hodgson told beIN SPORTS: "Yes. No concerns. Age is age. It's how you feel really. Your age doesn't necessarily relate to your fitness or how you're feeling, or your capacity to do a job." Hodgson, whose long managerial career has included stints at Liverpool and Inter Milan, said he had used the enforced break since the Premier League was suspended in March to work on his fitness. "So I have no qualms whatsoever," he said. "When I'm called back to work I shall be very happy to go back to work." Several Premier League players have expressed concern about putting themselves and their families at risk. Newcastle defender Danny Rose and Manchester City stars Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling are among the players to go public with worries about being forced back into action too soon. Hodgson said he and Palace chairman Steve Parish would not have a problem if any of his players did not want to return to work before they felt completely safe. "This is going to be a matter for the individual and a matter for the club at the end of the day," Hodgson said. "I would be very surprised, knowing my club and Steve Parish as I do, that he would not be sympathetic to a player that came and said: 'Look, I have serious reservations about playing'."

Hodgson has no fears over Premier League return despite virus

England bowler Jofra Archer has said the years he spent as a teenager grappling with a long-running back injury were "dark times".

The 25-year-old Archer -- who has not played since the Boxing Day Test against South Africa after suffering a stress fracture -- opened up about his struggles in a podcast for his Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday.

Archer, who only made his international debut in 2019, said he feared the injury would scupper his career prospects.

"It felt like I was missing out on my golden years. The doctor told me if he didn't see improvement, he couldn't even see me playing club cricket," the pacer said.

"You're young and you want to play, you have got to make the most of your youth because before you know it, you're 20, 21 or even 25.

"And then a lot of people don't take chances on guys who are a little bit older.

"Those were dark times to be honest, I spent two years out of cricket."

The fast bowler's absence from the sport has coincided with a lengthy period of enforced rest for all top-flight cricketers as the coronavirus pandemic halted major sporting events worldwide.

The start of the English season and the IPL, world's richest cricket tournament, have been postponed indefinitely.

The Barbados-born Archer emerged as one of cricket's most exciting players last year when he helped England win their first men's 50-over World Cup, taking a team-high 20 wickets at 23.05.

England bowler Jofra Archer has said the years he spent as a teenager grappling with a long-running back injury were "dark times". The 25-year-old Archer -- who has not played since the Boxing Day Test against South Africa after suffering a stress fracture -- opened up about his struggles in a podcast for his Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday.

England bowler Jofra Archer has said the years he spent as a teenager grappling with a long-running back injury were "dark times". The 25-year-old Archer -- who has not played since the Boxing Day Test against South Africa after suffering a stress fracture -- opened up about his struggles in a podcast for his Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday. Archer, who only made his international debut in 2019, said he feared the injury would scupper his career prospects. "It felt like I was missing out on my golden years. The doctor told me if he didn't see improvement, he couldn't even see me playing club cricket," the pacer said. "You're young and you want to play, you have got to make the most of your youth because before you know it, you're 20, 21 or even 25. "And then a lot of people don't take chances on guys who are a little bit older. "Those were dark times to be honest, I spent two years out of cricket." The fast bowler's absence from the sport has coincided with a lengthy period of enforced rest for all top-flight cricketers as the coronavirus pandemic halted major sporting events worldwide. The start of the English season and the IPL, world's richest cricket tournament, have been postponed indefinitely. The Barbados-born Archer emerged as one of cricket's most exciting players last year when he helped England win their first men's 50-over World Cup, taking a team-high 20 wickets at 23.05.

England's Archer recalls 'dark times' during teen injury

Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has been one of the sports personalities, who has been working tirelessly to help Pakistan combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Afridi has been visiting rural areas of Pakistan in a bid to distribute food and other essential items to the needy with the help of Shahid Afridi Foundation.

As part of his noble initiative, Afridi visited a Hindu temple in Pakistan and distributed essential food items. Afridi took to social media platform Twitter to post a few photographs as he visited Shri Lakshmi Narayan temple and the former all-rounder was joined by legendary Pakistani squad player Jahangir Khan.

“We are in it together and we shall prevail together. Unity is our strength. Visited Sri Lakshmi Narain mandir along with @JK555squash President @SAFoundationN to deliver essential food items. Ensuring #HopeNotOut,” the former Pakistan captain tweeted.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We are in it together and we shall prevail together. Unity is our strength. Visited Sri Lakshmi Narain mandir along with <a href="https://twitter.com/JK555squash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JK555squash</a> President <a href="https://twitter.com/SAFoundationN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAFoundationN</a> to deliver essential food items. 
Ensuring <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HopeNotOut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HopeNotOut</a> 
پاکستان بھر تک, آپ کے گھر تک 
<a href="https://t.co/KGY2Gs2zUr">https://t.co/KGY2Gs2zUr</a> <a href="https://t.co/1VpOhSkc8L">pic.twitter.com/1VpOhSkc8L</a>
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1259461825860702208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Earlier, Afridi had announced that to reach out as many affected areas in Pakistan, brands can avail his services for free but in return, he would need ration to help the needy during these testing times.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-most-powerful-batsman-and-best-finisher-cricket-has-ever-seen-greg-chappell-298399" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni 'most powerful batsman' and 'best finisher' cricket has ever seen: Greg Chappell</a>

In order to reach out to maximum affected areas in Pakistan, Afridi earlier launched a unique initiative where he announced that while the brands could avail his services for free, he would need ration in return to help the needy.

“I hope all of you are doing well. This is a different message from me for all the brands I have worked with in the past, different commercials. It was for my own benefit and they also utilised me for marketing purposes. Now, I am offering my services to all those brands for the sake of my country. As you all are aware, the food drive is on and we are trying to maximise it by covering as many areas as we can. Pakistan is a big country and there are many areas where people are still waiting for ration to reach their houses. I don’t want anything in return from commercial purpose, I am available for social media activities as well as for TV. I don’t want money from you but give me ration which I can provide to people in Pakistan,” Afridi had said in a video.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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I have been lucky to have worked with many brands for ads/promotion. Now working first hand with the ones suffering during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID2019</a> I have a proposal to al brands: I will work with brands for free personally - I just want ration and funds in return <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DonateKaroNa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DonateKaroNa</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SAFoundationN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAFoundationN</a> <a href="https://t.co/UI43gkBTmo">pic.twitter.com/UI43gkBTmo</a>
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1249680900641771521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuvraj-singh-questions-ravi-shastris-go-out-and-play-your-game-approach-298388" hreflang="en">Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach</a>

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and veteran Harbhajan Singh had also contributed to the Shahid Afridi Foundation earlier.&nbsp;

Pakistan is one of the worst affected countries with over 34,000 COVID-19 positive cases. The Ministry of National Health Services of Pakistan on Tuesday said that 2,255 cases were confirmed positive after 11,848 tests were conducted.

Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has been one of the sports personalities, who has been working tirelessly to help Pakistan combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has been one of the sports personalities, who has been working tirelessly to help Pakistan combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Afridi has been visiting rural areas of Pakistan in a bid to distribute food and other essential items to the needy with the help of Shahid Afridi Foundation. As part of his noble initiative, Afridi visited a Hindu temple in Pakistan and distributed essential food items. Afridi took to social media platform Twitter to post a few photographs as he visited Shri Lakshmi Narayan temple and the former all-rounder was joined by legendary Pakistani squad player Jahangir Khan. “We are in it together and we shall prevail together. Unity is our strength. Visited Sri Lakshmi Narain mandir along with @JK555squash President @SAFoundationN to deliver essential food items. Ensuring #HopeNotOut,” the former Pakistan captain tweeted. We are in it together and we shall prevail together. Unity is our strength. Visited Sri Lakshmi Narain mandir along with @JK555squash President @SAFoundationN to deliver essential food items. Ensuring #HopeNotOut پاکستان بھر تک, آپ کے گھر تک https://t.co/KGY2Gs2zUr pic.twitter.com/1VpOhSkc8L — Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) May 10, 2020 × Earlier, Afridi had announced that to reach out as many affected areas in Pakistan, brands can avail his services for free but in return, he would need ration to help the needy during these testing times. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni 'most powerful batsman' and 'best finisher' cricket has ever seen: Greg Chappell In order to reach out to maximum affected areas in Pakistan, Afridi earlier launched a unique initiative where he announced that while the brands could avail his services for free, he would need ration in return to help the needy. “I hope all of you are doing well. This is a different message from me for all the brands I have worked with in the past, different commercials. It was for my own benefit and they also utilised me for marketing purposes. Now, I am offering my services to all those brands for the sake of my country. As you all are aware, the food drive is on and we are trying to maximise it by covering as many areas as we can. Pakistan is a big country and there are many areas where people are still waiting for ration to reach their houses. I don’t want anything in return from commercial purpose, I am available for social media activities as well as for TV. I don’t want money from you but give me ration which I can provide to people in Pakistan,” Afridi had said in a video. I have been lucky to have worked with many brands for ads/promotion. Now working first hand with the ones suffering during #COVID2019 I have a proposal to al brands: I will work with brands for free personally - I just want ration and funds in return #DonateKaroNa @SAFoundationN pic.twitter.com/UI43gkBTmo — Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) April 13, 2020 × ALSO READ: Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and veteran Harbhajan Singh had also contributed to the Shahid Afridi Foundation earlier. Pakistan is one of the worst affected countries with over 34,000 COVID-19 positive cases. The Ministry of National Health Services of Pakistan on Tuesday said that 2,255 cases were confirmed positive after 11,848 tests were conducted.

Shahid Afridi visits Shri Lakshmi Narayan temple in Pakistan, distributes food items to needy

Live football will be finally back on May 16 with Bundesliga resuming the halted 2019-20 season. The German top-flight league will commence with Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in what promises to be a perfect resumption.

Live football will be finally back on May 16 with Bundesliga resuming the halted 2019-20 season. The German top-flight league will commence with Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in what promises to be a perfect resumption. Ahead of the highly-anticipated resumption of Bundesliga 2019-20 season, FC Schalke 04 have asked every Premier League clubs’ fans to come out and support Die Konigsblauen for the remainder of the season. FC Schalke 04 took to social media platform Twitter to create a thread on why each and every Premier League club should tune into their television sets and support the Blues. The reasons given by Schalke is winning hearts on internet with fans coming out with videos and photographs in support of the German club. ALSO READ: The Bundesliga is back, so can Dortmund catch Bayern? “CALLING ALL @premierleague FANS. We have a reason for fans of EVERY PL club to support FC Schalke 04 for the remainder of the Bundesliga season!,” Schalke wrote in start of the thread. CALLING ALL @premierleague FANS We have a reason for fans of EVERY PL club to support FC Schalke 04 for the remainder of the Bundesliga season! THREAD pic.twitter.com/ge1UoUyMku — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Arsenal, they wrote: “@Arsenal Not one, but two former Royal Blues are currently playing at the Emirates! Assist king and local lad Mesut Özil came through the ranks here in Gelsenkirchen, while rock-hard Sead Kolasinac was a fan favourite during his six years in Royal Blue!” ALSO READ: Premier League players face strict new training protocols @Arsenal Not one, but two former Royal Blues are currently playing at the Emirates Assist king and local lad Mesut Özil came through the ranks here in Gelsenkirchen, while rock-hard Sead Kolasinac was a fan favourite during his six years in Royal Blue! #S04 pic.twitter.com/uyHYLq1QxG — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Aston Villa: “@AVFCOfficial We’re the one blue team you're allowed to like…” @AVFCOfficial We’re the one blue team you're allowed to like…#S04 pic.twitter.com/oBa2xRbCpu — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Bournemouth: “@afcbournemouth Enjoy having a former player as your coach? Well Schalke’s the right club for you! David Wagner played for us for two years back in the 90s!” @afcbournemouth Enjoy having a former player as your coach? Well Schalke’s the right club for you! David Wagner played for us for two years back in the 90s! #S04 pic.twitter.com/HYFl9nFF0l — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Brighton and Hove Albion: “@OfficialBHAFC You simply can’t go wrong with blue and white kits” @OfficialBHAFC You simply can’t go wrong with blue and white kits #S04 pic.twitter.com/KWkjHtvutM — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Burnley: “@BurnleyOfficial Just like Burnley, we’re a city with a big coal mining history!” @BurnleyOfficial Just like Burnley, we’re a city with a big coal mining history! #S04 pic.twitter.com/85HsnW4sfr — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Chelsea: “@ChelseaFC The Blues The Royal Blues Stick with your colour and get behind the biggest and best side in blue in Germany!” @ChelseaFC The Blues The Royal Blues Stick with your colour and get behind the biggest and best side in blue in Germany! #S04 pic.twitter.com/JPnGvgHkDH — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Crystal Palace: “@CPFC Schalke academy graduate Max Meyer is at Palace these days, so cheer on his old team for the rest of the campaign!” @CPFC Schalke academy graduate Max Meyer is at Palace these days, so cheer on his old team for the rest of the campaign! 🇩🇪#S04 pic.twitter.com/EWDZBjFSR8 — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Everton: “@Everton This one’s a no-brainer. Many Evertonians have kept an eye on Jonjoe already this season, so jump on the bandwagon and cheer on the Royal Blues for the rest of the campaign” @Everton This one’s a no-brainer Many Evertonians have kept an eye on Jonjoe already this season, so jump on the bandwagon and cheer on the Royal Blues for the rest of the campaign #S04 pic.twitter.com/G1JCzsqTVF — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Leicester City: “@LCFC Named in Kicker’s Team of the Season twice at Schalke, and a Premier League winner with Leicester, @FuchsOfficial’s former club is the one for you, Foxes!” @LCFC Named in Kicker’s Team of the Season twice at Schalke, and a Premier League winner with Leicester, @FuchsOfficial’s former club is the one for you, Foxes! #S04 pic.twitter.com/GgVhd58SLE — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Liverpool: “@LFC A DFB-Pokal winner with Schalke, and a Champions League winner with the Reds, Joel Matip’s ex-club are definitely worth watching with no Premier League on. And about your coach…We may not like him, but our current coach David Wagner is his best friend” @LFC A DFB-Pokal winner with Schalke, and a Champions League winner with the Reds, Joel Matip’s ex-club are definitely worth watching with no Premier League on. And about your coach…We may not like him, but our current coach David Wagner is his best friend. #S04 pic.twitter.com/kskVGo870I — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Manchester City: “@ManCity Basically, you owe us. There was no need for seven” @ManCity Basically, you owe us. There was no need for seven #S04 pic.twitter.com/f7ZbdjiayG — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Manchester United: “@ManUtd You’ll never walk alone is banned here.” @ManUtd You’ll never walk alone is banned here. #S04 pic.twitter.com/wlLdAo4qss — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Newcastle United: “@NUFC Newcastle upon Tyne Handshake Gelsenkirchen Our two great cities are twinned – what better reason do you need? #HowayTheSchalke” @NUFC Newcastle upon Tyne Gelsenkirchen Our two great cities are twinned – what better reason do you need? #HowayTheSchalke#S04 pic.twitter.com/s4gnnPuPwU — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Norwich City: “@NorwichCityFC PUKKI PARTY The super Fin spent two years here in Gelsenkirchen!” @NorwichCityFC PUKKI PARTY The super Fin spent two years here in Gelsenkirchen! 🇫🇮#S04 pic.twitter.com/qpF34TR9NN — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Sheffield United: “@SheffieldUnited Sheffield and Gelsenkirchen are two cities that share a major industrial heritage, which makes us your natural choice to follow in Germany.” @SheffieldUnited Sheffield and Gelsenkirchen are two cities that share a major industrial heritage, which makes us your natural choice to follow in Germany. #S04 pic.twitter.com/AIcl25OZIF — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Southampton: “@SouthamptonFC You’ve had the likes of Bale, Walcott and Le Tissier, while Neuer, Sane and Özil all graduated from our @knappenschmiede Two clubs with fantastic academies.” @SouthamptonFC You’ve had the likes of Bale, Walcott and Le Tissier, while Neuer, Sane and Özil all graduated from our @knappenschmiede. Two clubs with fantastic academies. #S04 pic.twitter.com/Zb1NEHphFH — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Tottenham Hotspur: “@SpursOfficial In terms of Spurs, what else can we say? As we saw last season, we both love beating Dortmund” @SpursOfficial In terms of Spurs, what else can we say? As we saw last season, we both love beating Dortmund #S04 pic.twitter.com/VEMXPgmnzs — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Watford: “@WatfordFC Looking to back a German club where a former Hornet played? Look no further than Schalke! Spanish magician Jurado played for us between 2010-2013 – who can forget this assist!” @WatfordFC Looking to back a German club where a former Hornet played? Look no further than Schalke! Spanish magician Jurado played for us between 2010-2013 – who can forget this assist! #S04 pic.twitter.com/mva7q21Wpb — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For West Ham: @WestHam #S04 pic.twitter.com/oqYThZVG0g — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Wolves: “With both sides currently in sixth, you can resume watching your side fighting to get into Europe next season” @Wolves With both sides currently in sixth, you can resume watching your side fighting to get into Europe next season #S04 pic.twitter.com/OgEEnGwuX2 — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 ×

FC Schalke 04 call out every Premier League club fans to support them in Bundesliga; the thread is winning hearts

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell’s tenure as the head coach of Indian cricket team may have been marred by controversies but the veteran remains highly impressed with MS Dhoni, who made his senior debut under his coaching. While disagreements with players became a common trend under Chappell, Team India went onto win 17 matches on the bounce while chasing with Dhoni playing a crucial role in the transition.

Chappell has said that the young Dhoni was the most exciting cricketer in India at that time and the ‘most powerful batsman’ he has ever seen. Chappell revealed that he was left awestruck when he saw Dhoni batting for the first time.&nbsp;

"I vividly remember that I was left awestruck when I saw him batting for the first time. He was definitely the most exciting cricketer in India at that time. He used to hit the ball from the most unusual positions. He is the most powerful batsman I have ever seen," Chappell said during a chat session on Facebook.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuvraj-singh-questions-ravi-shastris-go-out-and-play-your-game-approach-298388" hreflang="en">Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach</a>

Chappell further revealed how Dhoni played a contrasting knock against Sri Lanka following his blistering 183 and how he asked the wicketkeeper-batsman to play along the ground and take Team India over the winning line. &nbsp;Chappell added that Dhoni is the ‘best finisher’ the game has ever seen.&nbsp;

"I remember his knock of 183 against Sri Lanka and how he tore them apart. It was power hitting at its very best. The next match was in Pune. I asked MS, 'why don't you play along the ground more instead of trying to hit every ball to the boundary'. We were chasing 260 odd and were in a good position and Dhoni was playing a contrasting inning to the one he had played just a couple of days before.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-reject-playing-ipl-2020-with-only-indian-players-says-it-will-be-similar-to-syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy-298286" hreflang="en">CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy</a>

"We still needed 20 runs to win and Dhoni asked me, through 12th man RP Singh if he could hit sixes. I told him not until the target was in single digit. When we needed six runs to win, he finished the game with a six," he said.

"I always used to challenge him if he could finish the game. There used to be a booming smile on his face, whenever he used to score the winning runs. He is definitely the best finisher the game has ever seen," he signed off.

Apart from becoming a chasing side in ODIs, Team India also won their maiden Test series in the West Indies after 35 years. 
&nbsp;

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell’s tenure as the head coach of Indian cricket team may have been marred by controversies but the veteran remains highly impressed with MS Dhoni, who made his senior debut under his coaching.

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell’s tenure as the head coach of Indian cricket team may have been marred by controversies but the veteran remains highly impressed with MS Dhoni, who made his senior debut under his coaching. While disagreements with players became a common trend under Chappell, Team India went onto win 17 matches on the bounce while chasing with Dhoni playing a crucial role in the transition. Chappell has said that the young Dhoni was the most exciting cricketer in India at that time and the ‘most powerful batsman’ he has ever seen. Chappell revealed that he was left awestruck when he saw Dhoni batting for the first time. "I vividly remember that I was left awestruck when I saw him batting for the first time. He was definitely the most exciting cricketer in India at that time. He used to hit the ball from the most unusual positions. He is the most powerful batsman I have ever seen," Chappell said during a chat session on Facebook. ALSO READ: Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach Chappell further revealed how Dhoni played a contrasting knock against Sri Lanka following his blistering 183 and how he asked the wicketkeeper-batsman to play along the ground and take Team India over the winning line. Chappell added that Dhoni is the ‘best finisher’ the game has ever seen. "I remember his knock of 183 against Sri Lanka and how he tore them apart. It was power hitting at its very best. The next match was in Pune. I asked MS, 'why don't you play along the ground more instead of trying to hit every ball to the boundary'. We were chasing 260 odd and were in a good position and Dhoni was playing a contrasting inning to the one he had played just a couple of days before. ALSO READ: CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy "We still needed 20 runs to win and Dhoni asked me, through 12th man RP Singh if he could hit sixes. I told him not until the target was in single digit. When we needed six runs to win, he finished the game with a six," he said. "I always used to challenge him if he could finish the game. There used to be a booming smile on his face, whenever he used to score the winning runs. He is definitely the best finisher the game has ever seen," he signed off. Apart from becoming a chasing side in ODIs, Team India also won their maiden Test series in the West Indies after 35 years.

MS Dhoni 'most powerful batsman' and 'best finisher' cricket has ever seen: Greg Chappell

Since his retirement in June 2019, Yuvraj Singh has been vocal about different aspects of cricket. The former Indian all-rounder has been vocal about team selections and decision-making of the team management and now, the southpaw has questioned Team India head coach Ravi Shastri’s approach of ‘go out and play your game.’

During an Instagram Live session, Yuvraj said Shastri’s ‘play your natural game’ approach may work with someone like Virender Sehwag but it will never work with Cheteshwar Pujara while adding the coaching staff needs to realise certain aspects of the game.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/arjuna-awards-bcci-likely-to-recommend-shikha-pandey-deepti-sharmas-name-298381" hreflang="en">Arjuna Awards: BCCI likely to recommend Shikha Pandey, Deepti Sharma's name</a>

"The current guys have no one to talk to and take advice. I don’t know if Ravi is doing it but maybe he has others things in his hand. Anyway, you can’t tell everyone just ‘go out and play your game, express yourself’, this approach may work with someone like Sehwag … but this will never work with Pujara … so these things the coaching staff need to realise," Yuvraj said.

Yuvraj also criticized Team India’s selection in the ICC World Cup 2019 as he said how could team management allow someone like Vijay Shankar, who didn’t have much experience in high-pressure games, to bat in the middle-order. While India were splendid in the quadrennial event, they fell short in the semi-final in their defeat to New Zealand.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-reject-playing-ipl-2020-with-only-indian-players-says-it-will-be-similar-to-syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy-298286" hreflang="en">CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy</a>

Apart from cricket, Yuvraj has been vocal on social media platforms during the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Yuvraj has held Instagram Live sessions with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, among others. 
&nbsp;

Since his retirement in June 2019, Yuvraj Singh has been vocal about different aspects of cricket. The former Indian all-rounder has been vocal about team selections and decision-making of the team management and now, the southpaw has questioned Team India head coach Ravi Shastri’s approach of ‘go out and play your game.

Since his retirement in June 2019, Yuvraj Singh has been vocal about different aspects of cricket. The former Indian all-rounder has been vocal about team selections and decision-making of the team management and now, the southpaw has questioned Team India head coach Ravi Shastri’s approach of ‘go out and play your game.’ During an Instagram Live session, Yuvraj said Shastri’s ‘play your natural game’ approach may work with someone like Virender Sehwag but it will never work with Cheteshwar Pujara while adding the coaching staff needs to realise certain aspects of the game. ALSO READ: Arjuna Awards: BCCI likely to recommend Shikha Pandey, Deepti Sharma's name "The current guys have no one to talk to and take advice. I don’t know if Ravi is doing it but maybe he has others things in his hand. Anyway, you can’t tell everyone just ‘go out and play your game, express yourself’, this approach may work with someone like Sehwag … but this will never work with Pujara … so these things the coaching staff need to realise," Yuvraj said. Yuvraj also criticized Team India’s selection in the ICC World Cup 2019 as he said how could team management allow someone like Vijay Shankar, who didn’t have much experience in high-pressure games, to bat in the middle-order. While India were splendid in the quadrennial event, they fell short in the semi-final in their defeat to New Zealand. ALSO READ: CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Apart from cricket, Yuvraj has been vocal on social media platforms during the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Yuvraj has held Instagram Live sessions with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, among others.

Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach

Team India’s performance in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was praised by all even though the Women in Blue came just short and finished with a runner’s up medal. &nbsp;Players like Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Shikha Pandey and Deepti Sharma were some who stood out in Team India’s journey to the final. And Shikha and Deepti’s names have been suggested for this year’s prestigious Arjuna Awards by the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Cricket Operations team.

Shikha and Deepti’s consistent run of form since 2019 has reaped rewards and their performances have helped their names being forwarded to the office-bearers for the recommendation for the Arjuna Awards.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-reject-playing-ipl-2020-with-only-indian-players-says-it-will-be-similar-to-syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy-298286" hreflang="en">CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy</a>

“Yes, the office-bearers were given the names of Shikha and Deepti by the cricket operations team for not just their brilliant show in the World T20 in Australia where we finished as runners-up, but also for their consistent showing in the last season. These two names have been forwarded to the office-bearers and are likely to be forwarded to the ministry for the Arjuna Awards once they approve,” a source close to the development was quoted as saying in media reports.

Shikha scalped seven wickets from five matches with the best figures of 3/14 in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Whereas Deepti played an all-round role while being instrumental with both bat and ball and finished the showpiece event with 116 under her belt.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-womens-cricket-world-cup-qualifier-postponed-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-298154" hreflang="en">ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic</a>

Furthermore, Shikha is also a part of the Indian Air Force. “I’ve done engineering, and I’m an officer in the Indian Air Force. I joined the Air Force in 2012, and I took my training as well, and now I happen to be a flying officer, ATC officer. Then in 2014, I debuted for the Indian cricket team,” Shikha had revealed during the World T20.

The Sports Ministry on May 5 invited nominations for 2020 National Sports Awards including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Award. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the ministry had asked for nominations to be sent via e-mail.&nbsp;

The process, which usually starts in April, has been delayed due to the pandemic. “Due to lockdown on account of the outbreak of COVID-19, hard copies of nominations are not required to be sent. Scanned copies of the nominations duly signed by the applicant/recommending authority may be sent at above-mentioned email ids, before the last date of submission,” said the ministry in its circular.

The ministry has given a deadline of June 3 to file the nominations. 
&nbsp;

Team India’s performance in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was praised by all even though the Women in Blue came just short and finished with a runner’s up medal.

Team India’s performance in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was praised by all even though the Women in Blue came just short and finished with a runner’s up medal. Players like Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Shikha Pandey and Deepti Sharma were some who stood out in Team India’s journey to the final. And Shikha and Deepti’s names have been suggested for this year’s prestigious Arjuna Awards by the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Cricket Operations team. Shikha and Deepti’s consistent run of form since 2019 has reaped rewards and their performances have helped their names being forwarded to the office-bearers for the recommendation for the Arjuna Awards. ALSO READ: CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy “Yes, the office-bearers were given the names of Shikha and Deepti by the cricket operations team for not just their brilliant show in the World T20 in Australia where we finished as runners-up, but also for their consistent showing in the last season. These two names have been forwarded to the office-bearers and are likely to be forwarded to the ministry for the Arjuna Awards once they approve,” a source close to the development was quoted as saying in media reports. Shikha scalped seven wickets from five matches with the best figures of 3/14 in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Whereas Deepti played an all-round role while being instrumental with both bat and ball and finished the showpiece event with 116 under her belt. ALSO READ: ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic Furthermore, Shikha is also a part of the Indian Air Force. “I’ve done engineering, and I’m an officer in the Indian Air Force. I joined the Air Force in 2012, and I took my training as well, and now I happen to be a flying officer, ATC officer. Then in 2014, I debuted for the Indian cricket team,” Shikha had revealed during the World T20. The Sports Ministry on May 5 invited nominations for 2020 National Sports Awards including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Award. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the ministry had asked for nominations to be sent via e-mail. The process, which usually starts in April, has been delayed due to the pandemic. “Due to lockdown on account of the outbreak of COVID-19, hard copies of nominations are not required to be sent. Scanned copies of the nominations duly signed by the applicant/recommending authority may be sent at above-mentioned email ids, before the last date of submission,” said the ministry in its circular. The ministry has given a deadline of June 3 to file the nominations.

Arjuna Awards: BCCI likely to recommend Shikha Pandey, Deepti Sharma's name

French women's football giants Lyon will be declared league champions for the 2019-20 campaign, collecting the title for the 14th consecutive year after the season was ended by the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was confirmed to AFP by a source close to talks held Monday by the French football federation as well as a source at Lyon, backing up an earlier report from RMC Sport.

Lyon, winners of the past four Women's Champions League finals, have claimed the French title every year since 2007.

The women's top flight in France was halted in mid-March when Lyon held a three-point lead over Paris Saint-Germain.

Last month, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that professional sport could not return until September.

The men's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 divisions were ended, with PSG named the top-flight champions.

Lyon and PSG will likely represent France next season in the Women's Champions League.

Both clubs made it through to the quarter-finals of this season's competition. Lyon are due to play Bayern Munich while PSG will face Arsenal if UEFA is able to reschedule the latter stages of the knockout rounds.

French women's football giants Lyon will be declared league champions for the 2019-20 campaign, collecting the title for the 14th consecutive year after the season was ended by the coronavirus pandemic.

French women's football giants Lyon will be declared league champions for the 2019-20 campaign, collecting the title for the 14th consecutive year after the season was ended by the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was confirmed to AFP by a source close to talks held Monday by the French football federation as well as a source at Lyon, backing up an earlier report from RMC Sport. Lyon, winners of the past four Women's Champions League finals, have claimed the French title every year since 2007. The women's top flight in France was halted in mid-March when Lyon held a three-point lead over Paris Saint-Germain. Last month, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that professional sport could not return until September. The men's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 divisions were ended, with PSG named the top-flight champions. Lyon and PSG will likely represent France next season in the Women's Champions League. Both clubs made it through to the quarter-finals of this season's competition. Lyon are due to play Bayern Munich while PSG will face Arsenal if UEFA is able to reschedule the latter stages of the knockout rounds.

Lyon women awarded French title, 14th in a row

The Bundesliga returns on Saturday in empty stadiums, but German fans are being warned to stay away and authorities have warned matches could be halted if too many supporters gather outside the grounds.

German football will be blazing a trail among Europe's top leagues&nbsp;by resuming two months after it was halted by the spread of coronavirus, but its strategy is fraught with risks.

In a football-mad country which boasts the highest average attendances&nbsp;in the world, will supporters banished from stadiums be able to stay away?

In Saxony, where third-placed RB Leipzig will host mid-table Freiburg on Saturday afternoon, the state's Interior Minister Roland Woeller has issued a clear threat.

"Fans must not use matches behind closed doors as an excuse to gather in front of the stadiums or elsewhere," he said.

"This could lead to matches being stopped."

His concerns are justified.

Several hundred fans gathered in Moenchengladbach when the hosts beat 2-1 Cologne on March 11 -- the only previous German league game played behind locked doors, just days before the shutdown.

Eintracht Frankfurt have appealed to their supporters before they resume their season against 'Gladbach on Saturday.

"We've talked a lot with our fans and said: 'listen guys, don't show up at the stadium'," Frankfurt's sports director Fredi Bobic told ESPN.

Under German league rules put in place to resume the season, the home side is responsible for ensuring fans do not try to approach the stadium to support their team from a distance.

After weeks of meticulous planning and mass testing of players and backroom staff, it would be a nightmare for the Bundesliga if the fans were to derail the fragile recovery attempt.

Christian Seifert, CEO of the Bundesliga, does not expect fans to play into the hands of critics who fear they will mass outside grounds despite large public events being banned in Germany.

Seifert accused the critics predicting that football fans would fail to respect the pleas for restraint of making "sweeping statements".

"I don't believe that the fan scene and the fan organisations will do their critics... the favour of behaving in exactly the way" that those doomsayers fear, he said.

The Bundesliga boss said all the talks he had held on the issue "do not give any indication" that supporters will gather.

Broadcaster Sky has agreed to show some of Saturday's matches on a free-to-air channel, allaying fears that fans will gather in bars or public places which have a subscription for the pay-per-view service.

<h2>- Historic first -</h2>

However, Seifert says while they are taking every reasonable step to discourage fans from meeting up, "the DFL's responsibility ends at a certain point".

The centrepiece of Saturday's return to action is Borussia Dortmund at home to Schalke in the Ruhr derby, a match which would usually draw a crowd of 82,000 to Signal Iduna Park.

Instead, it will be the first time this fixture is played behind closed doors since it began in 1925.

Germany's huge stadiums - for example Bayern Munich's enormous Allianz Arena holds 75,000 - will remain empty for the forseeable future.

There are fears in the German football scene that the 'Ultras' -- hardcore fans who often lead the chanting at matches -- will lose their hard-earned influence at their clubs.

Some groups of these hardcore supporters are opposed to games being played in empty stadiums, because they feel the initiative is driven by financial reasons.

The clubs are eager to finish the league season before June 30 in order to collect around 300 million euros ($324 million) due from TV contracts.

Helen Breit from the nationwide football supporters group "Unsere Kurve" (Our Curve) said she refused to watch a single match without fans on television.

"For me, football is in the stadiums," she told Munich-based paper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

"I've been going to almost every Freiburg match for more than ten years and watching football on TV is not an option for me."

<h2>- Football is 'sick' -</h2>

Another group feels the resumption of football during a pandemic, which has claimed 7,500 lives in Germany, shows how "sick" professional football has become.

"A continuation of the season would be sheer mockery of the rest of society," &nbsp;Ultras groups across Germany said in a joint statement last month.

"Professional football is sick enough and should remain in quarantine."

But for the vast majority of fans, the decision to play the nine remaining round of matches behind closed doors makes the best of a bad situation.

Even if the fans cannot be in the stands in person, Moenchengladbach have found a novel way of allowing them to be seen by the players -- for 19 euros ($21), Gladbach fans can buy a cardboard cut-out of themselves which will be placed on the terraces of Borussia Stadium.

The Bundesliga returns on Saturday in empty stadiums, but German fans are being warned to stay away and authorities have warned matches could be halted if too many supporters gather outside the grounds.

The Bundesliga returns on Saturday in empty stadiums, but German fans are being warned to stay away and authorities have warned matches could be halted if too many supporters gather outside the grounds. German football will be blazing a trail among Europe's top leagues by resuming two months after it was halted by the spread of coronavirus, but its strategy is fraught with risks. In a football-mad country which boasts the highest average attendances in the world, will supporters banished from stadiums be able to stay away? In Saxony, where third-placed RB Leipzig will host mid-table Freiburg on Saturday afternoon, the state's Interior Minister Roland Woeller has issued a clear threat. "Fans must not use matches behind closed doors as an excuse to gather in front of the stadiums or elsewhere," he said. "This could lead to matches being stopped." His concerns are justified. Several hundred fans gathered in Moenchengladbach when the hosts beat 2-1 Cologne on March 11 -- the only previous German league game played behind locked doors, just days before the shutdown. Eintracht Frankfurt have appealed to their supporters before they resume their season against 'Gladbach on Saturday. "We've talked a lot with our fans and said: 'listen guys, don't show up at the stadium'," Frankfurt's sports director Fredi Bobic told ESPN. Under German league rules put in place to resume the season, the home side is responsible for ensuring fans do not try to approach the stadium to support their team from a distance. After weeks of meticulous planning and mass testing of players and backroom staff, it would be a nightmare for the Bundesliga if the fans were to derail the fragile recovery attempt. Christian Seifert, CEO of the Bundesliga, does not expect fans to play into the hands of critics who fear they will mass outside grounds despite large public events being banned in Germany. Seifert accused the critics predicting that football fans would fail to respect the pleas for restraint of making "sweeping statements". "I don't believe that the fan scene and the fan organisations will do their critics... the favour of behaving in exactly the way" that those doomsayers fear, he said. The Bundesliga boss said all the talks he had held on the issue "do not give any indication" that supporters will gather. Broadcaster Sky has agreed to show some of Saturday's matches on a free-to-air channel, allaying fears that fans will gather in bars or public places which have a subscription for the pay-per-view service. - Historic first - However, Seifert says while they are taking every reasonable step to discourage fans from meeting up, "the DFL's responsibility ends at a certain point". The centrepiece of Saturday's return to action is Borussia Dortmund at home to Schalke in the Ruhr derby, a match which would usually draw a crowd of 82,000 to Signal Iduna Park. Instead, it will be the first time this fixture is played behind closed doors since it began in 1925. Germany's huge stadiums - for example Bayern Munich's enormous Allianz Arena holds 75,000 - will remain empty for the forseeable future. There are fears in the German football scene that the 'Ultras' -- hardcore fans who often lead the chanting at matches -- will lose their hard-earned influence at their clubs. Some groups of these hardcore supporters are opposed to games being played in empty stadiums, because they feel the initiative is driven by financial reasons. The clubs are eager to finish the league season before June 30 in order to collect around 300 million euros ($324 million) due from TV contracts. Helen Breit from the nationwide football supporters group "Unsere Kurve" (Our Curve) said she refused to watch a single match without fans on television. "For me, football is in the stadiums," she told Munich-based paper Sueddeutsche Zeitung. "I've been going to almost every Freiburg match for more than ten years and watching football on TV is not an option for me." - Football is 'sick' - Another group feels the resumption of football during a pandemic, which has claimed 7,500 lives in Germany, shows how "sick" professional football has become. "A continuation of the season would be sheer mockery of the rest of society," Ultras groups across Germany said in a joint statement last month. "Professional football is sick enough and should remain in quarantine." But for the vast majority of fans, the decision to play the nine remaining round of matches behind closed doors makes the best of a bad situation. Even if the fans cannot be in the stands in person, Moenchengladbach have found a novel way of allowing them to be seen by the players -- for 19 euros ($21), Gladbach fans can buy a cardboard cut-out of themselves which will be placed on the terraces of Borussia Stadium.

'Stay away' - German fans warned ahead of Bundesliga restart

Premier League clubs face having to pay a huge refund to broadcasters even if they manage to complete the coronavirus-disrupted season behind closed doors.

Broadcasters would be reimbursed for matches not being played as scheduled and the lack of atmosphere in empty stadiums is also a factor.

The BBC reported the bill facing the English top-flight, which continued talks on "Project Restart" on Monday, could be as high as £340 million ($420 million).

"We were able to update our clubs today on our situation with broadcasters, which is obviously confidential," said Premier League CEO Richard Masters.

"Whatever happens, there's going to be significant loss of revenue for clubs. That is inevitable.

"We were able to paint a picture today about what would happen in various scenarios, playing out the season and not playing out the season, to allow them to have a picture of that as we stand in the early part of May."

The rebate to broadcasters would surge to an estimated £760 million if the season cannot be completed. Masters has previously warned of a £1 billion loss once the absence of gate receipts is taken into account.

For the first time on Monday, the 20 Premier League clubs discussed models that may have to be used to decide final standings if it is not deemed safe to resume.

New government guidelines have paved the way for elite sport to return behind closed doors in England from June 1.

<h2>- Player fears -</h2>

However, England internationals Raheem Sterling and Danny Rose are the two latest high-profile players to raise their concerns over a return to contact sport when the rest of society is being advised to follow social-distancing guidelines.&nbsp;

"The moment we do go back it just needs to be a moment where it's not just for footballing reasons, it's safe for not just us footballers but the whole medical staff, referees," Sterling told his YouTube channel.

"(I am) not scared, but reserved and thinking what the worst outcome could be.

"I've had friends whose grandma has passed away, I've had family members as well that have passed away. You've got to be wise and take care of yourself and those around you."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in parliament on Monday that the return of sport on TV would "provide a much-needed boost to national morale."

However, a YouGov poll revealed that 73 percent of 2,000 people surveyed said the return of the Premier League and English Football League would not lift their spirits.

Britain has been one of the worst-hit countries in the global pandemic, with the government officially recording more than 32,000 deaths from COVID-19.

"People's lives are at risk," Rose, who is on loan at Newcastle from Tottenham, told an Instagram live.

"Football shouldn't even be spoken about coming back until the numbers have dropped massively."

The Premier League are due to meet unions for players and managers later this week to discuss protocols for a return to group training.&nbsp;

"Safety comes first. We must listen to government, the authorities and the medical experts and continue to follow their advice," added Masters.

"That is exactly what we are doing. We are getting ourselves in the best position to resume the season, but only when the conditions are right."

Premier League clubs face having to pay a huge refund to broadcasters even if they manage to complete the coronavirus-disrupted season behind closed doors. Broadcasters would be reimbursed for matches not being played as scheduled and the lack of atmosphere in empty stadiums is also a factor.

Premier League clubs face having to pay a huge refund to broadcasters even if they manage to complete the coronavirus-disrupted season behind closed doors. Broadcasters would be reimbursed for matches not being played as scheduled and the lack of atmosphere in empty stadiums is also a factor. The BBC reported the bill facing the English top-flight, which continued talks on "Project Restart" on Monday, could be as high as £340 million ($420 million). "We were able to update our clubs today on our situation with broadcasters, which is obviously confidential," said Premier League CEO Richard Masters. "Whatever happens, there's going to be significant loss of revenue for clubs. That is inevitable. "We were able to paint a picture today about what would happen in various scenarios, playing out the season and not playing out the season, to allow them to have a picture of that as we stand in the early part of May." The rebate to broadcasters would surge to an estimated £760 million if the season cannot be completed. Masters has previously warned of a £1 billion loss once the absence of gate receipts is taken into account. For the first time on Monday, the 20 Premier League clubs discussed models that may have to be used to decide final standings if it is not deemed safe to resume. New government guidelines have paved the way for elite sport to return behind closed doors in England from June 1. - Player fears - However, England internationals Raheem Sterling and Danny Rose are the two latest high-profile players to raise their concerns over a return to contact sport when the rest of society is being advised to follow social-distancing guidelines. "The moment we do go back it just needs to be a moment where it's not just for footballing reasons, it's safe for not just us footballers but the whole medical staff, referees," Sterling told his YouTube channel. "(I am) not scared, but reserved and thinking what the worst outcome could be. "I've had friends whose grandma has passed away, I've had family members as well that have passed away. You've got to be wise and take care of yourself and those around you." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in parliament on Monday that the return of sport on TV would "provide a much-needed boost to national morale." However, a YouGov poll revealed that 73 percent of 2,000 people surveyed said the return of the Premier League and English Football League would not lift their spirits. Britain has been one of the worst-hit countries in the global pandemic, with the government officially recording more than 32,000 deaths from COVID-19. "People's lives are at risk," Rose, who is on loan at Newcastle from Tottenham, told an Instagram live. "Football shouldn't even be spoken about coming back until the numbers have dropped massively." The Premier League are due to meet unions for players and managers later this week to discuss protocols for a return to group training. "Safety comes first. We must listen to government, the authorities and the medical experts and continue to follow their advice," added Masters. "That is exactly what we are doing. We are getting ourselves in the best position to resume the season, but only when the conditions are right."

Premier League braced for TV losses as player protests mount

Their scheduled international tours unlikely to go ahead due to coronavirus pandemic, the cricket boards of Australia and New Zealand are exploring the possibility of creating a constant stream of matches between the two neighbouring nations.

With the two governments planning to open up a corridor to allow quarantine-free travel, New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White discussed the possibility with his Cricket Australia counterpart Kevin Roberts.

"I've talked to Kevin Roberts about that. A Tasman bubble would be terrific if it did eventuate," White told Sydney Morning Herald.

"...It would present some opportunities going forward. But I think the key is to keep an open mind and be flexible so if opportunities do arise we can take them.

"We haven't talked specifics really. What we have talked about is conceptually the possibility of playing each other and that's where we are at the moment."

With the 13th IPL suspended indefinitely, the Test tour of Bangladesh abandoned and a limited-overs tour of England in July also likely to be called off, Australia will be without any cricket action this winter.

There are also doubts over the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in October-November in Australia.

New Zealand's home international summer is also uncertain with Pakistan and West Indies scheduled to tour for Tests and Sri Lanka in the shorter form. 
Australia and New Zealand were locked in a three-game men's ODI series in March when it was called off due to the coronavirus outbreak after the first game was played behind closed doors at the SCG.

Their scheduled international tours unlikely to go ahead due to coronavirus pandemic, the cricket boards of Australia and New Zealand are exploring the possibility of creating a constant stream of matches between the two neighbouring nations.

Their scheduled international tours unlikely to go ahead due to coronavirus pandemic, the cricket boards of Australia and New Zealand are exploring the possibility of creating a constant stream of matches between the two neighbouring nations. With the two governments planning to open up a corridor to allow quarantine-free travel, New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White discussed the possibility with his Cricket Australia counterpart Kevin Roberts. "I've talked to Kevin Roberts about that. A Tasman bubble would be terrific if it did eventuate," White told Sydney Morning Herald. "...It would present some opportunities going forward. But I think the key is to keep an open mind and be flexible so if opportunities do arise we can take them. "We haven't talked specifics really. What we have talked about is conceptually the possibility of playing each other and that's where we are at the moment." With the 13th IPL suspended indefinitely, the Test tour of Bangladesh abandoned and a limited-overs tour of England in July also likely to be called off, Australia will be without any cricket action this winter. There are also doubts over the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in October-November in Australia. New Zealand's home international summer is also uncertain with Pakistan and West Indies scheduled to tour for Tests and Sri Lanka in the shorter form. Australia and New Zealand were locked in a three-game men's ODI series in March when it was called off due to the coronavirus outbreak after the first game was played behind closed doors at the SCG.

Australia, New Zealand look to restart international cricket with Trans-Tasman rivalry

The FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup is all set to be held in India from February 17 to March 7, 2021, after the apex footballing body announced new dates of the showpiece tournament on Tuesday. The U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, which was originally scheduled to be held in November 2020, was postponed earlier amid the COVID-19 pandemic with FIFA announcing new dates for the competition on Tuesday.&nbsp;

In what comes as a huge relief for youngsters, FIFA has decided to keep the original eligibility criteria – players born on or after January 1, 2003, and on or before December 31, 2005. Hence, the teams and players need not worry about bringing in new faces into the squad.&nbsp;

The World Cup is scheduled to be hosted by Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Navi Mumbai with the opener slated to be played at Bhubaneswar and final at Navi Mumbai.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/U17WWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#U17WWC</a> will take place in five cities in India 🇮🇳. 
 
Ahmedabad 
Bhubaneswar 
Guwahati 
Kolkata 
Navi Mumbai 
 
The countdown to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KickOffTheDream?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KickOffTheDream</a>, is back . <a href="https://t.co/7WF1pXkVwv">pic.twitter.com/7WF1pXkVwv</a>
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAWWC/status/1260140686420127744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lyon-women-awarded-french-title-14th-in-a-row-298144" hreflang="en">Lyon women awarded French title, 14th in a row</a>

There will be 16 participating teams in the U-17 Women’s World Cup with India getting an automatic entry in the competition by the virtue of being the host. This will be India’s maiden appearance in the U-17 Women’s World Cup.&nbsp;

However, the only qualifying event that has been played thus far is for Asia, wherein Japan and North Korea made the cut to the finals. The qualifying events for Africa, Europe, Oceania, South America, and Central, North America and the Caribbean was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FIFA further announced that the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, to be hosted by Costa Rica and Panama, has been rescheduled to January 20 – February 6, 2021, whereas the Futsal World Cup in Lithuania will now be played from September 12 – October 2, 2021.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/stay-away-german-fans-warned-ahead-of-bundesliga-restart-298141" hreflang="en">'Stay away' - German fans warned ahead of Bundesliga restart</a>

Following a thorough assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recommendations made by the FIFA-Confederations COVID-19 Working Group, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has taken the following decisions in relation to FIFA events:

- to confirm the following proposed new tournament dates, subject to further monitoring:

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica/Panama 2020: 20 January – 6 February 2021 (tournament to keep original eligibility criteria: players born on or after 1 January 2000 and on or before 31 December 2004);

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020: 17 February – 7 March 2021 (tournament to keep original eligibility criteria: players born on or after 1 January 2003 and on or before 31 December 2005);

FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2020: 12 September – 3 October 2021;

- to hold the 70th FIFA Congress, which was originally due to take place in Addis Ababa, as an online event on 18 September 2020. 
&nbsp;

The FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup is all set to be held in India from February 17 to March 7, 2021, after the apex footballing body announced new dates of the showpiece tournament on Tuesday.

The FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup is all set to be held in India from February 17 to March 7, 2021, after the apex footballing body announced new dates of the showpiece tournament on Tuesday. The U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, which was originally scheduled to be held in November 2020, was postponed earlier amid the COVID-19 pandemic with FIFA announcing new dates for the competition on Tuesday. In what comes as a huge relief for youngsters, FIFA has decided to keep the original eligibility criteria – players born on or after January 1, 2003, and on or before December 31, 2005. Hence, the teams and players need not worry about bringing in new faces into the squad. The World Cup is scheduled to be hosted by Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Navi Mumbai with the opener slated to be played at Bhubaneswar and final at Navi Mumbai. The #U17WWC will take place in five cities in India 🇮🇳. Ahmedabad Bhubaneswar Guwahati Kolkata Navi Mumbai The countdown to #KickOffTheDream, is back . pic.twitter.com/7WF1pXkVwv — FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) May 12, 2020 × ALSO READ: Lyon women awarded French title, 14th in a row There will be 16 participating teams in the U-17 Women’s World Cup with India getting an automatic entry in the competition by the virtue of being the host. This will be India’s maiden appearance in the U-17 Women’s World Cup. However, the only qualifying event that has been played thus far is for Asia, wherein Japan and North Korea made the cut to the finals. The qualifying events for Africa, Europe, Oceania, South America, and Central, North America and the Caribbean was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FIFA further announced that the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, to be hosted by Costa Rica and Panama, has been rescheduled to January 20 – February 6, 2021, whereas the Futsal World Cup in Lithuania will now be played from September 12 – October 2, 2021. ALSO READ: 'Stay away' - German fans warned ahead of Bundesliga restart Following a thorough assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recommendations made by the FIFA-Confederations COVID-19 Working Group, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has taken the following decisions in relation to FIFA events: - to confirm the following proposed new tournament dates, subject to further monitoring: FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica/Panama 2020: 20 January – 6 February 2021 (tournament to keep original eligibility criteria: players born on or after 1 January 2000 and on or before 31 December 2004); FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020: 17 February – 7 March 2021 (tournament to keep original eligibility criteria: players born on or after 1 January 2003 and on or before 31 December 2005); FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2020: 12 September – 3 October 2021; - to hold the 70th FIFA Congress, which was originally due to take place in Addis Ababa, as an online event on 18 September 2020.

FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup to be held in India from February 17, 2021

The Chief National Coach of Indian badminton team, Pullela Gopichand has been stamped quarantine for next 14 days by the Telangana authorities after the former badminton player rushed to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh from Hyderabad, Telangana to see his ailing grandmother on Monday.&nbsp;

Speaking to Zee Media, Gopichand disclosed that he had rushed to Guntur from Hyderabad to see his grandmother, who is not keeping up well. However, while he was returning, he was marked quarantine by the Telangana authorities.&nbsp;

The recipient of Padma Bhushan also clarified that he does not have any symptoms and the quarantine stamp is part of the norms. Gopichand further stated that he will abide by the quarantine rules and stay at home.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-might-be-a-good-idea-to-look-at-quarantine-facility-for-olympic-hopefuls-pullela-gopichand-opens-up-on-postponed-games-and-more-292727">Exclusive: 'Might be a good idea to look at quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls' - Pullela Gopichand opens up on postponed Games and more</a>

Meanwhile, with sporting action coming to a halt amid the COVID-19 pandemic and almost all the tournaments and events getting either postponed or cancelled, Gopichand had suggested building a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls ahead of Tokyo Games which was pushed back to 2021 in the wake of the pandemic.&nbsp;

“It might even be a good idea to look at a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls from all sports. For example, since inter-city travel is not possible, athletes from the same city can stay at a facility which allows them to train for the upcoming events. We might also have to plan for domestic leagues and tournaments because restrictions in India could be lifted before those of other countries. &nbsp;Since global tournaments would not be taking place, there will be a need to replace those with quality domestic competitions to make up for the loss of international exposure,” Gopichand had told WION in an exclusive interview.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-staring-at-loss-of-half-a-billion-dollars-if-ipl-2020-is-cancelled-298168" hreflang="en">BCCI staring at loss of half a billion dollars if IPL 2020 is cancelled</a>

“We are going through an unprecedented crisis, so adjustments need to be made. For example, I had never used a mobile phone application for training, but we are forced to do that now and that has become the norm. So we are looking at different ways to help the players enhance their skills during this lockdown. Adaptability is the key, we have to make quick decisions and think out of the box,” he had added.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Chief National Coach of Indian badminton team, Pullela Gopichand has been stamped quarantine for next 14 days by the Telangana authorities after the former badminton player rushed to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh from Hyderabad, Telangana to see his ailing grandmother on Monday.

The Chief National Coach of Indian badminton team, Pullela Gopichand has been stamped quarantine for next 14 days by the Telangana authorities after the former badminton player rushed to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh from Hyderabad, Telangana to see his ailing grandmother on Monday. Speaking to Zee Media, Gopichand disclosed that he had rushed to Guntur from Hyderabad to see his grandmother, who is not keeping up well. However, while he was returning, he was marked quarantine by the Telangana authorities. The recipient of Padma Bhushan also clarified that he does not have any symptoms and the quarantine stamp is part of the norms. Gopichand further stated that he will abide by the quarantine rules and stay at home. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Might be a good idea to look at quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls' - Pullela Gopichand opens up on postponed Games and more Meanwhile, with sporting action coming to a halt amid the COVID-19 pandemic and almost all the tournaments and events getting either postponed or cancelled, Gopichand had suggested building a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls ahead of Tokyo Games which was pushed back to 2021 in the wake of the pandemic. “It might even be a good idea to look at a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls from all sports. For example, since inter-city travel is not possible, athletes from the same city can stay at a facility which allows them to train for the upcoming events. We might also have to plan for domestic leagues and tournaments because restrictions in India could be lifted before those of other countries. Since global tournaments would not be taking place, there will be a need to replace those with quality domestic competitions to make up for the loss of international exposure,” Gopichand had told WION in an exclusive interview. ALSO READ: BCCI staring at loss of half a billion dollars if IPL 2020 is cancelled “We are going through an unprecedented crisis, so adjustments need to be made. For example, I had never used a mobile phone application for training, but we are forced to do that now and that has become the norm. So we are looking at different ways to help the players enhance their skills during this lockdown. Adaptability is the key, we have to make quick decisions and think out of the box,” he had added.

Pullela Gopichand placed under quarantine for 14 days after visiting Guntur to see ailing grandmother

There has been a lot of debates surrounding who is a better batsman between Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. While many former cricketers and experts have hailed Kohli as a better player across formats, others have chosen Smith as the close winner in the race. Now, former South African skipper AB de Villiers has given his take on the rivalry between Kohli and Smith as he compared the duo with tennis legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal respectively.&nbsp;

While de Villiers didn’t clearly pick his favourite, Mr. 360 did state that Kohli is a more natural striker of the ball.&nbsp;

In an Instagram chat with former Zimbabwe seamer Pommie Mbangwa, de Villiers spoke about the two batsmen.

“It’s a difficult one, but Virat is definitely the more natural ball-striker, there’s no doubt about that,” de Villiers said during his interaction.

“In tennis terms, I’d say he’s more like a (Roger) Federer whereas Smith is like a (Rafael) Nadal. Smith is mentally very strong and figures out a way of scoring runs - he doesn’t look natural, but he ends up writing records and doing amazing things at the crease. “I think mentally; Smith is one of the best I have ever seen. Virat has also scored runs all over the world and won games under pressure,” de Villiers, himself a modern-day great, said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-staring-at-loss-of-half-a-billion-dollars-if-ipl-2020-is-cancelled-298168" hreflang="en">BCCI staring at loss of half a billion dollars if IPL 2020 is cancelled</a>

However, de Villiers was pushed to backfoot when a fan asked him to choose his favourite between Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. The swashbuckling batsman picked Tendulkar in a jiffy as he said for both him and Kohli, Tendulkar is like a role model and the Master Blaster had set standards for other batsmen to follow. However, de Villiers stated Kohli is the best ever when it comes to chasing a total.

"Sachin for both (him and Kohli) of us is like a role model. The way he stood out back in the day in his era and the things he achieved and with the grace he did all of that, it's a great example for everyone. I think Virat will also say that he's (Tendulkar) the main guy, he's the dude. He set the standards for guys like us to follow. Personally for me, especially in a chase, I'd say Virat is the best I've ever seen in my life. There's no-one that beats him when it comes to... the opposition scores 330 and you've got to go chase it down," he said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/international-nurses-day-virat-kohli-sachin-tendulkar-pay-heartfelt-tribute-to-silent-guardians-298153" hreflang="en">International Nurses Day: Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar pay heartfelt tribute to 'silent guardians'</a>

"Sachin was amazing in all formats, all sorts of situations but Virat tops him there when it comes to chasing under pressure. For me, that's where I rate sportsman, when it comes to tennis, golf... the Tiger Woods of the world. When the heat is really on you feel like your whole body is numb, but he (Kohli) stands up and he does amazing things. That's what Virat does under pressure," de Villiers added.

There has been a lot of debates surrounding who is a better batsman between Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. While many former cricketers and experts have hailed Kohli as a better player across formats, others have chosen Smith as the close winner in the race.

There has been a lot of debates surrounding who is a better batsman between Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. While many former cricketers and experts have hailed Kohli as a better player across formats, others have chosen Smith as the close winner in the race. Now, former South African skipper AB de Villiers has given his take on the rivalry between Kohli and Smith as he compared the duo with tennis legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal respectively. While de Villiers didn’t clearly pick his favourite, Mr. 360 did state that Kohli is a more natural striker of the ball. In an Instagram chat with former Zimbabwe seamer Pommie Mbangwa, de Villiers spoke about the two batsmen. “It’s a difficult one, but Virat is definitely the more natural ball-striker, there’s no doubt about that,” de Villiers said during his interaction. “In tennis terms, I’d say he’s more like a (Roger) Federer whereas Smith is like a (Rafael) Nadal. Smith is mentally very strong and figures out a way of scoring runs - he doesn’t look natural, but he ends up writing records and doing amazing things at the crease. “I think mentally; Smith is one of the best I have ever seen. Virat has also scored runs all over the world and won games under pressure,” de Villiers, himself a modern-day great, said. ALSO READ: BCCI staring at loss of half a billion dollars if IPL 2020 is cancelled However, de Villiers was pushed to backfoot when a fan asked him to choose his favourite between Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. The swashbuckling batsman picked Tendulkar in a jiffy as he said for both him and Kohli, Tendulkar is like a role model and the Master Blaster had set standards for other batsmen to follow. However, de Villiers stated Kohli is the best ever when it comes to chasing a total. "Sachin for both (him and Kohli) of us is like a role model. The way he stood out back in the day in his era and the things he achieved and with the grace he did all of that, it's a great example for everyone. I think Virat will also say that he's (Tendulkar) the main guy, he's the dude. He set the standards for guys like us to follow. Personally for me, especially in a chase, I'd say Virat is the best I've ever seen in my life. There's no-one that beats him when it comes to... the opposition scores 330 and you've got to go chase it down," he said. ALSO READ: International Nurses Day: Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar pay heartfelt tribute to 'silent guardians' "Sachin was amazing in all formats, all sorts of situations but Virat tops him there when it comes to chasing under pressure. For me, that's where I rate sportsman, when it comes to tennis, golf... the Tiger Woods of the world. When the heat is really on you feel like your whole body is numb, but he (Kohli) stands up and he does amazing things. That's what Virat does under pressure," de Villiers added.

Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are Federer-Nadal of cricket: AB de Villiers

Cancelling the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic would cost the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) more than half a billion dollars, however, cutting players’ wage has not been considered yet by the authorities.&nbsp;

The IPL is staring at a first wipeout in its 12-year history following repeated postponement of the tournament from the original starting date of March 29. Scrapping the cash-rich tournament would result in a massive financial hit for the Indian cricket board.

"The BCCI is looking at a big revenue loss. In case the IPL does not take place, the loss would be close to 40 billion rupees ($530 million), or even more," said Board of Control for Cricket in India treasurer Arun Dhumal as quoted by AFP.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-womens-cricket-world-cup-qualifier-postponed-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-298154" hreflang="en">ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic</a>

Dhumal admitted that the authorities are not sure whether it will be possible to conduct IPL 2020.&nbsp;

"We are not sure whether we will be able to have it this year," he admitted.

While the three-match ODI series against South Africa in March was cancelled after the first washed-out game in Dharamsala, it is the IPL, that generates the maximum of BCCI’s revenue and reportedly, is worth more than $11 billion a year to the Indian economy.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/international-nurses-day-virat-kohli-sachin-tendulkar-pay-heartfelt-tribute-to-silent-guardians-298153" hreflang="en">International Nurses Day: Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar pay heartfelt tribute to 'silent guardians'</a>

"We will only be able to figure out the exact revenue loss once we are sure of how many games we have lost," said Dhumal.&nbsp;

As per Duff and Phelps financial consultancy, the brand value of IPL was estimated at $6.7 billion in 2019.

While Star Sports paid more than $220 million for five years of TV rights up to 2022, the broadcaster was targeting $400 million of revenue in 2020 alone, as per reports.

Dhumal further said pay cut is the last thing the BCCI would do from their end and hence, the board is calculating how much loss they will suffer if IPL 2020 is cancelled.&nbsp;

"That would be the last thing that we would want to do at our end," said Dhumal.

"That is why we are working (on) how much is the loss finally we have to pay.&nbsp;

"So once we are able to assess that then we might consider it, but it will be the last thing on our agenda."

Cancelling the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic would cost the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) more than half a billion dollars, however, cutting players’ wage has not been considered yet by the authorities.

Cancelling the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic would cost the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) more than half a billion dollars, however, cutting players’ wage has not been considered yet by the authorities. The IPL is staring at a first wipeout in its 12-year history following repeated postponement of the tournament from the original starting date of March 29. Scrapping the cash-rich tournament would result in a massive financial hit for the Indian cricket board. "The BCCI is looking at a big revenue loss. In case the IPL does not take place, the loss would be close to 40 billion rupees ($530 million), or even more," said Board of Control for Cricket in India treasurer Arun Dhumal as quoted by AFP. ALSO READ: ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic Dhumal admitted that the authorities are not sure whether it will be possible to conduct IPL 2020. "We are not sure whether we will be able to have it this year," he admitted. While the three-match ODI series against South Africa in March was cancelled after the first washed-out game in Dharamsala, it is the IPL, that generates the maximum of BCCI’s revenue and reportedly, is worth more than $11 billion a year to the Indian economy. ALSO READ: International Nurses Day: Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar pay heartfelt tribute to 'silent guardians' "We will only be able to figure out the exact revenue loss once we are sure of how many games we have lost," said Dhumal. As per Duff and Phelps financial consultancy, the brand value of IPL was estimated at $6.7 billion in 2019. While Star Sports paid more than $220 million for five years of TV rights up to 2022, the broadcaster was targeting $400 million of revenue in 2020 alone, as per reports. Dhumal further said pay cut is the last thing the BCCI would do from their end and hence, the board is calculating how much loss they will suffer if IPL 2020 is cancelled. "That would be the last thing that we would want to do at our end," said Dhumal. "That is why we are working (on) how much is the loss finally we have to pay. "So once we are able to assess that then we might consider it, but it will be the last thing on our agenda."

BCCI staring at loss of half a billion dollars if IPL 2020 is cancelled

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced the postponement of two qualifying events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two qualifying events affected by the coronavirus pandemic are the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier and the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers Europe Division 2.&nbsp;

The decision by the ICC was taken after thorough consultation with the members and relevant government public health authorities. The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier was scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka between July 2 and July 19, where three teams were to qualify from the event in New Zealand.&nbsp;

Whereas the qualifiers for the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2022 was set to commence with the European Regional Qualifier in Denmark between July 24 and July 30. The ICC will further communicate and work with all participating members in a bid to reschedule these events in future.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/international-nurses-day-virat-kohli-sachin-tendulkar-pay-heartfelt-tribute-to-silent-guardians-298153" hreflang="en">International Nurses Day: Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar pay heartfelt tribute to 'silent guardians'</a>

The two remaining ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup Regional Qualifier Division 2 events have been kept under review. The Africa event is due to take place in Tanzania between 7 and 14 August and the Asia event between 1 and 9 December in Thailand. The Division 1 events in all five regions are scheduled to take place in 2021.

ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley said: “In light of the continuing travel restrictions, global health concerns and government and public health authority advice we have decided to postpone two further upcoming qualifying events due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier and the Europe qualifier to the U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 have both been impacted.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-motivation-to-win-world-cup-for-india-keeps-me-going-mithali-raj-opens-up-on-future-of-womens-cricket-post-covid-19-and-more-298059" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Motivation to win World Cup for India keeps me going' - Mithali Raj opens up on future of women's cricket post-COVID-19 and more</a>

“Our priority during this difficult period is to protect the well-being of players, coaches, officials, fans and the whole cricket community and we will take well-informed, responsible decisions in relation to both postponing events and resuming international cricket.

“These are both important events with the Women’s CWC Qualifier one step away from New Zealand 2021 and the Europe qualifier which signifies the start of the U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 pathway. We will work in partnership with the Members to find an appropriate window to reschedule these events as soon as is safe and practical to do so. I would like to thank the Members for their cooperation and continued support.”

 
&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced the postponement of two qualifying events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two qualifying events affected by the coronavirus pandemic are the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier and the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers Europe Division 2.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced the postponement of two qualifying events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two qualifying events affected by the coronavirus pandemic are the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier and the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers Europe Division 2. The decision by the ICC was taken after thorough consultation with the members and relevant government public health authorities. The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier was scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka between July 2 and July 19, where three teams were to qualify from the event in New Zealand. Whereas the qualifiers for the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2022 was set to commence with the European Regional Qualifier in Denmark between July 24 and July 30. The ICC will further communicate and work with all participating members in a bid to reschedule these events in future. ALSO READ: International Nurses Day: Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar pay heartfelt tribute to 'silent guardians' The two remaining ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup Regional Qualifier Division 2 events have been kept under review. The Africa event is due to take place in Tanzania between 7 and 14 August and the Asia event between 1 and 9 December in Thailand. The Division 1 events in all five regions are scheduled to take place in 2021. ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley said: “In light of the continuing travel restrictions, global health concerns and government and public health authority advice we have decided to postpone two further upcoming qualifying events due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier and the Europe qualifier to the U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 have both been impacted. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Motivation to win World Cup for India keeps me going' - Mithali Raj opens up on future of women's cricket post-COVID-19 and more “Our priority during this difficult period is to protect the well-being of players, coaches, officials, fans and the whole cricket community and we will take well-informed, responsible decisions in relation to both postponing events and resuming international cricket. “These are both important events with the Women’s CWC Qualifier one step away from New Zealand 2021 and the Europe qualifier which signifies the start of the U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 pathway. We will work in partnership with the Members to find an appropriate window to reschedule these events as soon as is safe and practical to do so. I would like to thank the Members for their cooperation and continued support.”

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic

Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli and legend Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday posted heartfelt messages on the occasion of International Nurses Day. Almost the entire world is currently witnessing the devastating effects of COVID-19 pandemic that has infected millions of people and amid the testing times, the ones who are putting their lives to risk in a bid to overcome the pandemic are the healthcare workers and on the occasion of International Nurses Day, Kohli and Tendulkar posted heartfelt messages for the nurses working round the clock.&nbsp;

Kohli, taking to social media platform Twitter, thanked all the nurses for their selfless service, dedication, compassion and kindness during challenging times and otherwise.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-motivation-to-win-world-cup-for-india-keeps-me-going-mithali-raj-opens-up-on-future-of-womens-cricket-post-covid-19-and-more-298059" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Motivation to win World Cup for India keeps me going' - Mithali Raj opens up on future of women's cricket post-COVID-19 and more</a>

Kohli wrote: "Thank you for your selfless service, dedication, compassion and kindness during such challenging times and otherwise. Smiling face with smiling eyes Let us all join together to celebrate #InternationalNursesDay."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Thank you for your selfless service, dedication, compassion and kindness during such challenging times and otherwise. Let us all join together to celebrate <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalNursesDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InternationalNursesDay</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1260090359964565505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Whereas batting great Tendulkar lauded the work by nurses across the world while calling them “silent guardians”.&nbsp;

"It’s a day to celebrate &amp; thank all the Nurses across the world who’ve been providing care &amp; attention to those unwell &amp; in need. They're the silent guardians who make invaluable contributions to the health &amp; safety of people while risking their own lives. #InternationalNursesDay," Sachin wrote on his Twitter account.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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It’s a day to celebrate &amp; thank all the Nurses across the world who’ve been providing care &amp; attention to those unwell &amp; in need. 
They're the silent guardians who make invaluable contributions to the health &amp; safety of people while risking their own lives.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalNursesDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InternationalNursesDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/rkMaUmwtkn">pic.twitter.com/rkMaUmwtkn</a>
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1260081004422631426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusivity-is-the-key-bcci-official-dismisses-suresh-rainas-suggestion-of-allowing-players-in-overseas-t20-leagues-297946" hreflang="en">'Exclusivity is the key' - BCCI official dismisses Suresh Raina’s suggestion of allowing players in overseas T20 leagues</a>

International Nurses Day is organised every year to celebrate Florence Nightingale’s birth anniversary. In January 1974, 12 May was chosen to celebrate the day as it is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The theme for International Nurses Day 2020 is "Nursing the World to Health". 
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Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli and legend Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday posted heartfelt messages on the occasion of International Nurses Day. Almost the entire world is currently witnessing the devastating effects of COVID-19 pandemic that has infected millions of people and amid the testing times, the ones who are putting their lives to risk in a bid to overcome the pandemic are the healthcare workers and on the occasion of International Nurses Day, Kohli and Tendulkar posted heartfelt messages for the nurses working round the clock.

Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli and legend Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday posted heartfelt messages on the occasion of International Nurses Day. Almost the entire world is currently witnessing the devastating effects of COVID-19 pandemic that has infected millions of people and amid the testing times, the ones who are putting their lives to risk in a bid to overcome the pandemic are the healthcare workers and on the occasion of International Nurses Day, Kohli and Tendulkar posted heartfelt messages for the nurses working round the clock. Kohli, taking to social media platform Twitter, thanked all the nurses for their selfless service, dedication, compassion and kindness during challenging times and otherwise. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Motivation to win World Cup for India keeps me going' - Mithali Raj opens up on future of women's cricket post-COVID-19 and more Kohli wrote: "Thank you for your selfless service, dedication, compassion and kindness during such challenging times and otherwise. Smiling face with smiling eyes Let us all join together to celebrate #InternationalNursesDay." Thank you for your selfless service, dedication, compassion and kindness during such challenging times and otherwise. Let us all join together to celebrate #InternationalNursesDay — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 12, 2020 × Whereas batting great Tendulkar lauded the work by nurses across the world while calling them “silent guardians”. "It’s a day to celebrate & thank all the Nurses across the world who’ve been providing care & attention to those unwell & in need. They're the silent guardians who make invaluable contributions to the health & safety of people while risking their own lives. #InternationalNursesDay," Sachin wrote on his Twitter account. It’s a day to celebrate & thank all the Nurses across the world who’ve been providing care & attention to those unwell & in need. They're the silent guardians who make invaluable contributions to the health & safety of people while risking their own lives.#InternationalNursesDay pic.twitter.com/rkMaUmwtkn — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 12, 2020 × ALSO READ: 'Exclusivity is the key' - BCCI official dismisses Suresh Raina’s suggestion of allowing players in overseas T20 leagues International Nurses Day is organised every year to celebrate Florence Nightingale’s birth anniversary. In January 1974, 12 May was chosen to celebrate the day as it is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The theme for International Nurses Day 2020 is "Nursing the World to Health".

International Nurses Day: Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar pay heartfelt tribute to 'silent guardians'

Warring Premier League clubs will meet on Monday with tensions mounting over the divisive 'Project Restart' plan to finish the season amid the coronavirus crisis.

Premier League chiefs hope to return to action in June, but that goal could be scuppered by an internal battle between clubs fiercely protecting their own interests.

The Premier League delayed their latest meeting until after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's address to the nation on Sunday.

But, for those clubs and players concerned about the rush to return, Johnson's admission that the virus transmission rate is still too high to significantly ease Britain's lockdown until at least June 1 was hardly reassuring.

Johnson offered no details about the Premier League's short-term future and indicated that, while the general population will be allowed to play sports from Wednesday, they must do so only with those in their own households.

And the growing unease about the Premier League's desire to finish their remaining 92 fixtures only increased on Sunday when Brighton admitted a third player in their squad had contracted the virus.

The scheduled return of Germany's Bundesliga from May 16 had raised hopes that the Premier League could follow suit, yet there are stark differences between the health crisis in both countries.

Britain's death toll from the pandemic passed 30,000 this week to become the worst hit country in Europe.&nbsp;

By contrast, Germany has registered just over 7,000 deaths.

However, German second tier club Dynamo Dresden have put their entire squad and coaching staff into two-week isolation after two players tested positive for the virus.

Also on Sunday, La Liga confirmed five unnamed players have the virus and will go into quarantine.

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has been one of the more vocal critics of the restart scheme and he told the Mail on Sunday: "We have got to be careful that we do not misstep here because if we do, it could ruin lives. It could cost lives. And we cannot afford that."

Testing and player welfare remain major hurdles to overcome, with Norwich midfielder Todd Cantwell summing up the feelings of worried players when he responded to the positive test at Brighton by tweeting: "We are just people too".

<h2>- 'Huge challenge' -</h2>

A lack of unity has provoked another complication for the Premier League over the use of neutral venues.

League chiefs believe they will only get the government's green light to restart if the number of venues are limited to reduce the medical, police, security and broadcast personnel required.

There are also fears over fans congregating at home stadiums, even though the matches would be played behind closed doors.

Leading the resistence to neutral venues are clubs near the bottom of the table and at risk of huge financial losses by dropping out of England's lucrative top-flight.

Brighton had five of their remaining nine games at home, while Aston Villa were due to play six of their last 10 matches at Villa Park.

"What we can't accept is a fundamental change to the competition three-quarters of the way through," Barber said.

"That is not fair and there is absolutely nobody who will convince me otherwise."

Villa's chief executive Christian Purslow said giving up home advantage "is a massive decision".

Seven of the 20 top-flight clubs would need to officially reject neutral venues to stop the plan going ahead, although it has been reported the issue won't be put to a vote on Monday.

The UEFA deadline for restart proposals is May 25 and League Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan has warned a failure to reach consensus soon could see the season cancelled.

Aware of the animosity between clubs, Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish conceded it won't be easy to restart in the current climate.

"It may prove beyond us. We have huge challenges in order to get it back to complete the season but we are planning on doing so," Parish told the BBC.

"There are no easy answers. We have to work through it as a collective. I think we will come out with a consensus in the end."

Warring Premier League clubs will meet on Monday with tensions mounting over the divisive 'Project Restart' plan to finish the season amid the coronavirus crisis.

Warring Premier League clubs will meet on Monday with tensions mounting over the divisive 'Project Restart' plan to finish the season amid the coronavirus crisis. Premier League chiefs hope to return to action in June, but that goal could be scuppered by an internal battle between clubs fiercely protecting their own interests. The Premier League delayed their latest meeting until after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's address to the nation on Sunday. But, for those clubs and players concerned about the rush to return, Johnson's admission that the virus transmission rate is still too high to significantly ease Britain's lockdown until at least June 1 was hardly reassuring. Johnson offered no details about the Premier League's short-term future and indicated that, while the general population will be allowed to play sports from Wednesday, they must do so only with those in their own households. And the growing unease about the Premier League's desire to finish their remaining 92 fixtures only increased on Sunday when Brighton admitted a third player in their squad had contracted the virus. The scheduled return of Germany's Bundesliga from May 16 had raised hopes that the Premier League could follow suit, yet there are stark differences between the health crisis in both countries. Britain's death toll from the pandemic passed 30,000 this week to become the worst hit country in Europe. By contrast, Germany has registered just over 7,000 deaths. However, German second tier club Dynamo Dresden have put their entire squad and coaching staff into two-week isolation after two players tested positive for the virus. Also on Sunday, La Liga confirmed five unnamed players have the virus and will go into quarantine. Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has been one of the more vocal critics of the restart scheme and he told the Mail on Sunday: "We have got to be careful that we do not misstep here because if we do, it could ruin lives. It could cost lives. And we cannot afford that." Testing and player welfare remain major hurdles to overcome, with Norwich midfielder Todd Cantwell summing up the feelings of worried players when he responded to the positive test at Brighton by tweeting: "We are just people too". - 'Huge challenge' - A lack of unity has provoked another complication for the Premier League over the use of neutral venues. League chiefs believe they will only get the government's green light to restart if the number of venues are limited to reduce the medical, police, security and broadcast personnel required. There are also fears over fans congregating at home stadiums, even though the matches would be played behind closed doors. Leading the resistence to neutral venues are clubs near the bottom of the table and at risk of huge financial losses by dropping out of England's lucrative top-flight. Brighton had five of their remaining nine games at home, while Aston Villa were due to play six of their last 10 matches at Villa Park. "What we can't accept is a fundamental change to the competition three-quarters of the way through," Barber said. "That is not fair and there is absolutely nobody who will convince me otherwise." Villa's chief executive Christian Purslow said giving up home advantage "is a massive decision". Seven of the 20 top-flight clubs would need to officially reject neutral venues to stop the plan going ahead, although it has been reported the issue won't be put to a vote on Monday. The UEFA deadline for restart proposals is May 25 and League Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan has warned a failure to reach consensus soon could see the season cancelled. Aware of the animosity between clubs, Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish conceded it won't be easy to restart in the current climate. "It may prove beyond us. We have huge challenges in order to get it back to complete the season but we are planning on doing so," Parish told the BBC. "There are no easy answers. We have to work through it as a collective. I think we will come out with a consensus in the end."

Division threatens Premier League's chances of comeback

Newcastle United and the Premier League should put moral values ahead of the financial rewards from a proposed £300 million ($372 million) Saudi-backed takeover, the fiancee of murdered dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi said on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will reportedly take an 80 percent stake in Newcastle should the takeover be approved by the Premier League.

The mooted deal comes against the backdrop of the death of Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and US resident who was killed in 2018 while at Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul to obtain paperwork ahead of his wedding to Hatice Cengiz.

Turkish officials say a 15-man Saudi squad strangled Khashoggi and cut his body into pieces. His remains were never found.

Cengiz has already called for the Premier League to block the Newcastle takeover and now she has questioned the morality of top-flight chiefs and the Tyneside club.

"Moral values should prevail," Cengiz told the BBC on Sunday.

"My message would be to the management of Newcastle United and to the decision makers.

"We should consider ethical values, not just financial or political ones. Money cannot buy everything in the world. So the message that will be given to people like Crown Prince is extremely important.

"There should be no place in English football for those credibly accused of atrocities and murder."

A Saudi court in December sentenced five people to death over the killing, handing three others long jail sentences and acquitting the remaining three charged in the case.

Rights group Amnesty International condemned the outcome as a "whitewash".

The two top figures investigated over the killing -- both part of the crown prince's inner circle -- were exonerated.

Both the CIA and a United Nations special envoy have directly linked the crown prince to the killing, a charge the kingdom vehemently denies.

"We don't want this deal to go ahead. We are not just talking about the murder of a human being but the efforts to keep all hopes regarding the future, to keep human rights alive, to support justice and to start a transformation in the Middle East," Cengiz said.

"This deal seems to be about buying something. But there is a wider picture. Saudi Arabia shows the world its face of reform.&nbsp;

"But it has another face where the reality is far from what is shown to the world. This is why we want this (deal) to be stopped and not be completed."

The Premier League must determine whether the bid fulfils its owners and directors' test.

Oliver Dowden, the UK culture secretary, told a meeting of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee last week it was a "matter for the Premier League" rather than government.

Newcastle United and the Premier League should put moral values ahead of the financial rewards from a proposed £300 million ($372 million) Saudi-backed takeover, the fiancee of murdered dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi said on Sunday.

Newcastle United and the Premier League should put moral values ahead of the financial rewards from a proposed £300 million ($372 million) Saudi-backed takeover, the fiancee of murdered dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi said on Sunday. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will reportedly take an 80 percent stake in Newcastle should the takeover be approved by the Premier League. The mooted deal comes against the backdrop of the death of Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and US resident who was killed in 2018 while at Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul to obtain paperwork ahead of his wedding to Hatice Cengiz. Turkish officials say a 15-man Saudi squad strangled Khashoggi and cut his body into pieces. His remains were never found. Cengiz has already called for the Premier League to block the Newcastle takeover and now she has questioned the morality of top-flight chiefs and the Tyneside club. "Moral values should prevail," Cengiz told the BBC on Sunday. "My message would be to the management of Newcastle United and to the decision makers. "We should consider ethical values, not just financial or political ones. Money cannot buy everything in the world. So the message that will be given to people like Crown Prince is extremely important. "There should be no place in English football for those credibly accused of atrocities and murder." A Saudi court in December sentenced five people to death over the killing, handing three others long jail sentences and acquitting the remaining three charged in the case. Rights group Amnesty International condemned the outcome as a "whitewash". The two top figures investigated over the killing -- both part of the crown prince's inner circle -- were exonerated. Both the CIA and a United Nations special envoy have directly linked the crown prince to the killing, a charge the kingdom vehemently denies. "We don't want this deal to go ahead. We are not just talking about the murder of a human being but the efforts to keep all hopes regarding the future, to keep human rights alive, to support justice and to start a transformation in the Middle East," Cengiz said. "This deal seems to be about buying something. But there is a wider picture. Saudi Arabia shows the world its face of reform. "But it has another face where the reality is far from what is shown to the world. This is why we want this (deal) to be stopped and not be completed." The Premier League must determine whether the bid fulfils its owners and directors' test. Oliver Dowden, the UK culture secretary, told a meeting of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee last week it was a "matter for the Premier League" rather than government.

Khashoggi's fiancee insists moral values must come first in Newcastle takeover

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber on Sunday revealed a third player at the Premier League club has tested positive for the coronavirus, raising fresh concerns about the attempt to finish the English top-flight season.

The unnamed player was tested on Saturday and will self-isolate for 14 days while he recovers from the virus.

The rest of Brighton's squad will continue to train at home and in solo sessions at the team's training ground.

Two other Brighton players, who were not named, contracted the virus several weeks ago and have reportedly recovered.

"Unfortunately we have had a third player test positive just yesterday," Barber told Sky Sports News.

"Despite all the measures we have all been taking over the last few weeks, when the players haven't been involved in taking any significant training at all, we have still suffered another player testing positive for the virus.

"There are concerns and I think it is normal for all clubs to have those concerns.

"We want to make sure we do all that we can so the protocols that are put into place are safe and secure and mitigate the risk."

In Germany, Bundesliga 2 side Dynamo Dresden have put their entire squad and coaching staff into two-week isolation after two players tested positive for coronavirus.

The Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 are due to restart on May 16.

Brighton's latest positive test comes ahead of Monday's Premier League meeting, where clubs are expected to debate the plan to complete the season behind closed doors at neutral venues and vote on whether player contracts will be extended until the end of the rescheduled campaign.

The Premier League would like to restart the season in June and play the remaining 92 fixtures by August.

Barber has been critical of the neutral venue idea, insisting that the campaign should still be played on a home-and-away basis as Brighton battle to avoid relegation.

Norwich, Watford and Aston Villa were in the relegation zone when the Premier League was suspended because of the health crisis on March 13.

<h2>- 'Self-interest' -</h2>

Brighton have received criticism for their vocal stance, but Barber insists all clubs will act with a degree of self-interest.

"People will accuse us of self-interest, I totally understand that, but at this stage of the season there is self-interest at every level of the table," he added.

"There is as much self-interest at the top as there is at the bottom, there is as much self-interest in the middle as there is at the bottom.

"Everyone has different objectives for the season and we are all looking to play out the season, if it is safe to do so.

"We really do want to play and we want to make sure the competition stays as fair as it can be despite these exceptional circumstances that we are facing."

Aston Villa and Watford have joined Brighton in speaking out against the neutral stadium plan.

But Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has backed the 20 clubs to eventually come to a consensus.

"There are no easy answers, we have to work through it as a collective and I think we will and come out with a consensus in the end," he told the BBC.

"(The meeting) is another part of the journey in trying to get football back. We would be derelict in our duty if we did not find a way for the game to come back.

"It may prove beyond us, we have huge challenges in order to get it back to complete the season but we are planning on doing so."

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber on Sunday revealed a third player at the Premier League club has tested positive for the coronavirus, raising fresh concerns about the attempt to finish the English top-flight season.

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber on Sunday revealed a third player at the Premier League club has tested positive for the coronavirus, raising fresh concerns about the attempt to finish the English top-flight season. The unnamed player was tested on Saturday and will self-isolate for 14 days while he recovers from the virus. The rest of Brighton's squad will continue to train at home and in solo sessions at the team's training ground. Two other Brighton players, who were not named, contracted the virus several weeks ago and have reportedly recovered. "Unfortunately we have had a third player test positive just yesterday," Barber told Sky Sports News. "Despite all the measures we have all been taking over the last few weeks, when the players haven't been involved in taking any significant training at all, we have still suffered another player testing positive for the virus. "There are concerns and I think it is normal for all clubs to have those concerns. "We want to make sure we do all that we can so the protocols that are put into place are safe and secure and mitigate the risk." In Germany, Bundesliga 2 side Dynamo Dresden have put their entire squad and coaching staff into two-week isolation after two players tested positive for coronavirus. The Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 are due to restart on May 16. Brighton's latest positive test comes ahead of Monday's Premier League meeting, where clubs are expected to debate the plan to complete the season behind closed doors at neutral venues and vote on whether player contracts will be extended until the end of the rescheduled campaign. The Premier League would like to restart the season in June and play the remaining 92 fixtures by August. Barber has been critical of the neutral venue idea, insisting that the campaign should still be played on a home-and-away basis as Brighton battle to avoid relegation. Norwich, Watford and Aston Villa were in the relegation zone when the Premier League was suspended because of the health crisis on March 13. - 'Self-interest' - Brighton have received criticism for their vocal stance, but Barber insists all clubs will act with a degree of self-interest. "People will accuse us of self-interest, I totally understand that, but at this stage of the season there is self-interest at every level of the table," he added. "There is as much self-interest at the top as there is at the bottom, there is as much self-interest in the middle as there is at the bottom. "Everyone has different objectives for the season and we are all looking to play out the season, if it is safe to do so. "We really do want to play and we want to make sure the competition stays as fair as it can be despite these exceptional circumstances that we are facing." Aston Villa and Watford have joined Brighton in speaking out against the neutral stadium plan. But Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has backed the 20 clubs to eventually come to a consensus. "There are no easy answers, we have to work through it as a collective and I think we will and come out with a consensus in the end," he told the BBC. "(The meeting) is another part of the journey in trying to get football back. We would be derelict in our duty if we did not find a way for the game to come back. "It may prove beyond us, we have huge challenges in order to get it back to complete the season but we are planning on doing so."

Third Brighton player tests positive for coronavirus: club

David Alaba says Bayern Munich are "hungry" and enjoying their return to full-team training ahead of the restart of the Bundesliga this weekend behind closed doors.

The German top flight resumes on Saturday after the season was suspended in mid-March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

It will be the first major European league to resume after the outbreak of the pandemic, which has so far claimed around 7,500 lives in Germany.

Bayern coach Hansi Flick has been putting his players through their paces in training sessions at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern, who were four points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund in their bid for an eighth straight Bundesliga title when football was halted, restart their season at Union Berlin on Sunday.

"It was really very, very nice to be back on the pitch, training as a whole team," said Alaba.

"You could tell how much we have all looked forward to this moment.

"You could feel that in training, everyone was hungry -- and looking forward to the first game."

<h2>- 'Extreme challenge' -</h2>

Chancellor Angela Merkel approved the league's plan to restart with regular testing of players and strict hygiene measures in place.

Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert has warned clubs they are "on probation" because of fears an outbreak of the virus in the competition could again see the season suspended.

The clubs are now holding practice sessions featuring the whole squad after weeks of training in small groups.

Dortmund host arch rivals Schalke on Saturday in the first derby without spectators in the rivalry's 95-year history.

Dortmund played the first of two training matches at Signal Iduna Park without injured midfielders Axel Witsel and Emre Can.

"We are used to playing at home in front of 82,000," Dortmund coach Lucien Favre told German daily Bild.

"To prepare mentally now to play without being cheered and without being pushed by the atmosphere is an extreme challenge."

<h2>- 'Stick to the rules' -</h2>

RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann is hoping his side can treat the remainder of the campaign as a mini-tournament to help them rekindle their title challenge.

The third-placed outfit, five points behind Bayern, host mid-table Freiburg on Saturday.

"The whole situation is like before a tournament: we all had a short break, then a relaxed phase and now an intense preparation," Nagelsmann told magazine Kicker.

"When Bayern are on top form, they usually decide the league title for themselves, especially with this lead.

"We're going to try to win this nine-game tournament -- with the theoretical possibility of finishing first."

Nagelsmann said the onus is on the players to obey the hygiene regulations.

"You don't have to have studied nuclear physics to understand that it is advisable to stick to the rules," he said.

"After all, if there are no more matches, the salaries will be significantly lower than before."

Clubs must finish the season by June 30 in order to collect around 300 million euros ($324 million) in television money.

David Alaba says Bayern Munich are "hungry" and enjoying their return to full-team training ahead of the restart of the Bundesliga this weekend behind closed doors.

David Alaba says Bayern Munich are "hungry" and enjoying their return to full-team training ahead of the restart of the Bundesliga this weekend behind closed doors. The German top flight resumes on Saturday after the season was suspended in mid-March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. It will be the first major European league to resume after the outbreak of the pandemic, which has so far claimed around 7,500 lives in Germany. Bayern coach Hansi Flick has been putting his players through their paces in training sessions at the Allianz Arena. Bayern, who were four points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund in their bid for an eighth straight Bundesliga title when football was halted, restart their season at Union Berlin on Sunday. "It was really very, very nice to be back on the pitch, training as a whole team," said Alaba. "You could tell how much we have all looked forward to this moment. "You could feel that in training, everyone was hungry -- and looking forward to the first game." - 'Extreme challenge' - Chancellor Angela Merkel approved the league's plan to restart with regular testing of players and strict hygiene measures in place. Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert has warned clubs they are "on probation" because of fears an outbreak of the virus in the competition could again see the season suspended. The clubs are now holding practice sessions featuring the whole squad after weeks of training in small groups. Dortmund host arch rivals Schalke on Saturday in the first derby without spectators in the rivalry's 95-year history. Dortmund played the first of two training matches at Signal Iduna Park without injured midfielders Axel Witsel and Emre Can. "We are used to playing at home in front of 82,000," Dortmund coach Lucien Favre told German daily Bild. "To prepare mentally now to play without being cheered and without being pushed by the atmosphere is an extreme challenge." - 'Stick to the rules' - RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann is hoping his side can treat the remainder of the campaign as a mini-tournament to help them rekindle their title challenge. The third-placed outfit, five points behind Bayern, host mid-table Freiburg on Saturday. "The whole situation is like before a tournament: we all had a short break, then a relaxed phase and now an intense preparation," Nagelsmann told magazine Kicker. "When Bayern are on top form, they usually decide the league title for themselves, especially with this lead. "We're going to try to win this nine-game tournament -- with the theoretical possibility of finishing first." Nagelsmann said the onus is on the players to obey the hygiene regulations. "You don't have to have studied nuclear physics to understand that it is advisable to stick to the rules," he said. "After all, if there are no more matches, the salaries will be significantly lower than before." Clubs must finish the season by June 30 in order to collect around 300 million euros ($324 million) in television money.

'Hungry' Bayern delighted to be back in training, says Alaba

Portugal's reigning champions Benfica have confirmed that midfielder David Tavares tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, taking the tally for positive cases to at least eight players in Primeira Liga.&nbsp;

The Portuguese top flight is planning to restart behind closed doors towards the end of the month after the government announced on April 30 that games could resume, pending approval from the health authorities.&nbsp;

Benfica said 21-year-old Tavares, who is not a regular first-team player, was asymptomatic and in quarantine. His positive test comes after Vitoria Guimaraes confirmed three positive cases on Saturday and Moreirense one more.&nbsp;

According to the Portuguese news agency Lusa, three Famalicao players are also infected, as well as two members of the club's non-playing staff.&nbsp;

When Primeira was suspended on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Porto were top of the table with a one-point lead over Benfica.&nbsp;

The Portuguese government have said the last 10 rounds of the season will have to be played according to strict medical protocol. Players will have to pass coronavirus tests twice a week and matches will be played "in the fewest number of stadiums possible"

Portugal's reigning champions Benfica have confirmed that midfielder David Tavares tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, taking the tally for positive cases to at least eight players in Primeira Liga.

Portugal's reigning champions Benfica have confirmed that midfielder David Tavares tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, taking the tally for positive cases to at least eight players in Primeira Liga. The Portuguese top flight is planning to restart behind closed doors towards the end of the month after the government announced on April 30 that games could resume, pending approval from the health authorities. Benfica said 21-year-old Tavares, who is not a regular first-team player, was asymptomatic and in quarantine. His positive test comes after Vitoria Guimaraes confirmed three positive cases on Saturday and Moreirense one more. According to the Portuguese news agency Lusa, three Famalicao players are also infected, as well as two members of the club's non-playing staff. When Primeira was suspended on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Porto were top of the table with a one-point lead over Benfica. The Portuguese government have said the last 10 rounds of the season will have to be played according to strict medical protocol. Players will have to pass coronavirus tests twice a week and matches will be played "in the fewest number of stadiums possible"

Benfica's Tavares tests positive for coronavirus

The United Kingdom government on Monday gave a green signal to the resumption of Premier League, behind closed doors, from June 1. As per the latest decision taken after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap presented in the Parliament, cultural and sporting events will be allowed to be held&nbsp;without fans in a bid to avoid large-scale social contact but the events will be broadcasted.&nbsp;

Notably, the Premier League is set to meet today with clubs to discuss the much-talked-about ‘Project Restart’ and the implications of playing matches in the proposed neutral venues. &nbsp;However, no formal votes will be taken today. However, those in support of a restart will be left confident after Monday’s government guidelines.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/division-threatens-premier-leagues-chances-of-comeback-297922" hreflang="en">Division threatens Premier League's chances of comeback</a>

Despite the likelihood of televised football behind closed doors, the hardcore fans might have to wait to visit their favourite stadiums unless a COVID-19 vaccine is found. This could be devastating news for football clubs who will have to prepare for at least half of 2020-21 season behind closed doors.&nbsp;

The return of football on TV will be a huge boost to the Premier League clubs who are already set to lose a significant percentage of the £760million they had already been paid by broadcasters for the final quarter of this season.

Earlier, Man City winger Raheem Sterling had raised questions on the resumption of the campaign as he asked whether the restart of the halted season is safe for everyone.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/third-brighton-player-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-club-297918" hreflang="en">Third Brighton player tests positive for coronavirus: club</a>

"We all want to get back to football but at the same time, there's a pandemic going on. The moment we do go back it just needs to be a moment where it's not just for footballing reasons, it's safe for not just us footballers but the whole medical staff, referees. I don't know how that's going to work but I feel like once that side of the people's safety and the players' safety is secured and their wellbeing is looked after then that's the right time to go back in," Sterling said.&nbsp;

The United Kingdom government on Monday gave a green signal to the resumption of Premier League, behind closed doors, from June 1. As per the latest decision taken after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap presented in the Parliament, cultural and sporting events will be allowed to be held without fans in a bid to avoid large-scale social contact but the events will be broadcasted.

The United Kingdom government on Monday gave a green signal to the resumption of Premier League, behind closed doors, from June 1. As per the latest decision taken after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap presented in the Parliament, cultural and sporting events will be allowed to be held without fans in a bid to avoid large-scale social contact but the events will be broadcasted. Notably, the Premier League is set to meet today with clubs to discuss the much-talked-about ‘Project Restart’ and the implications of playing matches in the proposed neutral venues. However, no formal votes will be taken today. However, those in support of a restart will be left confident after Monday’s government guidelines. ALSO READ: Division threatens Premier League's chances of comeback Despite the likelihood of televised football behind closed doors, the hardcore fans might have to wait to visit their favourite stadiums unless a COVID-19 vaccine is found. This could be devastating news for football clubs who will have to prepare for at least half of 2020-21 season behind closed doors. The return of football on TV will be a huge boost to the Premier League clubs who are already set to lose a significant percentage of the £760million they had already been paid by broadcasters for the final quarter of this season. Earlier, Man City winger Raheem Sterling had raised questions on the resumption of the campaign as he asked whether the restart of the halted season is safe for everyone. ALSO READ: Third Brighton player tests positive for coronavirus: club "We all want to get back to football but at the same time, there's a pandemic going on. The moment we do go back it just needs to be a moment where it's not just for footballing reasons, it's safe for not just us footballers but the whole medical staff, referees. I don't know how that's going to work but I feel like once that side of the people's safety and the players' safety is secured and their wellbeing is looked after then that's the right time to go back in," Sterling said.

Premier League given nod by UK government to resume season from June 1

Real Madrid's players returned to work at the club's training ground on Monday ahead of the planned resumption of La Liga next month.

After finding no positive cases from tests for coronavirus last week, Madrid's players arrived at Valdebebas to train for the first time in two months.

Madrid were one of the first clubs to go into quarantine after a basketball player tested positive for coronavirus on March 12, the same day La Liga suspended all competitive fixtures.

But after almost nine weeks training at home, Zinedine Zidane's players initiated the first phase of La Liga's training programme, that includes players working individually, with a maximum of six on a pitch at once.

"Divided into two rotations and on various pitches, Real Madrid footballers carried out their first individual exercises with and without the ball," the club said in a statement, with several photographs of the players in action.&nbsp;

Eden Hazard was among those pictured running, the Belgian returning after undergoing surgery on his right foot in the United States on March 5.&nbsp;

Thibaut Courtois, Gareth Bale and Marcelo were also training alone while Zidane wore a mask as he gave out instructions.&nbsp;

Madrid preferred to wait until Monday to begin training again, after other clubs like Barcelona, Sevilla and Villarreal resumed on Friday.

Barcelona are two points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the table.

La Liga's plan is for players to progress through a staggered schedule that will see them train alone, in small groups and then finally in larger team sessions.

The league's president Javier Tebas told Movistar on Sunday night he hopes games might be able to restart behind closed doors on June 12.

Tebas said the remaining 11 rounds of La Liga matches would be played over 35 days, with fixtures on every day over that period.

Real Madrid's players returned to work at the club's training ground on Monday ahead of the planned resumption of La Liga next month. After finding no positive cases from tests for coronavirus last week, Madrid's players arrived at Valdebebas to train for the first time in two months.

Real Madrid's players returned to work at the club's training ground on Monday ahead of the planned resumption of La Liga next month. After finding no positive cases from tests for coronavirus last week, Madrid's players arrived at Valdebebas to train for the first time in two months. Madrid were one of the first clubs to go into quarantine after a basketball player tested positive for coronavirus on March 12, the same day La Liga suspended all competitive fixtures. But after almost nine weeks training at home, Zinedine Zidane's players initiated the first phase of La Liga's training programme, that includes players working individually, with a maximum of six on a pitch at once. "Divided into two rotations and on various pitches, Real Madrid footballers carried out their first individual exercises with and without the ball," the club said in a statement, with several photographs of the players in action. Eden Hazard was among those pictured running, the Belgian returning after undergoing surgery on his right foot in the United States on March 5. Thibaut Courtois, Gareth Bale and Marcelo were also training alone while Zidane wore a mask as he gave out instructions. Madrid preferred to wait until Monday to begin training again, after other clubs like Barcelona, Sevilla and Villarreal resumed on Friday. Barcelona are two points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the table. La Liga's plan is for players to progress through a staggered schedule that will see them train alone, in small groups and then finally in larger team sessions. The league's president Javier Tebas told Movistar on Sunday night he hopes games might be able to restart behind closed doors on June 12. Tebas said the remaining 11 rounds of La Liga matches would be played over 35 days, with fixtures on every day over that period.

Real Madrid return to training ahead of planned La Liga restart

Para-athlete Deepa Malik on Monday followed the National Sports Code guidelines and announced her retirement to hold her post as the president of the Paralympic Committee of India.

Taking to Twitter, Deepa Malik wrote: "For election purpose had already submitted a letter to PCI long back, awaited decisions of Highcourt to validate new committee n now for affiliation with MYAS making a public declaration of retirement from active sports. Time to serve parasports and support others to achieve".

<img alt="Deepa Malik retires" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4655541-10b2-4e2b-a908-4316b75cea26" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/DEEPA.JPG" />

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To be an office bearer at PCI had left active sports as that is the national sports code.. people waited for some declaration but one felt it's obvious. today initiated paper work for my Paralympics Medal Pension which was pending at my end. Will continue to serve <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/parasports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#parasports</a> <a href="https://t.co/LNbRgpQlHB">pic.twitter.com/LNbRgpQlHB</a>
— Deepa Malik (@DeepaAthlete) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeepaAthlete/status/1259816539433299969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Explaining her decision, Malik told ANI:" I had already submitted this letter to PCI on 16/9/2019 but now I have submitted the letter to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as I was waiting for the approval of the High Court. The results came in PCI favor and now the new committee is approved by the High Court".

Earlier today, in interaction with ANI, Deepa Malik had said that now she needs to look at the bigger picture to promote the budding para-athletes in the country.

As per the National Sports Code, an active athlete cannot hold an official post in any federation, and citing this rule, Malik said it is important for her to announce retirement and set a good example to follow the rules and guidelines.

"I have to go by the rules that exist in India. However, if the call of forces come into play, then I might re-think my decision around 2022 Asian Games, I do not know if the sportsperson in me will ever go away, for now, I have to retire, if I have to pursue the post in PCI, then I have to follow the law," Malik had told ANI.

The 49-year-old said that she feels proud of deciding to give back to the sport and added that it is important to follow the rules and guidelines that have been put in place. 
"I am making this decision with a heavy heart, but I have to take this call for the betterment, I am proud that I have chosen to give back to the sport, if you want the government affiliation, then you have to follow the rules and guidelines," Malik said.

"International Paralympic Committee allows an official to participate, but it is in alignment with the national sports code, and my national sports code says that an active sportsperson cannot be an official or president in a sports federation, we are looking forward to getting affiliation from the government again, so we have to follow all guidelines, I have to be a true disciplinarian and have to abide by the rules," she added.

Deepa Malik has been a flag bearer for para-sports in the country and she was awarded Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna on August 29 last year and as a result, she became the first Indian woman para-athlete to be conferred with the accolade.

She is the first Indian woman to earn a medal at the Paralympic Games and has won 58 national and 23 international medals. Malik is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award. 
&nbsp;

Para-athlete Deepa Malik on Monday followed the National Sports Code guidelines and announced her retirement to hold her post as the president of the Paralympic Committee of India.

Para-athlete Deepa Malik on Monday followed the National Sports Code guidelines and announced her retirement to hold her post as the president of the Paralympic Committee of India. Taking to Twitter, Deepa Malik wrote: "For election purpose had already submitted a letter to PCI long back, awaited decisions of Highcourt to validate new committee n now for affiliation with MYAS making a public declaration of retirement from active sports. Time to serve parasports and support others to achieve". To be an office bearer at PCI had left active sports as that is the national sports code.. people waited for some declaration but one felt it's obvious. today initiated paper work for my Paralympics Medal Pension which was pending at my end. Will continue to serve #parasports pic.twitter.com/LNbRgpQlHB — Deepa Malik (@DeepaAthlete) May 11, 2020 × Explaining her decision, Malik told ANI:" I had already submitted this letter to PCI on 16/9/2019 but now I have submitted the letter to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as I was waiting for the approval of the High Court. The results came in PCI favor and now the new committee is approved by the High Court". Earlier today, in interaction with ANI, Deepa Malik had said that now she needs to look at the bigger picture to promote the budding para-athletes in the country. As per the National Sports Code, an active athlete cannot hold an official post in any federation, and citing this rule, Malik said it is important for her to announce retirement and set a good example to follow the rules and guidelines. "I have to go by the rules that exist in India. However, if the call of forces come into play, then I might re-think my decision around 2022 Asian Games, I do not know if the sportsperson in me will ever go away, for now, I have to retire, if I have to pursue the post in PCI, then I have to follow the law," Malik had told ANI. The 49-year-old said that she feels proud of deciding to give back to the sport and added that it is important to follow the rules and guidelines that have been put in place. "I am making this decision with a heavy heart, but I have to take this call for the betterment, I am proud that I have chosen to give back to the sport, if you want the government affiliation, then you have to follow the rules and guidelines," Malik said. "International Paralympic Committee allows an official to participate, but it is in alignment with the national sports code, and my national sports code says that an active sportsperson cannot be an official or president in a sports federation, we are looking forward to getting affiliation from the government again, so we have to follow all guidelines, I have to be a true disciplinarian and have to abide by the rules," she added. Deepa Malik has been a flag bearer for para-sports in the country and she was awarded Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna on August 29 last year and as a result, she became the first Indian woman para-athlete to be conferred with the accolade. She is the first Indian woman to earn a medal at the Paralympic Games and has won 58 national and 23 international medals. Malik is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award.

'Time to serve para-sports' - Legendary para-athlete Deepa Malik announces retirement

The Premier League is set to be given the nod to resume the halted 2019-20 campaign on June 12 with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson set to reveal further details of his roadmap in Parliament on Monday.&nbsp;

Johnson on Sunday addressed the public while revealing a plan to guide the country out of lockdown in the approaching months. Following Johnson’s roadmap revelation, a government paper on elite sports is likely to be published on Tuesday, as per reports.&nbsp;

The plans and roadmaps will give a green signal for the resumption of professional sports, including the Premier League, on June 12, subject to safety conditions being met and COVID-19 cases in the country not rising drastically.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/division-threatens-premier-leagues-chances-of-comeback-297922" hreflang="en">Division threatens Premier League's chances of comeback</a>

However, Premier League clubs are also set to meet on Monday to discuss the ‘Project Restart’ as some are expected to argue against playing matches at neutral venues. Reportedly, relegation-threatened clubs are against the idea of playing crucial fixtures, that could define their league status, away from their home stadiums.&nbsp;

The Premier Leagues needs 14 clubs to support the current proposal to go ahead with the plans but there is a growing fear that the threshold will not be met and a restart could be pushed further back.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/khashoggis-fiancee-insists-moral-values-must-come-first-in-newcastle-takeover-297919" hreflang="en">Khashoggi's fiancee insists moral values must come first in Newcastle takeover</a>

The proposal of scrapping relegation has been rejected by the Premier League and EFL and all the parties need to be on the same page for a possible restart of the halted 2019-20 Premier League.

The Premier League is set to be given the nod to resume the halted 2019-20 campaign on June 12 with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson set to reveal further details of his roadmap in Parliament on Monday.

The Premier League is set to be given the nod to resume the halted 2019-20 campaign on June 12 with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson set to reveal further details of his roadmap in Parliament on Monday. Johnson on Sunday addressed the public while revealing a plan to guide the country out of lockdown in the approaching months. Following Johnson’s roadmap revelation, a government paper on elite sports is likely to be published on Tuesday, as per reports. The plans and roadmaps will give a green signal for the resumption of professional sports, including the Premier League, on June 12, subject to safety conditions being met and COVID-19 cases in the country not rising drastically. ALSO READ: Division threatens Premier League's chances of comeback However, Premier League clubs are also set to meet on Monday to discuss the ‘Project Restart’ as some are expected to argue against playing matches at neutral venues. Reportedly, relegation-threatened clubs are against the idea of playing crucial fixtures, that could define their league status, away from their home stadiums. The Premier Leagues needs 14 clubs to support the current proposal to go ahead with the plans but there is a growing fear that the threshold will not be met and a restart could be pushed further back. ALSO READ: Khashoggi's fiancee insists moral values must come first in Newcastle takeover The proposal of scrapping relegation has been rejected by the Premier League and EFL and all the parties need to be on the same page for a possible restart of the halted 2019-20 Premier League.

Premier League set to be given green signal to resume season on June 12

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday announced that ‘elite athletes’ will resume training once the nationwide lockdown ends. Entire India is under lockdown since March 24 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 and the measures have restricted the Olympic hopefuls and other athletes to train indoors. However, Rijiju advised the sportspersons and all the stakeholders to not rush in easing out training restrictions keeping health and safety the top priority.&nbsp;

“Once the lockdown is lifted, we will resume the training of our elite athletes followed by other SAI Training Centres in phased manner. I appeal sportspersons and all stakeholders not to rush because health and safety is our top priority presently. #IndiaFightsCorona,” Rijiju tweeted on Monday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uae-offers-to-host-ipl-2020-bcci-yet-to-take-a-call-297930" hreflang="en">UAE offers to host IPL 2020, BCCI yet to take a call</a>

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Once the lockdown is lifted, we will resume the training of our elite athletes followed by other SAI Training Centres in phased manner. I appeal sportspersons and all stakeholders not to rush because health and safety is our top priority presently.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaFightsCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaFightsCorona</a> <a href="https://t.co/FqSliNhKR1">https://t.co/FqSliNhKR1</a>
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/1259692847919480833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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On Monday, Rijiju interacted with elite weightlifters housed in Sports Authority of India's (SAI) National Center of Excellence in Patiala with the weightlifters sharing their feedback on the resumption of training in a phased manner.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/on-what-front-are-australia-the-no-1-ranked-test-team-gautam-gambhir-questions-iccs-rankings-system-297936" hreflang="en">'On what front are Australia the No. 1-ranked Test team?' - Gautam Gambhir questions ICC's rankings system</a>

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Elite weightlifters housed in SAI's National Center of Excellence in Patiala spoke to <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KirenRijiju</a> online and shared their feedback on resumption of training in a phased manner. Sports Minister spoke to all weightlifters and coaches to understand their training requirements. <a href="https://t.co/ZiuzDhHcQT">pic.twitter.com/ZiuzDhHcQT</a>
— Kiren Rijiju Office (@RijijuOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/RijijuOffice/status/1259747112968847362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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While sportspersons have strictly followed the lockdown norms while spreading awareness about the COVID-19 on various social media platforms, the Indian Sports Ministry has decided to allow athletes to resume their regular training regimes in a phased manner.&nbsp;

Earlier, Rijiju had said that proper planning will be needed to ensure sports remain sustainable when played behind closed doors in near future. Rijiju had even stated that they need to identify the players and teams who have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics or are going to take part in the qualification competitions of the Games, which was pushed to 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"First of all, we will identify those players and teams who have qualified for the Olympics. Second, those who are going to play the Olympic qualification competitions, we will allow these athletes to practice," Rijiju had said.

"We won't be able to open camps for those who are not in qualification reckoning soon. Maybe that will go beyond August or September," he had added.&nbsp;

Notably, all sporting activities in India have remained suspended since mid-March due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus which has claimed over 2,200 lives in the country. 
&nbsp;

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday announced that ‘elite athletes’ will resume training once the nationwide lockdown ends. Entire India is under lockdown since March 24 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 and the measures have restricted the Olympic hopefuls and other athletes to train indoors.

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday announced that ‘elite athletes’ will resume training once the nationwide lockdown ends. Entire India is under lockdown since March 24 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 and the measures have restricted the Olympic hopefuls and other athletes to train indoors. However, Rijiju advised the sportspersons and all the stakeholders to not rush in easing out training restrictions keeping health and safety the top priority. “Once the lockdown is lifted, we will resume the training of our elite athletes followed by other SAI Training Centres in phased manner. I appeal sportspersons and all stakeholders not to rush because health and safety is our top priority presently. #IndiaFightsCorona,” Rijiju tweeted on Monday. ALSO READ: UAE offers to host IPL 2020, BCCI yet to take a call Once the lockdown is lifted, we will resume the training of our elite athletes followed by other SAI Training Centres in phased manner. I appeal sportspersons and all stakeholders not to rush because health and safety is our top priority presently.#IndiaFightsCorona https://t.co/FqSliNhKR1 — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 11, 2020 × On Monday, Rijiju interacted with elite weightlifters housed in Sports Authority of India's (SAI) National Center of Excellence in Patiala with the weightlifters sharing their feedback on the resumption of training in a phased manner. ALSO READ: 'On what front are Australia the No. 1-ranked Test team?' - Gautam Gambhir questions ICC's rankings system Elite weightlifters housed in SAI's National Center of Excellence in Patiala spoke to @KirenRijiju online and shared their feedback on resumption of training in a phased manner. Sports Minister spoke to all weightlifters and coaches to understand their training requirements. pic.twitter.com/ZiuzDhHcQT — Kiren Rijiju Office (@RijijuOffice) May 11, 2020 × While sportspersons have strictly followed the lockdown norms while spreading awareness about the COVID-19 on various social media platforms, the Indian Sports Ministry has decided to allow athletes to resume their regular training regimes in a phased manner. Earlier, Rijiju had said that proper planning will be needed to ensure sports remain sustainable when played behind closed doors in near future. Rijiju had even stated that they need to identify the players and teams who have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics or are going to take part in the qualification competitions of the Games, which was pushed to 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "First of all, we will identify those players and teams who have qualified for the Olympics. Second, those who are going to play the Olympic qualification competitions, we will allow these athletes to practice," Rijiju had said. "We won't be able to open camps for those who are not in qualification reckoning soon. Maybe that will go beyond August or September," he had added. Notably, all sporting activities in India have remained suspended since mid-March due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus which has claimed over 2,200 lives in the country.

Kiren Rijiju: Elite athletes to resume training in phased manner once lockdown is lifted

With the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 hanging in balance, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hasn’t taken any call on the future of the cash-rich tournament besides postponing it indefinitely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With lockdown and travel restrictions in place, the Indian board has been trying to find an alternate solution in a bid to conduct IPL 2020 later in the year.&nbsp;

However, given the popularity of IPL, there aren’t any dearth of suitors as after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the Emirates Cricket Board has offered to host the 13th edition of the IPL in the United Arab Emirates. Interestingly, UAE had hosted 20 matches of IPL 2014 to avoid collision of dates with general elections in India. However, the BCCI is continuing to wait for things to clear up in India before taking a call, as per a report in a leading daily.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/umar-akmal-didnt-show-remorse-after-failing-to-report-corrupt-approaches-pcb-disciplinary-panel-head-297501" hreflang="en">Umar Akmal didn’t show remorse after failing to report corrupt approaches: PCB disciplinary panel head</a>

<h2>Would BCCI be open to moving IPL 2020 to a foreign land?&nbsp;</h2>

“The UAE has offered to host the IPL if we want them to. But right now when there is no international travel, there is no question of taking a call on that,” said BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal as per the report.

Meanwhile, the BCCI is still looking to host the IPL in India should the COVID-19 pandemic gets contained. The question remains, should the coronavirus curve doesn’t flatten in coming weeks or months, would BCCI be open to moving IPL 2020 to a foreign land?&nbsp;

“The health and security of players and all participants is our priority. At the moment, the entire world travel has come to a standstill, so there is nothing we can decide at this stage,” Dhumal said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paralysed-iranian-artist-fateme-hamami-paints-portraits-of-cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-messi-leaves-social-media-in-awe-297488" hreflang="en">Paralysed Iranian artist Fateme Hamami paints portraits of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi; leaves social media in awe</a>

With Sri Lanka and UAE, TV timings won’t be an issue. But if it is hosted in India, the matches, in all likelihood, will be played behind closed doors with franchise losing out revenue from gate receipts. An IPL edition just for TV will at least protect the broadcast and title right deals of the BCCI. Interestingly, when the IPL was hosted by Cricket South Africa (CSA), the board made a turnover of $11.4 million.&nbsp;

“We have discussed amongst our committee members the proposal to host the IPL in Sri Lanka. We are in lockdown till May 11. Any further decision will be taken after that,” said SLC secretary Mohan de Silva. 
&nbsp;

With the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 hanging in balance, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hasn’t taken any call on the future of the cash-rich tournament besides postponing it indefinitely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 hanging in balance, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hasn’t taken any call on the future of the cash-rich tournament besides postponing it indefinitely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With lockdown and travel restrictions in place, the Indian board has been trying to find an alternate solution in a bid to conduct IPL 2020 later in the year. However, given the popularity of IPL, there aren’t any dearth of suitors as after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the Emirates Cricket Board has offered to host the 13th edition of the IPL in the United Arab Emirates. Interestingly, UAE had hosted 20 matches of IPL 2014 to avoid collision of dates with general elections in India. However, the BCCI is continuing to wait for things to clear up in India before taking a call, as per a report in a leading daily. ALSO READ: Umar Akmal didn’t show remorse after failing to report corrupt approaches: PCB disciplinary panel head Would BCCI be open to moving IPL 2020 to a foreign land? “The UAE has offered to host the IPL if we want them to. But right now when there is no international travel, there is no question of taking a call on that,” said BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal as per the report. Meanwhile, the BCCI is still looking to host the IPL in India should the COVID-19 pandemic gets contained. The question remains, should the coronavirus curve doesn’t flatten in coming weeks or months, would BCCI be open to moving IPL 2020 to a foreign land? “The health and security of players and all participants is our priority. At the moment, the entire world travel has come to a standstill, so there is nothing we can decide at this stage,” Dhumal said. ALSO READ: Paralysed Iranian artist Fateme Hamami paints portraits of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi; leaves social media in awe With Sri Lanka and UAE, TV timings won’t be an issue. But if it is hosted in India, the matches, in all likelihood, will be played behind closed doors with franchise losing out revenue from gate receipts. An IPL edition just for TV will at least protect the broadcast and title right deals of the BCCI. Interestingly, when the IPL was hosted by Cricket South Africa (CSA), the board made a turnover of $11.4 million. “We have discussed amongst our committee members the proposal to host the IPL in Sri Lanka. We are in lockdown till May 11. Any further decision will be taken after that,” said SLC secretary Mohan de Silva.

UAE offers to host IPL 2020, BCCI yet to take a call

Recently, Suresh Raina in an Instagram Live session with Irfan Pathan had suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should allow non-contracted players to play in overseas T20 tournaments for the betterment of quality and experience of the players. However, a BCCI official has completely dismissed Raina's suggestion by saying ‘exclusivity is the key’ in Indian Premier League (IPL) and that commands good value for players at the IPL auction.&nbsp;

The BCCI official further said that it’s natural to find these views coming from the players with retirement approaching.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uae-offers-to-host-ipl-2020-bcci-yet-to-take-a-call-297930" hreflang="en">UAE offers to host IPL 2020, BCCI yet to take a call</a>

<h2>"Exclusivity is the key"</h2>

“One usually finds these views emanating from those who can see the wall of retirement approaching, and it’s only natural. That’s their view. It’s the luxury of having the freedom of a tunnel vision with a view to further their own interests, and that’s absolutely fine,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by news portals.&nbsp;

“From the point of view of the board and the interests of Indian cricket, the intent is to ensure a system where the non-contracted players are able to command good value at the IPL auction. Exclusivity is the key,” the official added.&nbsp;

Recently, veteran spinner Pravin Tambe’s IPL 2020 contract with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was cancelled as he had participated in an overseas cricket tournament and it was against BCCI’s policy.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/on-what-front-are-australia-the-no-1-ranked-test-team-gautam-gambhir-questions-iccs-rankings-system-297936" hreflang="en">'On what front are Australia the No. 1-ranked Test team?' - Gautam Gambhir questions ICC's rankings system</a>

Even for playing County Cricket, Indian players need to take a NOC from the BCCI and in the recent years, the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav among others have plied their trade in the County season in order to improve their game.&nbsp;

However, when it comes to T20 cricket, BCCI is pretty stern about not allowing players to play abroad.

Recently, Suresh Raina in an Instagram Live session with Irfan Pathan had suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should allow non-contracted players to play in overseas T20 tournaments for the betterment of quality and experience of the players.

Recently, Suresh Raina in an Instagram Live session with Irfan Pathan had suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should allow non-contracted players to play in overseas T20 tournaments for the betterment of quality and experience of the players. However, a BCCI official has completely dismissed Raina's suggestion by saying ‘exclusivity is the key’ in Indian Premier League (IPL) and that commands good value for players at the IPL auction. The BCCI official further said that it’s natural to find these views coming from the players with retirement approaching. ALSO READ: UAE offers to host IPL 2020, BCCI yet to take a call "Exclusivity is the key" “One usually finds these views emanating from those who can see the wall of retirement approaching, and it’s only natural. That’s their view. It’s the luxury of having the freedom of a tunnel vision with a view to further their own interests, and that’s absolutely fine,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by news portals. “From the point of view of the board and the interests of Indian cricket, the intent is to ensure a system where the non-contracted players are able to command good value at the IPL auction. Exclusivity is the key,” the official added. Recently, veteran spinner Pravin Tambe’s IPL 2020 contract with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was cancelled as he had participated in an overseas cricket tournament and it was against BCCI’s policy. ALSO READ: 'On what front are Australia the No. 1-ranked Test team?' - Gautam Gambhir questions ICC's rankings system Even for playing County Cricket, Indian players need to take a NOC from the BCCI and in the recent years, the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav among others have plied their trade in the County season in order to improve their game. However, when it comes to T20 cricket, BCCI is pretty stern about not allowing players to play abroad.

'Exclusivity is the key' - BCCI official dismisses Suresh Raina’s suggestion of allowing players in overseas T20 leagues

Leganes coach Javier Aguirre said Thursday that Spain's La Liga will resume on June 20 and end on July 26 despite league bosses refusing to confirm his claim.

Aguirre told Marca Claro that he had been told officially of the plan to restart the championship which has been in cold storage since March due to the coronavirus.

"We already have a start date for the league -- on&nbsp;June 20 we will start La Liga and after five weeks we officially finish, on July 26," said Mexican coach Aguirre whose side were second bottom of the table when action was halted two months ago.

"Matches will be played Saturday-Sunday and Wednesday-Thursday, 11 rounds. &nbsp;

"La Liga has just informed me officially and I am very happy about that because we have now scheduled the training sessions. We start tomorrow (Friday) because thankfully we passed the tests."

League officials have not yet commented on Aguirre's claim, merely saying that their focus at the moment was completing the training phases at the clubs.

Players had already started returning to undergo coronavirus tests as teams plan to return to restricted training.

The first of a four-phase de-escalation programme announced by the Spanish government last week allows players to initially train alone, with a maximum of six players permitted on the pitch.

La Liga's programme will then permit training in small groups before a return to larger team sessions.

In the fourth and final phase, in early June, the government has said outside events can go ahead when attended by fewer than 400 people.&nbsp;

La Liga is proposing to complete its season behind closed doors.&nbsp;

League president Javier Tebas has said "it is not an option" to cancel the season given the economic fallout, estimating it would cost clubs around a billion euros.

Barcelona led the championship by two points from Real Madrid when La Liga was suspended.

So far in Europe's major leagues, the German Bundesliga has announced it will resume its season on May 16.

However, France's Ligue 1 has been abandoned while the English Premier League and Italy's Serie A are still seeking a safe way out of the crisis.

Leganes coach Javier Aguirre said Thursday that Spain's La Liga will resume on June 20 and end on July 26 despite league bosses refusing to confirm his claim. Aguirre told Marca Claro that he had been told officially of the plan to restart the championship which has been in cold storage since March due to the coronavirus.

Leganes coach Javier Aguirre said Thursday that Spain's La Liga will resume on June 20 and end on July 26 despite league bosses refusing to confirm his claim. Aguirre told Marca Claro that he had been told officially of the plan to restart the championship which has been in cold storage since March due to the coronavirus. "We already have a start date for the league -- on June 20 we will start La Liga and after five weeks we officially finish, on July 26," said Mexican coach Aguirre whose side were second bottom of the table when action was halted two months ago. "Matches will be played Saturday-Sunday and Wednesday-Thursday, 11 rounds. "La Liga has just informed me officially and I am very happy about that because we have now scheduled the training sessions. We start tomorrow (Friday) because thankfully we passed the tests." League officials have not yet commented on Aguirre's claim, merely saying that their focus at the moment was completing the training phases at the clubs. Players had already started returning to undergo coronavirus tests as teams plan to return to restricted training. The first of a four-phase de-escalation programme announced by the Spanish government last week allows players to initially train alone, with a maximum of six players permitted on the pitch. La Liga's programme will then permit training in small groups before a return to larger team sessions. In the fourth and final phase, in early June, the government has said outside events can go ahead when attended by fewer than 400 people. La Liga is proposing to complete its season behind closed doors. League president Javier Tebas has said "it is not an option" to cancel the season given the economic fallout, estimating it would cost clubs around a billion euros. Barcelona led the championship by two points from Real Madrid when La Liga was suspended. So far in Europe's major leagues, the German Bundesliga has announced it will resume its season on May 16. However, France's Ligue 1 has been abandoned while the English Premier League and Italy's Serie A are still seeking a safe way out of the crisis.

Leganes coach says La Liga will resume June 20

Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min was named one of the top five recruits in his unit as he finished three weeks of compulsory military training in South Korea on Friday.

South Korea's marine corps posted pictures of Son wielding an M-16 assault rifle and saluting on their Facebook page as he completed his stint at a boot camp.

All able-bodied South Korean men are obliged to serve in the military for nearly two years, making up the bulk of&nbsp;Seoul's&nbsp;600,000-strong forces -- who face off against North Korea's army of 1.3 million.

But&nbsp;Son&nbsp;-- the top Asian goalscorer in Premier League history, and the Asian Football Confederation's reigning international player of the year -- was in the South Korean team that earned an exemption by winning gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

The Spurs star broke down in tears of joy after the 2-1 extra-time win over Japan, which meant he could fulfil his obligations with just three weeks' basic training and around 500 hours of community service.&nbsp;

In April he reported to a marines camp on the island of Jeju for the basic training, which involved lengthy hikes, as well as tear-gas training and rifle practice.

He was judged among the five best recruits out of 157&nbsp;on his course,&nbsp;a spokesperson for the Republic of Korea Marine Corps told AFP.

"Son did exceptionally well in all areas of training,&nbsp;including military ethics and security education," he added.

Likes poured in for the Facebook pictures, with fans posting messages of congratulation.

"He indeed is world-class. I'm a die-hard Son Heung-min fan," wrote one South Korean marine veteran.

The Premier League has been suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus and no date has yet been set for a resumption.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min was named one of the top five recruits in his unit as he finished three weeks of compulsory military training in South Korea on Friday.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min was named one of the top five recruits in his unit as he finished three weeks of compulsory military training in South Korea on Friday. South Korea's marine corps posted pictures of Son wielding an M-16 assault rifle and saluting on their Facebook page as he completed his stint at a boot camp. All able-bodied South Korean men are obliged to serve in the military for nearly two years, making up the bulk of Seoul's 600,000-strong forces -- who face off against North Korea's army of 1.3 million. But Son -- the top Asian goalscorer in Premier League history, and the Asian Football Confederation's reigning international player of the year -- was in the South Korean team that earned an exemption by winning gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. The Spurs star broke down in tears of joy after the 2-1 extra-time win over Japan, which meant he could fulfil his obligations with just three weeks' basic training and around 500 hours of community service. In April he reported to a marines camp on the island of Jeju for the basic training, which involved lengthy hikes, as well as tear-gas training and rifle practice. He was judged among the five best recruits out of 157 on his course, a spokesperson for the Republic of Korea Marine Corps told AFP. "Son did exceptionally well in all areas of training, including military ethics and security education," he added. Likes poured in for the Facebook pictures, with fans posting messages of congratulation. "He indeed is world-class. I'm a die-hard Son Heung-min fan," wrote one South Korean marine veteran. The Premier League has been suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus and no date has yet been set for a resumption.

Spurs hotshot Son Heung-min earns military accolade

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