Summary

  • Latest updates on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting sport

  • Chiefs from football, rugby and cricket to speak to MPs about coronavirus impact

  • Possibility of shorter football matches has been raised, says PFA chief

  1. What happened when a football season was cancelledpublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    BBC Sport looks at the fall out from the decision to abandon the professional football season in the Netherlands due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Media caption,

    'The biggest disgrace in Dutch sport' - What happened when a football season was cancelled

  2. Barcelona players to have Covid-19 testingpublished at 16:58 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Barcelona players will be tested for Covid-19 at the club's training ground on Wednesday before resuming individual work "in the coming days".

    La Liga teams have been given permission to return to training this week following the easing of some restrictions by the government.

    Barca say, externalthe league "gave the go-ahead" for testing after inspecting the facilities at their training ground.

    La Liga organisers are aiming for a June restart to the season.

    Barcelona are top of La Liga, two points clear of Real MadridImage source, Getty Images
  3. Solskjaer asks Man Utd players overseas to return to Englandpublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Football

    Simon Stone
    BBC Sport

    Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has told his players to return to England over the next seven days.

    United’s players were given permission to return to their home countries once it became obvious there would be no early return to training.

    No date has been set for them to report back to United’s Carrington training ground as the club want to ensure they remain within government guidelines.

    However, with players all over the world, United are trying to ensure they will be in a position to begin work on the training ground once they get the green light.

    It is understood midfielder Bruno Fernandes has already returned to the north-west from Portugal.

    Ole Gunnar SolskjaerImage source, Getty Images
  4. get involved

    Your reaction - shorter football matchespublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    #bbcfootball

    Steve Conroy: Any solution that involves playing has risks. Is any activity worthwhile if there is a risk of any sort. Void and end this season. Plan for next.

    Jamie Rowe: Why shorten halves? Sunday pub team players manage 90 minutes without any training and amateur runners complete ultra marathons without pay whilst training around a full time job. These guys are professional athletes with nothing to do but be fit enough.

  5. Please keep on the grasspublished at 16:18 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    A flock of sheep have been moved onto a Welsh rugby pitch during the lockdown while sports fixtures are on hold during the coronavirus crisis.

    Brecon Rugby Club have rented their pitch to club chairman Paul Amphlett, who is also a shepherd, to make money while his sheep help cut the grass.

    "They're doing a good job," said Brecon coach and ex-Wales star Andy Powell.

    Retired paramedic Mr Amphlett, 57, has now returned to his old job to help fight coronavirus on the front line.

    Coach Andy Powell and captain Ewan Williams welcome Brecon Rugby Club's latest helpersImage source, Welsh Rugby Union/Huw Evans Agency
    Image caption,

    Coach Andy Powell and captain Ewan Williams welcome Brecon Rugby Club's latest helpers

  6. The issues facing footballers after lockdownpublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Football

    Video conference

    How can football come out of the lockdown and what does it mean for players who have been confined to their homes for weeks on end?

    The German Bundesliga is hoping to return behind closed doors in May despite the coronavirus pandemic, while France and Belgium have ended their leagues early and the Netherlands have cancelled theirs.

    Europe’s other major leagues are all planning to resume when it is safe to do so.

    BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague talked via video conference to a footballer, a manager and a doctor to discuss how they feel about what might lie ahead.

  7. Cancelled autumn Tests would cost RFU £107mpublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    The Rugby Football Union will be hit with revenue losses of £107m if the 2020 autumn internationals are cancelled because of coronavirus, chief executive Bill Sweeney says.

    He said the lost revenue would be £85m if games were played without fans.

    England are scheduled to host New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga and Australia at Twickenham in November.

    “It is a very significant loss of revenue and we are doing what we can to mitigate it,” he added.

  8. On This Day - Motherwell 6-6 Hibernianpublished at 13:41 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Want to watch some more football? Of course you do...

    Check out the highlights from Motherwell and Hibernian's 12-goal thriller from May 2010 and listen out for Derek Ferguson's exhilarating BBC Radio Scotland commentary.

    Media caption,

    All 12 goals from Motherwell 6-6 Hibs, 10 May 2010

  9. Your reaction - shorter football matchespublished at 13:22 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    #bbcfootball

    Joe Boss: Just bin it off and call this season as-is. These suggestions are getting farcical and completely undermine any remaining thread of sporting integrity. Imagine 35-minute halves, no relegation and players refusing to play. What's the point? Liverpool play two games, get their title, then we've got seven more turns of going through the motions for the sake of it?

    Rob Freel: One player on the pitch at a time. Shoots from the halfway line, no goalkeeper. Sudden death. Players bring their own ball and wash their own kit. Job done. Still better than some of the ideas floating around.

  10. On This Day - Chelsea win FA Cup in 2012published at 13:05 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Ah, live football - remember that?

    On this day eight years ago Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1 to win the FA Cup.

  11. Lions open to moving 2021 South Africa tour to autumnpublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Chris Jones
    BBC rugby union correspondent

    The British and Irish Lions are open to moving the 2021 tour of South Africa to the autumn to fit in with the new global calendar which is set to emerge after the coronavirus pandemic.

    The tour to face the world champions is scheduled for 3 July to 7 August.

    However, leading administrators are looking to refresh the international calendar in the aftermath of Covid-19.

    Moving the July Test window to September or October is firmly under discussion.

  12. ECB terminates Hundred player contractspublished at 11:35 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Players due to take part in The Hundred this summer have had their contracts terminated by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

    On Thursday, the new tournament was postponed until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    The eight men's teams selected their squads in a draft in October, while the women's teams were in the process of completing their squads.

    The ECB sent players a letter to inform them of the decision.

    The HundredImage source, The Hundred
  13. Your reaction - shorter football matchespublished at 11:15 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    #bbcfootball

    Leie Michelle: They only need to glance through comments on threads like these to see that fans don’t want the game back yet. Scrap this season and when it is safe to do so, kick it off again from scratch then. There are some things much bigger than football.

    David Miles: First goal wins?!? Just forget it 'til we get back to normal. Then scrap ‘next season’ and finish all of this current one first. Instead of all these knee jerk, panic-stricken decisions costing teams their futures.

    Lewis Lowe: All they’re thinking about is the money. There’s absolutely no way that those players can obey social distancing regulations whilst playing a contact sport.

  14. La Liga restart planned for Junepublished at 10:56 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    While the discussions continue on a return to action in the Premier League, in Spain La Liga organisers are aiming for a June restart to the season.

    Clubs are due to return to training this week.

    Players from the top two divisions will train individually after an agreement with Spain's sports and health authorities that guaranteed the safety of both players and staff.

    Players must undergo test before they can return to training facilities.

    Football in Spain was suspended indefinitely in March.

    Lionel MessiImage source, Getty Images
  15. EFL clubs 'face £200m hole' by Septemberpublished at 10:34 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    English Football League chairman Rick Parry has warned that clubs face a "£200m financial hole" by September.

    Parry has been giving evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee about the impact of coronavirus on sport.

    The former Liverpool chief executive said the EFL needed a "proper reset post-Covid", with clubs currently "stacking up creditors".

    He said it was "difficult to answer" how many clubs may go out of business.

  16. Your reaction - Shorter football matchespublished at 10:26 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    #bbcfootball

    A selection of your comments from the BBC Sport Facebook page:

    George Latty: Greed. If one player dies I hope we see the biggest football law claim ever. With 25% of the season still to go and almost every position still to be decided, just void it now and everyone can look forward to a new beginning. Even next season is not guaranteed.

    Andrew Mills: Splitting hairs. All fans want to see our game back on but not at ANY price so when it does return there should be no need for drastic changes on the field. Wait until it is safe to resume & make any necessary changes (on/off pitch) then and only then.

    David McCarthy: Could we just have a bit of common sense please ... scrap the rest of the season and be done with it!!! All these suggestions are getting more ridiculous by the day.

    Have your say on Facebook, external or on Twitter using #bbcfootball., external

  17. Have your say - Shorter football matches?published at 10:04 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    #bbcfootball

    What do you make of the idea of having halves of less than 45 minutes when football resumes?

    The possibility has been raised, Professional Footballers' Association chief Gordon Taylor told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.

    Let us know what you think - sensible, pragmatic idea or changing the face of the game. Get in touch using #bbcfootball., external

  18. Sporting chiefs tell MPs about coronavirus impactpublished at 09:55 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

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  19. Reaction to idea of shorter halves in football matchespublished at 09:42 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

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