Summary

  • Latest updates on how coronavirus pandemic is affecting sport

  1. 'It's a small step on the right road'published at 17:50 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's a small step on the right road to getting football back underway. We all knew this was the next step.

    "We have to go by the Bundesliga in a way - how they've gone about it - you look at players who tested positive for the virus in the early stages but the season still got underway.

    "I've watched quite a lot of [the Bundesliga] games and it is tough to watch at times but we've got to appreciate that things aren't going be the same for a while.

    "We're going to have to accept small issues within the game - whether that's in football, rugby, whatever sport it might be - until this virus is completely gone or we're safe enough to allow fans to come in, we are going have to adapt and we're going to have to change the way we watch things and the way we see things.

    "The one thing it'll make us do is definitely appreciate fans when they're allowed back in the ground."

  2. SPFL board to host league revamp discussionspublished at 17:26 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    The Scottish Professional Football League board has confirmed it has received Ann Budge's league reconstruction proposal.

    The Hearts owner proposes a 14-14-14 set-up for the next two seasons to replace the 12-10-10-10 version.

    Hearts, relegated when the top flight was curtailed, would avoid demotion if the proposal passed.

    In a statement, the SPFL said divisional meetings will be held from next Monday to discuss the proposal.

  3. Henderson's "strange" celebrationspublished at 17:18 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Liverpool celebrate on a busImage source, Getty Images

    Playing at Anfield and lifting the Premier League trophy without any fans will be "pretty strange", says Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.

    The Reds were top of the table when the season was stopped and require just two wins from the last nine games for their first top-flight title since 1990.

    You can read more on Henderson's take here.

  4. Positive test 'shook' Bournemouthpublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    News of Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale's positive coronavirus test "shook" the Premier League club, according to manager Eddie Howe.

    Ramsdale initially tested negative but returned a positive test days later.

    The 22-year-old was asymptomatic but is one of eight people to test positive from across the Premier League so far.

    "I imagine anxiety is there among the players," Howe told the Daily Mail. "I can only imagine they are feeling the same way as I am.'

    .Image source, Getty Images
  5. 'We need Deeney and home games' - Gomespublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    So far eight people from Premier League clubs have tested positive after 1,744 tests including Ramsdale, Watford defender Adrian Mariappa and Burnley assistant manager Ian Woan.

    Watford striker Troy Deeney opted to stay away from the club's training sessions in order to safeguard himself and his wider family from the spread of coronavirus.

    Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes says Watford - who sit 17th in the Premier League - cannot afford to lose Deeney's services.

    "There are clubs that can afford to do this, maybe miss one or two players, because the players are scared," Gomes said.

    "In the situation we are in now... we need him, we need everybody to be onboard."

    When Premier League action does return matches could be staged at neutral venues. The issue is will be discussed at a meeting on Thursday but Gomes believes playing games away from home stadiums favours the more successful clubs.

    "If it's a neutral venue, the big clubs, the clubs that are from halfway in the table to first, I believe they've got an advantage, because they are winning, it means they are winning away from home as well," the 39-year-old added.

  6. Fury tops off Fight Talkpublished at 16:05 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Tyson FuryImage source, .

    Fight Talk has become a bit whacky in the absence of boxing. The coronavirus shutdown means there's plenty of focus on Mike Tyson's comeback and even Tyson Fury has now weighed in on the debate.

    It's all here.

  7. Bologna to train individuallypublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    John Bennett
    BBC World Service

    Serie A side Bologna will go back to training individually tomorrow as a precaution after revealing that a member of staff is "suspected" of having contracted coronavirus.

    That's following the latest series of tests for the players in the top flight of Italian football.

    If the positive test is confirmed the team will have to go into quarantine.

    Serie A clubs will find out on Thursday from the country's sports minister whether they'll be able to restart their season.

  8. ICC reject T20 World Cup postponement claimspublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    The International Cricket Council has rejected claims this year's men's T20 World Cup will be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Cricinfo are reporting, external that the 16-team tournament, scheduled to take place in Australia in October and November, is set to be delayed when the ICC meet on Thursday.

    However, the ICC said it has not taken the decision to postpone the event yet and is investigating a number of alternative plans.

    A statement from the governing body said: "Reports of a postponement of theICC T20 World Cup 2020 are inaccurate and planning for the event continueswhilst a number of contingency plans are being explored in light of the rapidlychanging public health situation caused by the Covid-19 virus."

  9. Aston Villa to lose £8m ticket revenuepublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Simon Stone
    BBC Sport

    Aston Villa expect to lose around £8m in ticket revenue for the remainder of the season after confirming they have offered season ticket holders a full refund.

    Villa have 30,000 season ticket holders and whilst the move is in line with other Premier League clubs, they still have six home games remaining compared to some of their rivals, who only have four.

    The sum is lower than it might have been given Villa Park’s 42,000 capacity.

    However, it is understood the club offered fans the chance to buy season tickets at Championship prices if they booked early, which reduces the amount due to be paid back to around £5m.

    The remainder is due to an inability to sell match-day tickets and executive facilities for their remaining games.

    .Image source, Getty Images
  10. Serie A decision due on Thursdaypublished at 14:18 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Italy is due to decide on Thursday if and when there is a return to Serie A football as the Italian government appears to have relaxed its position.

    Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora says the most likely outcome is a restart on June 13 or 20.

    Last month he had warned that Serie A could go the same way as its French counterpart Ligue 1 and be called off.

    "France's decision would have been the easiest one to make. I didn't want to do it, I just found it shameful that I was being asked to decide on Serie A's resumption at a time when the country was short of beds in intensive care," he said.

    "It is right that football can start again now that the rest of the country is starting again."

  11. 'It is very safe' - Gomespublished at 13:57 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes says he believes it is "very safe" for players to be training because of the precautions taken by the Premier League and clubs.

  12. LTA to stage domestic tournamentspublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) will stage four weeks of domestic tennis tournaments in July - open to the highest ranked 32 singles players who wish to enter.

    Andy Murray will therefore have the opportunity to play his first match since November.

    The National Tennis Centre in London will host the first four events behind closed doors, with more venues set to be announced for August.

    16 men and 16 women will be able to play in the tournaments which will generally run from Friday to Sunday.

    There will also be a one day doubles only event for eight teams.

    .Image source, Getty Images
  13. The steeplechase improvised home workoutpublished at 13:15 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Many of the world's elite sportspeople have had to improvise to stay fit during lockdown from the coronavirus pandemic.

    But arguably none more so than Kenyan steeplechaser Conseslus Kipruto.

    The Olympic and two-time World 3000 metre steeplechase champion has used household items to create a homemade steeplechase track.

    Media caption,

    How a steeplechase champion is training at home

  14. Premier League return to contact trainingpublished at 12:41 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Wolves trainingImage source, Getty

    The Premier League have released a statement explaining more about the next step towards a full resumption of the season.

    "Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to resume contact training - marking another step towards restarting the Premier League season, when safe to do so," it read.

    "Squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising any unnecessary close contact.

    "The Premier League’s priority is the health and wellbeing of all participants. Strict medical protocols are in place to ensure the training ground is the safest environment possible and players and staff will continue to be tested for Covid-19 twice a week."

  15. Premier League clubs agree to resume contact trainingpublished at 12:33 British Summer Time 27 May 2020
    Breaking

    Premier League clubs have unanimously agreed to resume contact training as plans to restart the season move to the next phase.

  16. How could PL be affected by empty stadiums?published at 12:13 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    An end to home advantage, more young players and weird celebrations - are these among the things we can expect to see in the Premier League when it restarts inside empty stadiums?

    The past two weeks of Bundesliga action have given us an insight into how the game has been affected behind closed doors in Germany.

    And there have been benefits, as well as disadvantages, to playing without fans.

    Head over here to read more.

    .Image source, Getty Images
  17. McCourt feeling 'recharged' by lockdownpublished at 11:41 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Belfast MMA fighter Leah McCourt admits that lockdown has enabled her to take the breather she probably needed after an exceptionally busy period in her career.

    Media caption,

    McCourt feeling 'recharged' by lockdown and aiming for summer return

  18. England Netball 'went too early' - Greigpublished at 11:13 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Manchester Thunder head coach Karen Greig said she felt England Netball had "gone a bit early with their decision" to terminate the season and her team "desperately wanted to defend our title".

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  19. Henderson on "pretty strange" celebrationspublished at 11:02 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson tells BBC Radio 5 Live that playing at Anfield and lifting the Premier League trophy without any fans there would be "pretty strange".

    Media caption,

    Liverpool's Jordan Henderson discusses playing football behind closed doors at Anfield.

  20. What is the latest with Project Restart?published at 10:49 British Summer Time 27 May 2020

    Laura Scott
    BBC Sport News Correspondent

    The results of the third round of coronavirus tests results are expected to be made public on Wednesday.

    So far eight people from Premier League clubs have tested positive after 1,744 tests including Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, Watford defender Adrian Mariappa and Burnley assistant manager Ian Woan.

    Squads started non-contact training last Tuesday for the first time since the Premier League was suspended on 13 March because of the pandemic, with 92 fixtures remaining.

    The government has since approved guidance that allows elite sport to return to contact training, and the league discussed that with captains, managers and representatives from the Professional Footballers' Association and League Managers' Association on Tuesday.

    On Wednesday, clubs will vote on whether to return to contact training. If they vote in favour it could come in this week.

    Clubs will discuss further issues on Thursday including the use of neutral stadiums, how to decide the season in the event of curtailment and voting on rebates to broadcasters.

    Speaking on Friday, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the league was "as confident as we can be" about restarting in June.