Tag: coronavirus

Here’s what PGA Tour, USGA are doing in wake of coronavirus outbreak

The United States Golf Association is not altering its qualifying schedule for the U.S. Open nor the U.S. Women’s Open at this time.

Golf’s governing bodies say they’re keeping a close eye on the coronavirus and its potential implications on tournament calendars.

While some pro tours have canceled or postponed events, the United States Golf Association is not altering its qualifying schedule at this time for the U.S. Open nor the U.S. Women’s Open.

There are U.S. Women’s Open qualifiers scheduled for China, South Korea and Japan in late April. Japan will host a final qualifying stage for the U.S. Open in late May.

At the USGA’s annual meeting on Saturday in Pinehurst, North Carolina, CEO Mike Davis indicated that everyone get prepared now.

“People are trying to be proactive and think through what is kind of the worst-case scenario and what do we need to be doing now,” he said.

John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s senior managing director of championships, added, “We have a great security consultants team and they’re watching this closely through the State Department. … being mindful of how we are going to prepare in the coming weeks, not months but weeks.”

He was asked if the USGA has emergency plans in place.

“Yes. We have weather protocols. We have emergency situation protocols,” Bodenhamer said. “I think the answer is absolutely yes, and we’re in the middle of progressing that now.”

“It’s not just our 14 national championships,” Davis said. “We run close to 700 qualifiers for those, and some of those are international in nature.”

Meanwhile, the PGA Tour released a statement on Monday, about three weeks after the PGA Tour Series-China postponed two qualifying tournaments scheduled in Indonesia and Thailand. The Tour says it’s closely monitoring the coronavirus situation with input from the CDC and WHO. The Tour says no additional schedule changes are planned beyond the events on its China series that have been impacted.

“We are establishing additional protocols to promote the health and safety of all participants and fans at our tournaments, and we will regularly review our schedule in light of revised CDC and WHO reports and make any updates as necessary,” the Tour’s statement said.

On Sunday, Sungjae Im, who is from South Korea, won the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic in Florida but spoke afterwards of his concern for the coronavirus.

“To be honest, I’m a little concerned and worried about how fast this virus is spreading,” he said through a translator. “As of right now, all I can do is pray for the best and just hope moving forward that not many more people get affected and hopefully this virus can be calmed down.”

Korea has reported more than 3,500 cases, second only to China.

The European Tour postponed the Maybank Championship, which was set for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from April 16-19, and the Volvo China Open, scheduled for April 23-26 in Shenzhen, China.

Three LPGA events – set for China, Singapore and Thailand – were canceled, and the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship was postponed by the R&A.

On Jan. 30, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a “public health emergency of international concern,” followed a day later by the United States’ own declaration. There have been more than 3,000 deaths worldwide and more than 89,000 confirmed cases, including 86 in the U.S., as of March 2.

More than 45,100 people worldwide have recovered from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins.

[jwplayer VOSCNQgP-9JtFt04J]

What the Celtics, other area teams are doing to prepare for COVID-19

The Boston Celtics and several other area sports teams and leagues are carefully monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19, and working with the Centers for Disease Control as a precaution.

The Boston Celtics and the wider NBA have a lot on their plate in a normal season, and world events aren’t making it any easier for anyone of late.

As the world grapples with the difficulties imposed by the effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, colloquially known as the coronavirus, events like basketball games may be one of many public gatherings that could potentially postponed or canceled depending on how leagues and governments respond.

Sporting events around the world are already being put on ice for at least the time being, with the Chinese Basketball Association postponing games, and FIBA holding contests in near-empty stadiums, reports NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin.

Boston sports teams have already begun taking preventative measures, such as the Red Sox, who have been closely following Centers for Disease Control guidelines in interactions between players, staff, and business partners, reports the Boston Globe’s Bob Hohler.

The team went as far as asking minor league pitcher Chih-Jung Liu to delay reporting to spring training after he arrived from Taiwan, which has seen over 30 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and have taken steps to boost fan safety too.

“At Fenway Park,” Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said, “we are currently installing more public hand sanitizer dispensers near all the main gates throughout the ballpark and will be encouraging fans to frequently wash hands and use the dispensers when the regular season begins.”

Similar approaches are underway with the NHL’s Bruins and NFL’s Patriots.

The Celtics have been working closely with the NBA on the issue, and so far have deferred to the league when it comes to any official statements, according to Helin.

On the issue of coronavirus preparations, NBA spokesperson Mike Bass related that “[t]he health and safety of our employees, teams, players and fans is paramount.

“We are coordinating with our teams and consulting with the CDC and infectious disease specialists on the coronavirus, and continue to monitor the situation closely,” he continued.

As of now, there are no plans to cancel or postpone NBA games, but it is something the Celtics and the league is closely watching.

[lawrence-related id=30074,12238,29402,22149]

NFL in contact with CDC, closely monitoring coronavirus

The NFL and NFLPA are in touch with the CDC and World Health Organization, and are closely monitoring the coronovirus.

It may be the offseason in the NFL, but league officials and the NFLPA aren’t taking any chances when it comes to the coronavirus, which is causing world-wide fear as it spreads, sparking concerns that a pandemic could soon be underway.

“We are closely monitoring developments and have been in contact with the World Health Organization, CDC, and the NFL-NFLPA medical experts at the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network program for infection prevention,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said, via the Boston Globe. “We will continue those discussions throughout our offseason.”

The NFLPA declined to comment on how it is addressing the coronavirus situation with its players.

The league did not experience a disruption at the 2020 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, but the 2020 NFL Draft in Las Vegas, which is scheduled for Thursday, April 23 through Saturday, April 25, could potentially face some hiccups if the virus continues to spread over the next month.

If the virus is not contained, the NFL may also be forced to adjust training camp, preseason and even regular season schedules, but that’s far down the line and has too many potential variables to predict.

For now, there have been no changes, alterations or disruptions to the NFL offseason schedule, but the league and its player representatives are monitoring the situation closely and are prepared to act accordingly.

[lawrence-related id=641616,641623,641608]

6 sports leagues affected by the spread of coronavirus

A look at some of the ways the outbreak has affected sports around the world.

The buzz in the sports world surrounding the alarming spread of coronavirus around the world focused on the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, when International Olympic Committee senior member Dick Pound said earlier this week that the IOC should know in May if the Games will go on as planned or canceled due to what could end up being a pandemic.

But the disease has already affected other events in the sports world as the virus known as COVID-19 has spread around the world. Here’s a list of a few notable ones we’ve seen that have had to change their plans because of the virus:

1. Italy’s Serie A

The soccer contests will still be played, but five of them will be played without fans in the stands due to concerns in the country about the virus. Some games were already postponed earlier in the week.

2. Japanese baseball

The J. League postponed 94 matches that were scheduled through mid-March.

3. European Tour golf

The event wasn’t affected, but two of its participants were: Per Golfweek, Lorenzo Gagli and Edoardo Molinari were initially forced to withdraw but will now play:

Gagli exhibited flu-like symptoms and was assessed by the tournament’s on-site medical team. In consultation with the Omani Ministry of Health, and in accordance with current World Health Organization guidelines, he was subsequently tested for coronavirus and immediately entered isolation as a precaution, the Tour said in a statement released Thursday.

Gagli had been sharing a hotel room with Molinari, who showed no signs of illness, but as a further precaution was also isolated in a separate room.

Earlier this month, the Maybank Championship in Malaysia and China Open were postponed.

4. LPGA Tour tournaments

The LPGA Thailand, the Women’s World Championship in Singapore and the Blue Bay on Hainan Island were canceled.

5. Formula One

The Chinese Grand Prix was postponed.

6. Rugby

The Six Nations matchup between Ireland and Italy in Dublin was postponed.

[jwplayer Jc15ajry-q2aasYxh]

Italian golfer Lorenzo Gagli cleared to play in Oman Open after testing negative for coronavirus

Italian golfer Lorenzo Gagli is now cleared to play in the Oman Open after his test for the coronavirus came back negative.

Italian golfer Lorenzo Gagli is now cleared to play in the Oman Open after his test for the coronavirus came back negative.

Italian golfer Lorenzo Gagli cleared to play in Oman Open after testing negative for coronavirus (G

Italian golfer Lorenzo Gagli is now cleared to play in the Oman Open after his test for the coronavirus came back negative.

Italian golfer Lorenzo Gagli is now cleared to play in the Oman Open after his test for the coronavirus came back negative.

As PGA Championship approaches, San Francisco enters heightened state of virus preparation

Months before the PGA Championship, San Francisco’s mayor has issued an emergency declaration to prepare the city for a potential outbreak.

The San Francisco area is circled heavily on the PGA Tour calendar as being this year’s PGA Championship host city. The year’s second major will be played May 14-17 at TPC Harding Park. The city also made news this week in connection with the coronavirus. Mayor London Breed on Tuesday issued an emergency declaration to prepare the city for a potential virus outbreak. No cases of the virus have been confirmed in San Francisco.

According to a USA Today story, Breed’s declaration was made in the name of preparation.

“Although there are still zero confirmed cases in San Francisco residents, the global picture is changing rapidly, and we need to step up preparedness,” Breed said. “We see the virus spreading in new parts of the world every day, and we are taking the necessary steps to protect San Franciscans from harm.”

The declaration raises awareness, mobilizes city resources, accelerates emergency planning and coordinates agencies across the city, Breed said in the USA Today story. She said it also allows for future reimbursement by the state and federal governments.

Related: Coronavirus explained

Across the country in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where the first round of the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic got underway on Thursday morning, the PGA of America indicated it was already watching the situation in San Francisco. The organization issued the following statement:

“We are carefully monitoring the situation as it relates to the 2020 PGA Championship in San Francisco. We will follow the guidance of public health authorities and take the necessary steps to ensure the safety and well-being of all involved.”

Coronavirus news entered the golf sphere in a big way this week with Wednesday reports of two Italian players being isolated at the European Tour’s Oman Open as a precaution. Originally, they withdrew from the event.

By Thursday morning, the European Tour had clarified that coronavirus tests for Lorenzo Gagli, one of the men in question, had come back negative. He and Edoardo Molinari, his roommate for the week in Oman, were reinstated in the field.

“This is a difficult global situation, one during which we will continue to follow all guidance given to us on preventive measures, and all decisions will continue to be made in the interests of overall public health,” said Keith Pelley, CEO of the European Tour.

According to the USA Today story, the global death toll hit 2,801 on Wednesday night.

Heightened awareness of the virus on the West Coast may stem from an infected person in California – confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday – that would represent the first U.S. person to contract the virus despite not visiting a foreign country recently or coming in contact with an infected patient.

USA Today reported that it brings the number of coronavirus cases detected in the U.S. to 15, with 12 of them related to travel and two to direct contact with a patient.

“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown,” the CDC said in a statement. “It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States. Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”

[jwplayer ln1xsZ89-9JtFt04J]

[lawrence-related id=778028492,778027197,778027070]

Japanese authorities cancel all boxing in March because of coronavirus

Japanese authorities have canceled all boxing cards through at least April 1 because of the coronavirus threat.

There will be no boxing in March in Japan because of the coronavirus threat.

The day after a card was postponed in northern Italy because of the spreading threat of a pandemic, the Japanese Boxing Commission and Japanese Professional Boxing Association announced in a joint statement Wednesday that they are “suspending all boxing during a one-month period, nationwide.’’

A card at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on Thursday will be the last boxing in Japan until at least April 1.

Fifteen cards were scheduled for March in Japan – nine in Tokyo, one in Osaka, one in Okayama, one in Fukuoka, one in Okinawa and two in Kariya in Aichi Prefecture.

The boxing decision came a day after International Olympic Committee Vice President Richard Pound sparked fears that the virus, a respiratory infection, could threaten the Tokyo Olympics.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Pound said that a decision would have to be made “two to three months” before opening ceremonies on July 24.

“You could certainly go to two months out if you had to,” Pound said. “By and large, you’re looking at a cancellation. This is the new war, and you have to face it. In and around there, folks are going to have to say: ‘Is this under sufficient control that we can be confident of going to Tokyo or not?’”

However, on Wednesday, a spokesman for the Japanese government said the IOC and those organizing the Games plan to stage them as planned. He said Pound can express his opinion but that it’s not the official view of the IOC.

On Tuesday, Matchroom Boxing announced that a card featuring a super-middleweight fight between Daniele Scardina (18-0, 14 KOs) and Andrew Francillette (21-2-1, 5 KOS) in Milan would be re-scheduled because of the virus.

Multiple deaths in Italy prompted authorities to place restrictions on public events in various regions, including Lombardy, where Milan is located. The Italian restrictions, which have forced postponements of soccer and rugby events, will last until March 1.

On Jan. 23, junior welterweight Jose Ramirez’s title defense against Viktor Postol on Feb.1 in Haikou, China, was canceled and then rescheduled for May 9 in Fresno, California, Ramirez’ hometown.

IOC official addresses coronavirus and how it could impact Olympics

Dick Pound says if the situation were too dangerous for the Olympics to be held in Tokyo, a cancellation would be more likely than a move.

While golf tournaments in Asia have been cancelled this month in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, one senior International Olympic Committee member addressed the issue of whether the Olympics could be postponed, moved to another city or canceled if the situation is too dangerous in July.

Dick Pound, a longtime member of the IOC, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the Olympics would more likely be canceled altogether if the situation is too serious for officials to hold the Games in Tokyo, rather than moving them to another city or holding them later in the year. But Pound also said all indications are it’s “business as usual,” a sentiment that has been expressed by other Olympic officials five months out from the opening ceremony.

“You just don’t postpone something on the size and scale of the Olympics,” Pound told the AP. “There’s so many moving parts, so many countries and different seasons, and competitive seasons, and television seasons. You can’t just say, `We’ll do it in October.’”

He added that moving the Games to another host city seems unlikely because few places would have the facilities in place on short notice.

The International Golf Federation did not respond to a request for comment.

Pound told the AP he estimates the IOC has a three-month window to make a decision on the Games. A CDC official warned Tuesday that the coronavirus could cause “severe” disruptions in the United States.

The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee announced this month it has established a “coronavirus countermeasures task force,” to be led by Toshiro Muto, its chief executive officer. Muto has said the Games will be held as scheduled.

Luella Chavez D’Angelo, chief marketing and communications officer of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said earlier this month that the USOPC has its own internal group studying coronavirus and its effects. The group, led by chief of sport performance Rick Adams in consultation with medical, technical and HR officials, is in contact with the CDC on a daily basis, she said.

In the interview with the AP, Pound encouraged athletes to keep training for the Olympics, which will be held July 24-Aug. 9. About 11,000 athletes are expected to compete, with about 600 coming from the United States. The Olympic golf tournament will begin July 30 with the men. Justin Rose and Inbee Park are the defending Olympic champions.

“As far as we all know, you’re going to be in Tokyo,” Pound said. “All indications are at this stage that it will be business as usual. So keep focused on your sport and be sure that the IOC is not going to send you into a pandemic situation.”

[lawrence-related id=778028127,778027447,778026445,778026235,778025980]

Matchroom card in Italy postponed because of coronavirus

A Matchroom Boxing card scheduled for Friday in Italy has been postponed, the second postponement within the last six weeks.

The coronavirus threat continues to impact boxing.

A Matchroom Boxing card scheduled for Friday in Italy has been postponed, the second postponement within the last six weeks.

Matchroom announced that a card featuring super middleweight Daniele Scardina (18-0, 14 KOs) in a defense of a secondary title against Frenchmen Andrew Francillette (21-2-1, 5 KOS) in Milan would be re-scheduled because of the virus, a respiratory infection.

The spreading virus has resulted in 11 deaths in Italy as of Tuesday evening, prompting Italian health authorities to place restrictions on public events in various regions. That includes Lombardy, where Milan is located. The Italian restrictions, which have forced postponements of soccer and rugby events, will last until March 1.

Junior welterweight Jose Ramirez’s title defense against Viktor Postol was scheduled for Feb.1 in Haikou, China, the country where the virus started. It was postponed on Jan. 23 and subsequently rescheduled for May 9 in Fresno, California, Ramirez’s hometown.

Read more:

Jose Ramirez’s title defense vs. Viktor Postol rescheduled for May 9