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England vs West Indies: Ben Stokes Becomes Second-Fastest All-Rounder To Test Double Of 4,000 runs And 150 Wickets

Ben Stokes picked up four wickets on Day three of the Test at Southampton.© Twitter England's stand-in skipper Ben Stokes on Friday became the second-fastest all-rounder to reach the Test double of 4,000 runs and 150 wickets. He achieved the feat during the third day of the first Test match between England and West Indies at the Ageas Bowl. With the dismissal of Alzarri Joseph, Stokes joined former England all-rounder Ian Botham and four other greats of the game in the club of 4,000 Test runs and 150-plus wickets. He finished with the figures of 4-49 in his 14 overs including five maiden overs. The 29-year-old all-rounder reached the milestone in 64 games. Only former West Indies great Gary Sobers is ahead of him, who achieved the feat in 63 Tests.Apart from Sobers and Stokes, former South African cricketer Jacques Kallis, India's Kapil Dev and ex-New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori are also on the list.Earlier in the first innings, Stokes played a knock of 43 runs, the highest for his side, and guided them to 204 runs.PromotedWest Indies were wrapped up for 318, taking a 114-run lead.England will resume their play from 15/0 on day four with Rory Burns and Dom Sibley unbeaten on 10 and 5 runs respectively. Topics mentioned in this article Read the full article

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Manchester United Urge Fans To Stay Away If Matches Resume

If the Premier League get their wish to play at clubs' normal stadiums rather than at neutral venues, then United will have four home league matches to play.Aware of the danger of supporters gathering in large groups during the health crisis, United have pleaded with their fans to stay away from matches and watch on television."We share your disappointment that you will not be able to watch United in person from within the stadium, but we would encourage you to give your continued loyal support from the comfort and safety of your home," United said in an email to supporters on Tuesday."To help with that, the Premier League and their media partners will work to deliver the very best broadcast coverage of our games."We also ask for your co-operation not to travel to any stadiums at which we are playing on matchdays."By supporting from home and following Government guidance, you will be playing your part to keep your friends, your family and all United fans safe."This united effort to stay at home will give us the best chance of protecting the health of everyone in our community." Read the full article

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Coronavirus: Premier League Does Not Yet Have "Green Light", Minister Warns

Clubs are understood to have been told that the use of a limited number of neutral venues is the only way to complete the campaign, to limit the strain on essential services and discourage gatherings of supporters near stadiums.But those at risk of relegation argue that the integrity of the competition would be compromised by the neutral-venue plan.Brighton chief executive Paul Barber is opposed to the idea, with the Seagulls hovering two points above the drop zone. Brighton were scheduled to play five of their remaining nine games at home.Despite extensive contingency planning, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden warned the Premier League was yet to get the go-ahead, with testing and player welfare major hurdles."They've not been given the green light," Dowden told BBC Radio on Friday."If we can get a plan that works then I'd like us to be able to go ahead with it because I think it would be good for the nation, it would be good for football as a whole."I'm really hopeful we can get this up and running but public safety must come first so it's only if we're confident of that, we'll be able to proceed."In Germany, the Bundesliga announced this week that it would resume matches on May 16, behind closed doors and subject to extensive coronavirus testing.Dowden's comments came as The Times newspaper reported that Football Association chiefs would block any attempt to declare the Premier League season null and void and abandon relegation.Relegation scrapped?At least one club reportedly wants relegation to be scrapped if neutral grounds are used.But The Times said it was understood that the FA board supported the Premier League board's position that the league table should be decided on sporting merit even if it were cut short.Burnley captain Ben Mee, whose side are 10th in the table, said he believed footballers could "get over" playing at neutral venues if it meant the game could be re-started."It's not ideal but these times, they call for different measures," Mee told the BBC. "We can certainly get over that fact."And he said players would be prepared to spend time in quarantine if necessary."I think football is such an important part of our country, whether you like it or not, and people rely on it," he said. "And if we can give that positive boost to the country, then that would be fantastic."Former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand said there was no viable resolution that would satisfy all 20 clubs."People are going to feel at a disadvantage if certain decisions are made but I don't think the Premier League can have a wholehearted 100 percent win on this no matter what decision they make, which is unfortunate," he told the Press Association.Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and Brighton's Glenn Murray have raised objections from a safety point of view but Ferdinand said they should put their faith in the authorities."The Premier League, the FA and the government, if all of those three bodies give it the green light then I'm sure the players' protection, health and well-being will be at the top of their agenda to make sure they remain healthy and not at risk," he said. Read the full article

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Smash Hit Michael Jordan Documentary Fills TV Void For NBA Fans

In all, 6.1 million people watched the opening episodes in the United States, making the Michael Jordan documentary Twitter's top trending topic and ESPN's most watched original program since the network began producing such shows 16 years ago. An average of 5.9 million viewers watched the latest episodes aired in the US on Sunday."The Last Dance" mixes previously unaired behind-the-scenes footage taken by a special camera crew with the Bulls during their 1997-98 NBA championship run with the retelling of Jordan's amazing story from his youthful days to Chicago's amazing dynasty run of six 1990s NBA titles.The project was set to be broadcast in June when the NBA Finals were scheduled, but when sports programs were wiped out due to the global virus pandemic, ESPN advanced the release date.The Jordan documentary's blockbuster success looks likely to spark similar projects.Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar who died in a January helicopter crash, had a personal camera crew follow him around during his final NBA season, ESPN reported last week, hinting that behind-the-scenes footage could become part of a Bryant documentary.Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, scored 60 points in his final NBA game in 2016, which capped the worst season in Lakers history at 17-65.Dwyane Wade, a member of the 2008 US Olympic "Redeem Team" that won Beijing gold after a 2004 bronze at Athens, says he is already executive producing a documentary about that collection of NBA talent.A lingering hatredESPN has aired discussion shows about the documentary after telecasts, with Sunday's episodes about Jordan's lingering hatred of the Detroit Pistons leading to Monday interviews with former Detroit star Isiah Thomas, notably about the Pistons snubbing the Bulls for post-game handshakes when Chicago swept the defending champions out of the 1991 playoffs."I hated them," Jordan said in the fourth chapter of the documentary. "And that hate carries even to this day."Thomas was not selected as a member of the 1992 Barcelona US Olympic gold medal "Dream Team" -- an NBA all-star lineup that featured Jordan -- and Thomas said Monday on ESPN that he hoped the handshake snub wasn't the reason why he didn't make the historic lineup."If I'm not part of the Dream Team for that lapse of emotion, for not shaking somebody's hand, then I'm more disappointed today than I was back then when I wasn't selected," Thomas said."I paid a heavy price. If that moment meant I'm not selected to be on the Dream Team because of that moment, that's hurtful. That cuts deep." Read the full article

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Coronavirus: Premier League Comes Up With "Project Restart" To Finish Season, Says Report

The Premier League is eyeing a resumption of the season on June 8, behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, and reaching a climax on July 27, according to The Times. The paper claims football chiefs, along with other sports governing bodies, have been holding talks with the British government about when they can resume and at only "approved grounds". The Premier League has 92 games remaining since it suspended the season on March 13 with Liverpool agonisingly close to their first-ever EPL title.The Times says Premier League bosses shared their idea 'Project Restart' with the shareholders last week.The matches would be played behind closed doors -- a maximum of 400 people would be permitted to attend including media though only if they tested negative for the virus -- and at selected stadia to limit stretching the limited resources of the medical services.Extra changing facilities would be introduced to ensure social distancing measures were in place whilst players would be required to turn up for training individually and already in their kit.They have also suggested August 22 as the date for the start of the 2020/21 campaign. The main sticking point, though, remains the lack of tests available.Should the season be unable to resume -- the Dutch championship was abandoned without promotion or relegation on Friday -- it would be a financial nightmare for the clubs.Measures being taken to alleviate some of that has seen the EPL link up with DLA Piper -- a law firm that has advised on TV rights deals for the league in the past -- on an emergency loan fund, with a maximum of $12.4 million per club.Some clubs have taken measures agreed with their players to ease the financial burden.Southampton, West Ham United, Sheffield United and Watford have agreed deferrals with their first-team squads while the majority of Arsenal's players have agreed a 12.5 percent wage reduction. Read the full article

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South Korea Women's Golf Resumption Draws World Top-10 Players: Report

Professional women's golf will resume in South Korea next month after a coronavirus hiatus, with a report Tuesday saying two of the world's top 10 would seize the chance to return to competition. South Korea dominates the women's game globally, with its best players gravitating towards the lucrative US-based LPGA tour, where they occupy three of the top six ranking spots and eight of the top 20. But sport events around the world have been put on hold as the novel coronavirus has swept the globe with total cases nearing 2.5 million.South Korea once had the largest confirmed cases outside China but appears to have brought the outbreak under control with a huge "trace, test and treat" strategy.And government officials have said that outdoor sports events will now be allowed, with restrictions.The Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Championship is scheduled to be played over four days from May 14 in Yangju, east of Seoul.World number six Kim Sei-young and 10th-ranked Lee Jeong-eun will be part of the 144-strong field, Yonhap news agency reported.The tournament prize fund totals 2.3 billion won (US$1.8 million) with 160 million won for the winner.KLPGA officials were still discussing whether spectators would be allowed on the course, a representative told AFP, declining to confirm Kim or Lee's participation.The organisers "put the utmost priority on the safety of athletes and fans" and the details of the event will depend on the course of the outbreak, the KLPGA said in a statement.South Korea reported nine new cases on Monday -- its fourth consecutive day of less than 20 new infections -- taking the national total to 10,683. Read the full article

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IWF President Tamas Ajan Steps Down Amid Corruption Probe

International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) president Tamas Ajan resigned on Wednesday in the wake of allegations of corruption and doping violations made in a documentary earlier this year. "The IWF thanks Tamas Ajan for more than four decades of service to weightlifting," said IWF acting president Ursula Papandrea in a statement on its website. "We can now begin the work of determining a fresh path towards achieving the full potential of our sport," said Papandrea.The statement by the Budapest-based federation noted an independent investigation is ongoing into the allegations made by German broadcaster ARD in a report in January. The documentary alleged a "culture of corruption" had been established in the Olympic sport with prominent weightlifters rarely subjected to drugs tests and cash being taken by doping controllers to accept manipulated urine samples.Hungarian Ajan, 81, who had been at the IWF since 1976 serving 24 years as general secretary and the past 20 as president, claimed the allegations were unfounded.The programme by journalists ARD including Hajo Seppelt, who broke the story on Russia's state doping scandal, claimed half of the 450 world championship or Olympic medallists between 2008 and 2017 were not asked to undertake any doping tests while a doctor for the Moldovan team was caught on hidden camera explaining how urine samples could be manipulated.Beyond doping, the report accused the IWF of transferring USD 5 million in funding from the International Olympic Committee into two Swiss accounts overseen only by Ajan.Ajan claimed he had been the victim of "an unjust attack" by ARD. "This film has completely ruined my life and 50 years of my work. A large part of my work has been about doping prevention," he said. Papandrea also praised Ajan on Wednesday for his work "in recent years to ensure an anti-doping programme which meets the standards of the IOC (is) in place"."I offered the best of my life to our beloved sport," Ajan said Wednesday according to the IWF statement."When health circumstances related to the (COVID-19) pandemic allow, holding elections would enable a new generation to start work as soon as possible on ensuring a bright future for the sport we love," he said. Read the full article

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French Football Club Doctor "Commits Suicide" After Coronavirus Diagnosis: Report

"Devastated, Reims cries for Bernard Gonzalez," said a statement released by the Ligue 1 club. © AFP French Ligue 1 club Reims were on Sunday in mourning for long-serving club doctor Bernard Gonzalez who committed suicide after being diagnosed with coronavirus, sources confirmed. "Devastated, Reims cries for Bernard Gonzalez," said a statement released by the Ligue 1 club. "Not just the club but also hundreds of men and women in Reims." Contacted by AFP, Reims mayor Arnaud Robinet said he had been made aware of the suicide of the 60-year-old, who had worked at the club for over 20 years, by the local prefecture."I was told Doctor Gonzalez had left a note in which he mentioned that he had tested positive for COVID-19."A medical source also confirmed to AFP the existence of this letter but added that the doctor had appeared "to be in good shape two days ago"."I am shocked by his death because he was someone I had known for many years," said Robinet."No only was he the club doctor, but he was also the GP of many people in Reims. He was known for his human and professional qualities."He will be missed by the football family and all those in Reims who met him."Reims club president Jean-Pierre Caillot said he was "stunned" by the news."This pandemic has struck Reims in the heart. A great personality and great professional of the sport has left us," said Caillot.More than 8,000 people have died from the coronavirus in France. Topics mentioned in this article Football Read the full article

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Coronavirus: 2020 F1 Championship Should Be Cancelled, Says Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone says this season's Formula One championship should be cancelled because it appears unlikely that enough races can be completed for it to be valid due to the coronavirus pandemic crisis. The opening eight rounds of the 2020 F1 season have been either cancelled or postponed, with doubts over a number of the other 14 races as the coronavirus pandemic continues to overshadow the sporting calendar. A minimum of eight races are required for the championship to be valid, but former F1 chief executive Ecclestone believes that will not be possible."We should stop the championship this year and start again next year, hopefully, because I can't see it's going to be possible to get the right amount of races in that count for a championship," the 89-year-old Ecclestone told BBC Radio."There's got to be eight from memory, and I can't see them getting that in. It's a difficult situation," he saidMercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was this year aiming to match Michael Schumacher's record of seven drivers' titles, though there have been suggestions a truncated season would diminish the achievement.But Ecclestone, set to become a father for the fourth time, said: "I don't think it will make a lot of difference to Lewis. He would win whatever the race number, whether it be eight, 16 or 20."If it's a world championship and he wins, it would go on his record and say he has won a world championship. The terrible thing is he would win all eight races. It wouldn't be a super championship." Read the full article

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‘Incredibly kind gesture’: Morgan on Buttler’s decision to auction World Cup final shirt - cricket

England ODI skipper Eoin Morgan has praised his team-mate Jos Buttler’s decision to auction off his 2019 World Cup final shirt to raise funds for two London-based hospitals to combat COVID-19. England had managed to defeat New Zealand in the finals of the 2019 50-over World Cup by the barest of margins as both normal 50 overs-action and super over ended in a tie.The Three Lions managed to win the trophy on the basis of boundary-countback rule, and it was Buttler who broke the stumps during the super-over, denying New Zealand their first World Cup win.“It’s an incredibly kind gesture. We have seen people donate during the Australian bush fires; we saw Shane Warne auction his Baggy Green cap for a million dollars or something absolutely ridiculous,” ESPN Cricinfo quoted Morgan as saying.“The impact that can have on many lives as opposed to sitting in someone’s drawer as a bit of a trophy... personally, it’s something I don’t understand. People have come out and said they would never do it. Justin Langer said he could never see a situation where he would do something like that but I find that hard to believe,” he added.On Monday, Buttler posted a video message on Twitter and captioned the post as: “I’m going to be auctioning my World Cup Final shirt to raise funds for the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity. Last week they launched an emergency appeal to provide lifesaving equipment to help those affected during the COVID-19 outbreak”.The United Kingdom on Wednesday reported 563 deaths in a day, bringing the total number of patients in the country who died in hospitals to 2,352.Some 29,474 people have now tested positive, a jump of 4,324 over the previous day, according to Al Jazeera.The World Health Organisation had termed coronavirus as a pandemic on March 11. Read the full article

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Manchester City Midfielder Says Liverpool Deserve To Be Premier League Champions

Liverpool should be awarded the Premier League title if the season cannot be completed due to the coronavirus pandemic, says Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. Jurgen Klopp's men were a tantalising two wins away from their first league crown since 1990 when the season was suspended earlier this month. The shutdown is currently due to last until April 30. Premier League chiefs are due to meet on Friday, with no indications of when football will resume. Gundogan, whose side trail Liverpool by 25 points, told German broadcaster ZDF that if the season could not be finished, Klopp's side deserved the title."It would be OK for me," he said. "As a sportsman you have to be fair."The 29-year-old German international, who has won the Premier League title with City for the past two seasons, said it was unlikely that he and his teammates could resume training at the end of April."Honestly, I can't imagine (that happening) and also, I don't know how realistic it is," he said.Figures on Sunday revealed that 1,228 people with coronavirus have died in Britain. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is among more than 19,500 people who have tested positive for COVID-19.Aleksander Ceferin, president of European football's governing body UEFA, said on Saturday that the 2019/20 campaign could be "lost" if it could not be restarted by the end of June.Gundogan conceded that Premier League chiefs were faced with a difficult choice."There are different opinions," he said. "For clubs who have had a very good season, it obviously wouldn't be nice if it was cancelled now."On the other hand, for clubs who aren't doing as well and are maybe in the relegation places, an abandonment would obviously suit them."Cancellation would have a knock-on effect on the second-tier English Championship, with both Leeds United and West Brom occupying the two automatic promotion places.Gundogan said he would be willing to take a pay cut if English clubs followed the examples of Serie A leaders Juventus and his former club Borussia Dortmund."Of course I think it's OK, that goes without saying -- (but) there's been no discussion in England yet," he said. Read the full article

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Twitter Disagrees With Kevin Pietersen's Choice Of Batsman With Best Pull Shot

With cricket coming to a grinding halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, many on Twitter are reliving the past. While the Indian Premier League's (IPL) handle tweeted throwback videos of some of the finest moments from the tournament, the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Twitter handle decided to ask fans, "which batsman, past or present, has the best pull shot?" The handle put up a split picture of Viv Richards, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli and Herschelle Gibbs to go along with the question.The ICC post received over 2K replies with many Indian fans picking Rohit Sharma over Virat Kohli, while the general consensus was that former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had the best pull shot. Which batsman, past or present, has the best pull shot, in your opinion?pic.twitter.com/TAXf8rr3el — ICC (@ICC) March 22, 2020 However, South Africa-born England cricketer Kevin Pietersen decided to take the name of a batsman that few fans remembered. Pietersen's choice -- Andrew Hudson -- played 35 Tests and 89 ODIs for South Africa in the 90s. Andrew Hudson — Kevin Pietersen(@KP24) March 22, 2020 He averaged 33.45 in the longest format and 29.41 in one-dayers with a total of six international centuries to his name.While there were a few users who endorsed Pietersen's choice, the larger majority disagreed with him, giving their own opinion on who they thought had the best pull shot. Ponting. Viv wasn't far behind — Neil Maher (@Marzey1977) March 22, 2020 Brian Lara — Andrew Rickard (@andyrick67) March 22, 2020 No, Punter is the master of pull shot. — HARSH (@Harshpr01180227) March 22, 2020 Rohit Sharma — M.K.Kori (@MkKori2) March 22, 2020 Ricky Ponting anyday anytime — RAJESH (@srajesh1989) March 22, 2020 Has to be Andrew Hudson, was surprised his name didn't come up! Good one, @KP24 — Babu Duraiswamy (@srtendulkar) March 22, 2020 Yes Hudson wasn't bad at all — St.PatrickJ (@pjulies24) March 22, 2020 Has to be @RickyPonting — Lee Melton (@LeeMelton4) March 22, 2020 Rahul Dravid !!!! Across all continents — sriramanganesan (@sriramanganesan) March 22, 2020 ABD & Sharma — Ankit Singh (@anisingh88) March 22, 2020 Cricket is at a complete standstill, just like most other sports around the world.Ireland's seven-match series against Bangladesh became the latest casualty to be inflicted on the cricket calendar by the coronavirus pandemic.No professional cricket will be played in England and Wales before May 28 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The IPL 2020 too has been pushed back from March 29 to April 15 and could face further postponements or even cancellation. The BCCI has also put domestic matches and tournaments on hold "till further notice". Read the full article

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Chinese Footballer Wu Lei Diagnosed With Coronavirus In Spain

Wu Lei moved to Espanyol from Shanghai SIPG in January last year. © AFP Chinese football star Wu Lei, who plays for Espanyol in Spain, has been diagnosed with the coronavirus, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) said on Saturday. "Wu Lei has mild symptoms and is currently undergoing treatment," the CFA said in a statement, adding that they had been given the news by La Liga strugglers Espanyol. "The Chinese Football Association has maintained close communication with Wu Lei and the club, and will provide all necessary assistance as appropriate. We wish Wu Lei a speedy recovery."The 28-year-old striker, China's best-known player, is in self-isolation at home in Barcelona, Xinhua news agency said.Wu is the only Chinese playing in one of Europe's five top leagues, having moved to Espanyol from Shanghai SIPG in January last year.The coronavirus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and has since turned into a pandemic that has killed thousands around the world. Topics mentioned in this article Football Read the full article

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WADA issues dope testing guidelines amid coronavirus pandemic - other sports

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued new guidelines on Friday to facilitate continued testing amid the constraints of the coronavirus pandemic.Noting that the spread of COVID-19 had evolved into “an even greater health and societal emergency” since its March 6 communique, WADA urged Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) to act in accordance with restrictions placed by local health authorities “to ensure proper protection of athletes and doping control personnel, while protecting the integrity of doping control programs, particularly in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.”WADA’s latest guidelines advise anti-doping organizations to make sure that sample collectors are free from any symptoms of illness.Collectors should also ask athletes if they have any symptoms or if they or anyone at the collection site are in the groups thought to be at heightened risk from COVID-19.If test collection personnel are found to have contracted the virus, athletes they tested should be informed and vice versa, WADA said.Protective wear such as masks should be used and work surfaces disinfected, and if local conditions limit what testing can occur then ADOs should “consider focusing their testing program on targeted athletes from high risk sports and disciplines,” WADA said.In locations where testing programs can’t continue, WADA said, it and other anti-doping organizations and sports federations will work together “once the situation begins to return to normal” to identify gaps in testing “particularly as it relates to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.”WADA said anti-doping organizations should continue to obtain information on whereabouts of athletes normally gathered to facilitate out-of-competition testing.Athletes are still responsible for obtaining therapeutic use exemptions and “should be reminded that they can still be tested at any place, any time,” WADA said.With some WADA accredited laboratories already closed and others likely to follow suit, WADA said testing organizations should contact the Montreal-based organization for information on what labs might be able to receive samples.“While there are no plans to change existing requirements under the World Anti-Doping Program, WADA fully acknowledges the complexities of this unprecedented situation and will ensure its compliance monitoring program provides a level of flexibility and understanding based on the circumstances,” WADA said. Read the full article

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Australia F1 rules out fan ban in wake of Bahrain GP move - other sports

Australian Formula One chiefs Monday ruled out any chance of the opening grand prix of the year following the lead of Bahrain and barring spectators because of the coronavirus.On Sunday it was announced that the season’s second race in Bahrain would go ahead without fans in a bid to prevent a spread of the deadly virus that has forced a growing number of sports events to be cancelled, postponed or played behind closed doors.But Australian Grand Prix Corporation boss Andrew Westacott said that won’t be happening in Melbourne.“Not at all,” he told Melbourne radio station SEN when asked if barring fans was being considered.“When you look at 86,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last night, and the footy the week after, we’ve got to go around things sensibly and keep moving on through life while taking the necessary precautions.” A world record crowd of 86,174 for a women’s cricket game crammed the MCG on Sunday evening to see Australia beat India in the Twenty20 World Cup final.Big crowds are also expected for the start of the Australian Football League season later this month, despite the number of coronavirus cases rising to 93 on Monday.Most Formula One teams are already in Australia or en route, including powerhouse Ferrari and Alpha Tauri from their bases in Italy, where swathes of the country are now in lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.There were fears that the Australian government could bar travel from Italy, which would have prevented staff from the two teams being at the grand prix.But it has yet to do so with travellers from Italy still granted entry with more stringent health checks.“The interesting thing is the Italian freight. The Alpha Tauri cars and the Ferrari cars are on their way from Melbourne (airport) as we speak, so it’s really good. The key personnel are on their planes,” said Westacott.He said the only Ferrari people not arriving from Italy were drivers Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, who were heading from Switzerland and France respectively.“All the others are on their way, and we’re expecting (them) in the next 12 to 24 hours.” Westacott added that ticket sales were “very strong” with more than 300,000 fans usually flocking to Albert Park.Victoria state Health Minister Jenny Mikakos told media the fact there had been no reported cases of community transmission of the virus meant the race could go ahead.“At this point in time our advice around the grand prix and other public mass gathering events remains unchanged,” she said. Read the full article

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Asian Olympic Qualifiers: Amit Panghal in action next, Sakshi Chaudhary misses out on quota - other sports

Amit Panghal will take on Philippines Paalam Carlo next in 52kg quarterfinal match. Former junior world champion Sakshi Chaudhary (57kg) failed to secure an Olympic berth after going down to Korea’s Im Aeji in the quarterfinals of the Asian Qualifiers here on Monday.The 19-year-old Chaudhary lost 0-5 to Im, who is also a former world youth champion. Only the semifinalists are entitled to an Olympic berth in the women’s 57kg category.Im will face Japan’s 19-year-old Irie Sena, who upstaged world champion and top seed Nesthy Petecio of Philippines in a split decision. Petecio was docked a point for holding in the second round which ultimately played a decisive role in her 2-3 loss.Four more boxers are in contention for Olympic berths on Monday -Sakshi Chaudhary (57 kg)- 2:45 PM IST Amit Panghal (52 kg)- 3:30 PM ISTManish Kaushik (63kg)- 5 PM ISTMary Kom (51 kg)- 9:15 PM ISTSimranjit (60kg)- 10:15 PM(With agency inputs) Read the full article