Coronavirus Impacts Sporting World - Updated
March 16, 2020
Updated March 17, 2020
Updated, March 18, 2020
Updated, March 19, 2020
Updated - March 22, 2020
Updated - March 23, 2020
Updated - March 25, 2020
As the world reacts to the outbreak of the pandemic coronavirus, here is the latest from the world of sport.
RUGBY LEAGUE
NRL plans to hold round three matches without fans this coming weekend.
UPDATE - The Warriors may be forced to withdraw from the competition, or stay in Australia for an extended period; due to the New Zealand Government’s new 14 day quarantine for anyone returning to the country.
UPDATE - The Warriors are expected to stay in Australia for the immediate future.
UPDATE - UK Super League indefinitely postponed
UPDATE - NRL has announced the competition has been suspended.
AFL
Round One of the AFL is due to start this Thursday. All games will be played without crowds.
UPDATE - The AFL has proposed reducing the competition to 17 rounds, with no set time frame.
UPDATE - The AFL has suspended their competition, effective March 22, until at least May 31.
SOCCER
A League will also continue, without crowds. The EPL, Serie A, French and Spanish Leagues are all suspended.
UPDATE - Wellington Phoenix have agreed to stay in Australia to avoid the 14 day travel ban if they returned to New Zealand.
UPDATE - EURO 2020 has been postponed for one year.
UPDATE - The EPL, Championship, League One and League Two plan to re-commence matches from June 1.
UPDATE - A-League has been suspended until further notice
TENNIS
Both the WTA and ATP tours are suspended for at least six weeks.
UPDATE - The French Open has been rescheduled from May to September.
CRICKET
Australia’s two series against New Zealand have been cancelled. The final round of the Sheffield Shield has also been cancelled, and New South Wales will be awarded the season’s victors if the final is also cancelled.
UPDATE - The Sheffield Shield Final has been cancelled, and New South Wales have been declared the winners of the 2019/20 season.
RUGBY UNION
Super Rugby has suspended it’s competition until further notice.
UPDATE - The four Australian Super Rugby conferences, plus Western Force, are looking to participate in a ten week national league later in the year.
UPDATE - The Australian National Competition has been shut down before it began. It may be a viable competition later in the year.
BASKETBALL
The finals series of the NBL continues without crowds. The NBA is suspended.
UPDATE - The NBL has called off the last two games of the Grand Final series. Perth led 2-1 against Sydney, and have been declared champions.
BASEBALL
The MLB season was due to start on March 26. At this stage, authorities have delayed the start by two weeks.
WRESTLING
WWE Raw and Smackdown continue to be broadcast live in empty arenas. A decision on Wrestlemania 36 is expected to be made in the next week.
UPDATE - WWE has announced Wrestlemania 36 will be performed in an empty arena at their Performance Centre in Orlando, Florida.
UPDATE - WWE Wrestlemania 36 will be performed over two consecutive nights at the Performance Centre.
UPDATE - AEW will continue to perform in empty arenas.
OLYMPICS
No decision has been made about the Tokyo Olympics, which is due to start in July.
UPDATE - Australian athletes have been told to prepare for 2021 in Tokyo.
UPDATE - The International Olympic Committee have officially postponed the Tokyo Olympics until 2021.
The nature of this health and economic crisis will see things change at a very rapid pace. We will endeavour to update how coronavirus impacts on sport as things change.