Coronavirus UK: Premier League club-by-club guide to how each team has been affected by COVID-19
The Premier League has gone into lockdown as efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus intensify around the world.
All top-flight fixtures have been postponed until at least April 4 but the reality is that football is highly unlikely to resume at that point.
Representatives from the 20 Premier League clubs are set to convene on Thursday to discuss ways of satisfactorily finishing the season.
But what’s the latest from your club? Sportsmail brings you right up to date on the coronavirus impact.
Two mask-wearing Newcastle United supporters outside a deserted St James’ Park on Saturday following the postponement of their fixture against Sheffield United
ARSENAL
Are any players in isolation?
Yes, any Arsenal players and staff who had recently been in close contact with manager Mikel Arteta are currently in self-isolation.
That comes after Arteta tested positive for coronavirus last Thursday, news that prompted the Premier League to take steps to suspend the league.
Arsenal say they expect ‘a significant number’ of people from the club, including the full first-team squad and employees at their London Colney training base, will self-isolate.
Arsenal’s training centre at London Colney has been in lockdown to stop the virus spreading
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Yes, manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.
His wife, Lorena, gave an update on his condition on Saturday, saying he is ‘feeling fine’ and recovering at home. She added that he had ‘some temperatures, some headaches but that’s it.’
Is training taking place as normal?
No, Arsenal are not training for the reasons detailed above.
Who’s saying what?
Lorena Arteta on her husband and why it’s a good job he took the coronavirus test: ‘He would have just taken an ibuprofen or paracetamol and he would have gone to work so really, it’s nothing major.’
Arteta himself: ‘This is really disappointing but I took the test after feeling poorly. I will be at work as soon as I’m allowed.’
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta is recovering at home after testing positive for coronavirus
ASTON VILLA
Are any players in isolation?
There have been no reports of any Aston Villa players or staff contracting the virus.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nothing reported.
Is training taking place as normal?
Yes, despite Villa’s Premier League matches and their under-23 and under-18 team games being suspended for the time being.
Aston Villa donated 850 lunch packages to local homeless charities due to match suspensions
The squad were given the weekend off however with their fixture against Chelsea postponed.
The club have advised their players not to pose for selfies with supporters and avoid signing autographs.
The club also donated 850 packed lunches that had been prepared for staff working at their home game against Chelsea to homeless charities.
Who’s saying what?
Goalkeeper Pepe Reina said: ‘It was crazy to keep playing. We must take this seriously. The other countries most affected have already taken their radical measures and we have to go down that path.
‘England cannot close its eyes and look the other way.’
Aston Villa’s home game against Chelsea was postponed over the weekend due to the virus
BOURNEMOUTH
Are any players in isolation?
Yes, goalkeeper Artur Boruc is self-isolating as are four members of Bournemouth’s first team staff but this was described by the club as a ‘precautionary measure’.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody has tested positive for coronavirus at the club.
Is training taking place as normal?
No, the club’s training ground will remain closed down until next Monday at least as a result of Boruc and the four other staff members self-isolating.
The closure is again precautionary and the club will deep clean all their facilities.
An empty Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth at the weekend following the fixture suspension
Players have been given tailored programmes to work on away from the club to maintain match fitness.
Bournemouth’s injured players have been put on a plan that will see them visit the training ground to continue their rehab at staggered times to avoid having too many people in one place at the same time.
Who’s saying what?
Bournemouth winger Arnaut Danjuma: ‘We all love our game but in the end there are far more important things in life than football. Take care of your family and friends, stay safe!’
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Are any players in isolation?
No players are in self-isolation but five club staff are staying at home as a precautionary measure.
Nobody in the first team squad or staff have been affected.
The club has also told full-time staff to work from home where possible from Monday and those who are coming into work to observe strict protocols.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
There have been no reports of anyone actually having the virus.
A deserted concourse outside Brighton’s Amex Stadium after their game with Arsenal was called off because of the Premier League lockdown
Is training taking place as normal?
Graham Potter and his squad will be training as normal.
Who’s saying what?
Striker Neal Maupay last week: ‘It’s not been normal in training, we’re all aware of the situation. There is contact in football but we try not to stay too close or shake hands as well as washing our hands regularly and not touching our face.’
Albion chief executive Paul Barber on finishing the season: ‘Our priority in the Premier League is to play out the remainder of the season that’s what we all want, that’s what the fans want. But we also have to be realistic that we don’t know where this virus is heading.’
BURNLEY
Are any players in isolation?
There have been no reports of any Burnley players being placed into self-isolation.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
There have been no reported cases at Turf Moor.
Manager Sean Dyche said before the weekend: ‘Everyone’s fit and healthy.’
Action from the Burnley vs Blackburn Rovers Under-23 match on Thursday – all games at that level have since been postponed
Is training taking place as normal?
Yes, Burnley’s first team are continuing as normal.
However, the club has taken the decision to close down their academy from under-16 level downwards until further notice.
Who’s saying what?
Dyche: ‘I know where football is in my life, let alone the grand scheme of things. If this is deemed a worldwide situation then football, all of a sudden, disappears slightly into the distance.
‘It’s not ideal, of course, but we know that health is more important than anything.’
CHELSEA
Are any players in isolation?
Yes, the entire Chelsea first-team squad and staff are currently in self-isolation after Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday.
On Friday morning, Hudson-Odoi posted an Instagram video in which he said: ‘Thank you for all your good wishes. As I said in the video I’m feeling good and hope to see you all soon!’
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
It’s believed Hudson-Odoi is the only person to have tested positive at Chelsea so far with the club putting stringent measures in place to prevent further spread of the virus.
The club said the player displayed symptoms similar to a mild cold on Monday morning last week and kept away from the training ground thereafter.
His subsequent coronavirus test came in positive a few days later.
Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for coronavirus after feeling ill last week
Is training taking place as normal?
No, everyone has been told to stay away from the Cobham training base following Hudson-Odoi’s diagnosis.
A deep clean was performed on Thursday and the club partially closed two buildings, including the one used by the men’s first team, at Cobham as a result.
The rest of the complex was operating as normal.
According to the Daily Mirror, Mason Mount was reminded of his responsibilities after being spotted playing football with his friend Declan Rice, of West Ham, at a 5G pitch in Barnet, north London, on Sunday.
Who’s saying what?
Hudson-Odoi: ‘As you may be aware, I had the virus for the last couple of days, which I’ve recovered from. I’m following the health guidelines and self-isolating myself from everybody for the week.
‘I hope to see everybody soon and hopefully be back on the pitch very soon. Take care.’
CRYSTAL PALACE
Are any players in isolation?
There have been no reports of any Crystal Palace players being put into self-isolation.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
No reports of anyone at Palace testing positive.
Is training taking place as normal?
Yes, Palace will be carrying on for now.
The club have told supporters they are eligible to claim a full refund on any tickets purchased for their postponed Premier League away games at Bournemouth and Liverpool.
One side-effect of the potential government order to ask those aged 70 or over to stay at home to avoid catching the virus is that it would include Palace’s 72-year-old manager Roy Hodgson.
Things could get interesting if it comes to that in the coming weeks and months.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson, 72, says he has no worries about his health
Who’s saying what?
Hodgson on his health earlier this month: ‘The things we are doing at the club will keep me a lot healthier than the average guy, especially the average guy who spends a lot of his time on the Tube every day.
‘It is not something that concerns me much. I presume they are thinking that to protect us because, from what I have heard and read, it is the people who are older who are most at risk, but certainly I feel very healthy.’
EVERTON
Are any players in isolation?
Yes, an unnamed member of the first-team squad is in seven days of self-isolation after reporting a high temperature late last week.
As a result, the club’s training ground at Finch Farm has been closed as a precaution with all staff, including players, advised to stay away until further notice.
The club also took steps to close down Everton’s headquarters at the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool city centre and also the club shop at Goodison Park.
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti said: ‘We’re not really self-isolating at all, but some prevention measures did come in after a player had a fever, but his temperature has dropped now and that’s the most important thing.
‘The Premier League did stop eventually, and it’s about time. It was the right decision faced with the scenario.’
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti and his players are steering clear of the training ground
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody has tested positive at Everton as yet.
Is training taking place as normal?
No as per the restrictions detailed above.
Who’s saying what?
Ancelotti: ‘Football counts for zero right now and it almost irritates me to be talking about it, faced with the tragedy that is unfolding in front of our eyes.’
LEICESTER CITY
Are any players in isolation?
Yes, three members of the Leicester City squad are in precautionary self-isolation after showing symptoms of an ‘extremely mild illness’ last week.
The club contacted the NHS 111 helpline and were advised their symptoms were consistent with common seasonal illness and a seven-day period of self-isolation was recommended.
Manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed the trio ‘have been kept away from the rest of the squad.’
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody has actually tested positive for coronavirus at Leicester.
Three members of Brendan Rodgers’ squad at Leicester were placed into self-isolation
Is training taking place as normal?
It will be continuing minus the three aforementioned players though the club said activity at their Belvoir Drive training ground will be reduced in the coming weeks given the lack of games.
However, both Belvoir Drive and the King Power Stadium will remain fully operational for the time being.
Who’s saying what?
Rodgers: ‘We had a few players that have shown symptoms and signs. We followed procedures and they have been kept away from the rest of the squad.’
LIVERPOOL
Are any players in isolation?
Not exactly but Liverpool took the decision on Friday to voluntarily suspend first-team activity at their Melwood training ground following the suspension of the Premier League.
The club had already implemented precautionary measures to guard against the spread of the virus.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody at Liverpool has tested positive.
Liverpool are not training at Melwood for the time being as part of a voluntary shutdown
Is training taking place as normal?
There’s no collective training as mentioned but players have been given individual training programmes to follow at home. The last group training session before the voluntary shutdown took place on Friday.
Who’s saying what?
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in a message to supporters: ‘First and foremost, all of us have to do whatever we can to protect one another.
‘In society I mean. This should be the case all the time in life, but in this moment I think it matters more than ever.
‘I’ve said before that football always seems the most important of the least important things. Today, football and football matches really aren’t important at all.’
Of course, with the league pausing with Liverpool 25 points clear and on the verge of winning a first championship in 30 years, there has been much discussion about how to properly conclude the season once restrictions are lifted.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp sent a heartfelt message to supporters amid the crisis
MANCHESTER CITY
Are any players in isolation?
Yes, left-back Benjamin Mendy self-isolated after a member of his family suffered respiratory problems on Thursday last week.
Paramedics rushed to Mendy’s Cheshire home to attend to them but they later tested negative for coronavirus.
City’s players were given a day off on Friday.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody within the club has tested positive.
Manchester City’s Benjamin Mendy self-isolated after a family member fell ill last week
Is training taking place as normal?
Training was cancelled on Friday with a decision on whether City’s squad will return to training this week expected soon.
City suspended all boys and girls academy football activities and all City in the Community coaching activities until further notice.
Who’s saying what?
Former Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala, who now plays for Valencia, tested positive for coronavirus.
He said in an Instagram statement: ‘I knew today that I am Coronavirus positive.
‘At the moment, I’m feeling good and I have no symptoms associated with the virus. However, I am confined in house and have no contact with my family.’
MANCHESTER UNITED
Are any players in isolation?
No Manchester United players or staff are in isolation at the moment.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody has tested positive.
Is training taking place as normal?
Yes though the club are taking stringent measures to quickly identify anyone who may display symptoms.
Reports over the weekend said all members of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad are being tested when they arrive and leave the training ground.
Striker Odion Ighalo was among the United players wearing face masks as they drove into the Aon Training Complex on Friday.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his staff are taking no chances by testing players for coronavirus
Medical staff even recorded player temperatures with testing kits on the return flight from Austria after United’s 5-0 Europa League win over LASK on Thursday night.
Only essential first-team staff are being allowed to get near the players but there are no plans to shut the training ground yet.
Who’s saying what?
Midfielder Paul Pogba launched a fund-raising appeal to help fight the coronavirus outbreak on his 27th birthday on Sunday.
The Frenchman aimed to raise £27,000 in one day in conjunction with Unicef and pledged to double that amount if it was reached.
‘It’s my birthday and I’m always grateful that me, my family and friends are healthy. Nonetheless, not everybody is in good health right now,’ Pogba wrote on his official Facebook and Instagram pages.
‘The Coronavirus pandemic is affecting the health and lives of many, including children. The impact of a large-scale outbreak, especially on poor and vulnerable children, can be immense.’
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Are any players in isolation?
Not as a result of displaying symptoms but the club have shut down their training centre and academy for a minimum of two weeks ‘as a precaution’.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody at the club has tested positive for the virus.
Is training taking place as normal?
No, the players have been given individual fitness programmes to complete at home during the two-week shutdown.
A Newcastle United fan reads a coronavirus advice poster outside St James’ Park on Saturday
In common with other clubs, all non-football appearances and public engagements have been cancelled with players instructed not to pose for pictures with fans or sign autographs.
Stadium tours of St James’ Park have also been cancelled with access to the dressing rooms restricted to only essential personnel.
Who’s saying what?
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce speaking before the weekend: ‘It’s strange and difficult times for everybody, not just those involved with football.
‘It’s something we’re all shaking our heads at. It’s quite incredible. It’s all about the supporters, and their welfare is more important than anything.’
NORWICH CITY
Are any players in isolation?
Nobody at Norwich City is currently in isolation.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody at the club has contracted the virus.
Is training taking place as normal?
To a certain extent. Daniel Farke’s club are working to a reduced training schedule after the fixtures were paused.
The players will receive more time for rest and recuperation and those currently out injured will continue to work through their rehabilitation programmes.
Two young fans have a kickaround outside Norwich City’s Carrow Road stadium on Saturday
Who’s saying what?
Norwich manager Farke: ‘We know we have to act carefully and responsibly during what is a stormy and crazy time for society. We have a duty to look after those around us.
‘Yes, we are working with football players here in Norwich City, but also we are working with human beings.
‘We must have a responsible training schedule and we must all be in a good physical and mental state to be prepared for every opportunity. Having a balance between training and rest is important.’
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Are any players in isolation?
There have been no reports of any Sheffield United players going into isolation.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
No reports of anybody at Bramall Lane suffering from the virus.
Is training taking place as normal?
The Blades squad will continue to train as normal at their Shirecliffe base. However, their academy has been closed down until the end of the month at least.
Players have been extensively screened for coronavirus symptoms before being allowed into training each day.
Sheffield United have shut down Bramall Lane to prevent the spread of the coronavirus
The club has also banned all non-essential visits to the training ground so as to limit the risk of exposing players to the virus.
All club offices and the club shop at Bramall Lane have also been closed until at least March 23.
Who’s saying what?
Blades manager Chris Wilder on the club’s precautions for players: ‘Before they come in, they have to fill out a form online about how they are feeling, if there’s any muscle soreness or issues like that. Then everything gets flagged up.
‘I always receive an email, at about 8am, telling me where everybody is at. We get talked about as being pretty old fashioned here. But we are up to date and have our finger on the pulse, if you want to put it like that, from a modern technology point of view.’
SOUTHAMPTON
Are any players in isolation?
No Saints players are in isolation at the present time.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody at Southampton has tested positive for the virus so far.
Is training taking place as normal?
The first team were given the weekend off following the postponement of their trip to Norwich City but told not to travel anywhere.
The plan is for Ralph Hassenhuttl’s squad to return to the club’s Staplewood Campus training ground to carry on this week.
Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium is closed at the moment amid the coronavirus outbreak
However, the club will be limiting access to both their training ground and St Mary’s, while staff have been advised to work remotely wherever possible.
The ticket office and club shop at the ground are closed, while stadium tours have been cancelled.
The Football Association has also cancelled plans for the England team to use Southampton’s training facilities ahead of their now cancelled international friendlies against Italy and Denmark later this month.
Who’s saying what?
Hassenhuttl speaking last week: ‘I think it’s normal that there are more important things around us than football to focus on and then it’s not so easy to bring the focus back on the pitch if you need to.’
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Are any players in isolation?
The only Tottenham player who has been in self-isolation was Heung-min Son, who stayed away from the training ground for two weeks after returning from his native South Korea.
Son was in Korea for surgery on the fractured forearm he suffered during Tottenham’s 3-2 win over Aston Villa last month.
With Korea badly affected by the virus, Son stayed away from the club as a precaution and had been set to return this week.
Heung-min Son kept away from the training ground for a fortnight after coming back from South Korea, where he underwent surgery on a fractured forearm
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody has tested positive at Spurs. At least one club employee has been tested after showing symptoms but the result came back negative.
Is training taking place as normal?
Yes, Spurs plan to continue this week as far as possible.
The club announced they would donate all the food supplies from their cancelled Sunday game against Manchester United to The Felix Project, a London-based charity that aims to reduce hunger in the capital.
It amounted to 1,200 items in total including milk, fruit bags and pasta.
WATFORD
Are any players in isolation?
Not exactly but the decision was made to cancel training on Thursday after some of the players felt unwell.
One of the players underwent a coronavirus test. Manager Nigel Pearson said that the players who experienced illness stayed at home as a precaution.
‘We had somebody with a chest infection, somebody with an upset stomach and players who have shown flu-like symptoms,’ said Pearson.
‘We’ve got one player awaiting test results on his symptoms. Not everybody is the same and we’ve had people who feel okay.’
Watford manager Nigel Pearson said a number of his players were feeling ill last week
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody has tested positive as yet.
Is training taking place as normal?
It certainly hasn’t been business as usual as detailed above.
Who’s saying what?
Pearson criticising Boris Johnson last week: ‘I don’t think we had any great leadership last night, listening to the Prime Minister.
‘I was totally underwhelmed by the lack of leadership and clear message, in terms of what was said in that press conference.’
WEST HAM UNITED
Are any players in isolation?
Manager David Moyes and his staff self-isolated for seven days after coming into contact with Mikel Arteta when Arsenal played West Ham earlier this month.
Moyes showed no coronavirus symptoms during that week and is now back at work.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody at West Ham has tested positive for the virus.
West Ham manager David Moyes had to go into self-isolation after hugging Mikel Arteta
Is training taking place as normal?
West Ham hope to get back to normal as quickly as possible and continue training but they have introduced a number of restrictions at their Rush Green base.
The training ground has been taken off limits to all non-essential visitors, including player agents.
West Ham staff have also been told to keep a log of everywhere they go once leaving the training ground – including any restaurants they have visited.
In line with quite a few other clubs, players have been ordered not to pose for selfies with fans.
Who’s saying what?
Hammers captain Mark Noble: ‘As much as we all want to play, it is the right decision. There are times when sport, as important as it is to so many people, is of secondary importance and this is just such a time.’
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Are any players in isolation?
Nobody at Wolves is currently in isolation.
Has anyone at the club had the virus yet?
Nobody at the club has tested positive for the virus.
That will be a relief given Wolves were unhappy at having to travel to Greece last week and complete their Europa League fixture against Olympiacos, whose owner Evangelos Marinakis, had tested positive for coronavirus.
Their striker Patrick Cutrone, who is currently on loan at Italian club Fiorentina, has tested positive.
Wolves played Olympiacos in the Europa League behind closed doors on Thursday night
Is training taking place as normal?
Wolves will resume full training from Monday with coach Nuno Espirito Santo and his squad working as normal at their Compton training base despite having no fixtures to play.
The club’s academy has been closed, however, as have parts of Molineux such as the megastore, ticket office and Wolves Foundation, with staff encouraged to work from home where possible.
Who’s saying what?
Wolves chairman Jeff Shi: ‘I’ve been in close contact with friends, family and colleagues in China since the coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan, which has afforded me an acute awareness of the virus’ threat and impact, and a deep desire to take all measures possible to protect our players, staff, supporters and the community.
‘From my knowledge and understanding of the virus, social distancing is crucial to the fight against it, so this is a necessary course of action and a sacrifice we all have to make.’
HOW CORONAVIRUS HAS HIT THE WORLD OF SPORT SO FAR
2020 OLYMPIC GAMES
Cancelled
The Olympic torch relay in Greece was cancelled on Friday 13 March – just a day after the flame was lit in Olympia.
Large crowds mobbed Hollywood actor Gerard Butler as he lit the cauldron in the Greek city of Sparta on Friday despite repeated warnings for spectators not to attend because of coronavirus.
That forced the decision by the Greek Olympic Committee to halt the torch relay on Greek soil on just the second day of its scheduled eight-day journey.
The Olympic flame will still be handed over to the Tokyo 2020 organising committee at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens on Thursday, but without fans. It is the only the third time that a relay to Athens for the summer Games has not been completed.
In doubt
The scale of the outbreak in Japan saw senior International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound describe the disease as ‘the new war’ threatening Tokyo 2020 and he warned the Games may have to be cancelled if the virus was still around by May.
Olympic organisers told athletes to train as normal with no decision on cancellation
The Japanese government later insisted Pound’s comments were not the IOC’s official stance but there remains doubts over whether the summer showcase can still go ahead with health concerns.
Athletes have been told to keep training and the plan remains to hold the Games in Japan as planned but training for around 80,000 volunteers has been delayed for at least two months- it was due to begin on February 22.
On Friday, March 13; President Donald Trump’s suggestion to postpone the Tokyo Olympics for a year because of the spreading coronavirus was immediately shot down by Japan’s Olympic minister.
‘The IOC and the organising committee are not considering cancellation or a postponement – absolutely not at all,’ Seiko Hashimoto, an Olympic bronze medalist, told a news conference in Tokyo.
The International Olympic Committee and Tokyo organisers have stayed on message since the viral outbreak in China three months ago spread across Asia and then the globe: The games will open as schedule on July 24.
ATHLETICS
Cancelled
World Athletics Indoor Championships (March 13-15 in Nanjing) is off until 2021.
The World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, has been postponed due to concerns over the danger of the coronavirus and its ability to spread
North Korea cancelled the Pyongyang Marathon scheduled for April after imposing a border lockdown due to the level of outbreak in South Korea.
The Seoul Marathon is cancelled in a bid to protect runners following the mass outbreak in South Korea.
The Paris half-marathon is cancelled and the French government also decided to ban all indoor public gatherings of more than 5,000 people.
The race involving some 44,000 competitors was scheduled for Sunday (March 1) in the French capital city. Organisers said the race will be postponed to a date yet to be determined.
The Barcelona marathon scheduled for March 15 has been postponed until October to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Barcelona’s city hall said in a statement.
In doubt
A mixed relay Olympic triathlon qualification event scheduled for Chengdu, China in May is moved to Valencia, pending an outbreak in Spain.
BADMINTON
Cancelled
German Open (March 3-8), Vietnam Open (March 24-29) and Polish Open (March 26-29), all Olympic qualifying events, are cancelled due to ‘strict health protection’.
BOXING
Cancelled
Olympic boxing qualifiers to be staged in Wuhan were cancelled by the International Olympic Committee, and now are relocated to occur in Amman from March 3-11
The IBF title fight between Daniele Scardina and Andrew Francillette in Milan on February 28 was postponed by Matchroom due to restrictions in Italy following the outbreak.
The Japanese boxing commission cancelled all fight cards scheduled for March on government advice to suspend all pending sporting fixtures. They will not be rescheduled.
In doubt
All British fights over the next two months are under threat. The BBBoC confirmed to Sportsmail they are no currently making recommendations to cancel shows but admitted that can change and will await guidance from the government.
CRICKET
Cancelled
England’s tour of Sri Lanka was postponed on Friday 13 March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the England and Wales Cricket Board citing ‘completely unprecedented times’.
The decision was confirmed while Joe Root’s side were in the field at Colombo’s P Sara Oval, contesting a warm-up game for a two-Test series that was in the process of being written off by decision-makers back at Lord’s.
CYCLING
In doubt
Danish cyclist Michael Morkov has been cleared to race at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships after being kept in isolation over fears of an outbreak of coronavirus.
Morkov, 34, had travelled to Berlin in February after contesting the first four stages of the UAE Tour, the final two stages of which were then cancelled after two members of staff on the race were suspected of having the disease.
Riders and staff on the UAE Tour have been in lockdown since but, after the Abu Dhabi Department of Health issued a statement on Saturday saying 167 tests had come back negative, the UCI said Morkov was free to race as normal.
Danish cyclist Michael Morkov was tested for coronavirus after being put in isolation
FOOTBALL
Cancelled
Top-level English and Scottish football has been suspended until April 3 at the earliest due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced on Friday 13 March.
The Football Association, the Premier League, the English Football League, FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship have all agreed to call a halt to competitive action with immediate effect.
A joint statement from the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Professional Football League confirmed the suspension of all football north of the border until further notice.
The decisions to suspend follows players and staff becoming affected by the virus, or individuals self-isolating as a precaution after reporting symptoms consistent with Covid-19.
The Premier League clash between Manchester City and Arsenal, scheduled for March 11, had already been postponed as a ‘precautionary measure’ after Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis tested positive for coronavirus weeks after watching his Greek team play at the Emirates Stadium.
On Friday 13 March, UEFA has announced all Champions League and Europa League fixtures scheduled for next week are postponed, as well as the quarter-final draws for both competitions. UEFA has called an emergency meeting on Tuesday 17 March to discuss whether Euro 2020 can go ahead as scheduled.
All domestic fixtures at all levels are postponed by the Chinese Football Association as the season is pushed back due to the scale of the outbreak in China.
Asian Champions League matches involving Guangzhou Evergrande, Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai SIPG are postponed until April.
The start of the Korean K-League season is postponed. The four teams in the AFC Champions League are playing their matches behind closed doors.
Japan’s J-League postponed all domestic games until the middle of March.
Inter Milan’s game against Sampdoria was one of four Serie A games cancelled on February 22-23 weekend due to affected regions in Italy leading to advice from the prime minister to call off sporting events.
Inter Milan’s Europa League match with Getafe was also postponed on March 11, while Roma’s flight to Spain to face Sevilla was banned from landing before being postponed, with Italy on lockdown.
The Coppa Italia match between Napoli and Inter Milan on March 5 became the latest fixture to be called off, when it was postponed indefinitely. It was the 12th game to be postponed since the crisis began and the third involving Inter.
Ludogorets players were taking no chances after the coronavirus outbreak in Italy
An update from sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora later confirmed all the Serie A fixtures for the weekend commencing March 7-8, would be played behind closed doors. And with the country on lockdown, it was later announced that all sport, including Serie A games, would be suspended until at least April 3 to contain the virus.
In France, it was announced on Friday 13 March that there will be no top-flight football in France for the immediate future after their governing body postponed all matches in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
In Spain, April 18’s Copa del Rey final between between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad has been postponed.
UEFA said it is asking governments across the continent to ensure Euro 2020 goes ahead in three months despite the coronavirus outbreak.
MLS has been suspended for 30 days with David Beckham’s first Inter Miami home game delayed.
Impacted
The home leg of the Chinese women’s national team’s Olympic qualification play-off against South Korea set for March is switched to Sydney. The squad are held in quarantine upon their arrival in Australia for January’s qualifying group stage due to fears of virus carriers.
Inter Milan’s Europa League match against Ludogorets on February 27 was played behind closed doors. Only TV rights-holders are allowed to attend as media as the club look to secure the San Siro. Ludogorets players arrived in Italy wearing face masks.
Serie A announced five matches on February 28-March 1 would be played behind closed doors, including Juventus vs Inter Milan in Turin, a huge match between title rivals.
Ligue 1 followed suit with games set to be played in empty stadiums until April 15. Clubs also have the option of playing games with just 1,000 fans.
LaLiga became the latest league to ban supporters in stadiums after guidance from Spain’s health ministry and sports council. Barcelona’s Champions League tie with Napoli will also be played in an empty ground.
Olympiakos’ owner Evangelos Marinakis has tested positive for the coronavirus
Manchester United clash at Austrian side Lask was behind closed doors, with United handing out £350 to each fan to help with travel and accommodation after they sold 900 tickets for the Europa League game.
Newcastle United have banned their players from shaking hands with each other amid coronavirus fears.
Three players from third-division Italian football club US Pianese have tested positive for coronavirus, the Tuscany side confirmed on Friday.
Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also owns Nottingham Forest, tested positive for the coronavirus. Both Olympiacos and Forest squads were tested and all returned negative.
In Germany, Hannover 96 defender Timo Hubers tested positive for the virus.
Spain’s Copa del Rey final, which was set to take place on April 18, between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao has now been postponed.
Cristiano Ronaldo went into isolation in Madeira after it emerged that his Juventus team-mate, Daniele Rugani, has coronavirus.
Another Juventus player, Paulo Dybala, has also tested positive according to reports and he has been placed in quarantine.
The Football Association of Ireland announced that all football under its jurisdiction will cease until March 29.
Liverpool have announced a charity match between a Reds Legends side and Barcelona Legends, due to be played at Anfield on March 28, has been postponed.
FIFA says it will postpone South American World Cup qualifying matches due to take place in March.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for coronavirus on March 12 with the entire first-team squad being put into isolation. The Gunners’ game against Brighton, scheduled for Saturday March 14, has been postponed.
In the early hours of Friday, March 13, Chelsea announced that winger Callum Hudson-Odoi had been diagnosed with the illness.
The club’s first team have gone into self-isolation, while two buildings at their training ground in Cobham have been closed. Their game against Aston Villa, scheduled for Saturday March 14, appears certain to be postponed.
In doubt
Thursday’s Europa League clash between Olympiakos on Wolves took place behind closed doors after an order by the government in Greece, but Wolves have asked UEFA to delay the fixture.
England’s friendly against Italy at Wembley in March is still set to go ahead, as per a tweet from England football’s account on March 11. England are also set to play Denmark in March.
Israel has warned citizens to avoid all international travel, which raises questions whether supporters or players will travel to Scotland for their Euro 2020 play-off match on March 26.
Growing concerns that some matches at Euro 2020 could be called off if the coronavirus outbreak gets worse between now and the summer. The tournament is set to be multi-city. UEFA admit they are in a ‘waiting stage’ and must follow the orders of the individual countries involved. However, FA Chairman Greg Clarke has stated that he expects the tournament to go ahead.
Premier League games are ‘likely’ to be played behind closed doors ‘in the coming weeks’ over coronavirus fears, Everton board member Sasha Ryazantsev has warned, in line with the action taken in Serie A.
Chelsea’s Champions League last-16 second leg at Bayern Munich is also heading towards being postponed, it was revealed on March 13.
Football bodies across England and the rest of Europe are bracing themselves for a reported total shutdown of every league until September. UEFA will hold a meeting on Tuesday, March 17 will be crucial in sorting the fate of the 2019-20 season.
FORMULA ONE
Cancelled
The Australian Grand Prix has been called off after a McLaren team member came down with Covid-19, leading to the British team pulling out prior to a decision being made on whether the race would still go ahead.
The announcement came hours after Lewis Hamilton said it was ‘shocking’ that the race was going ahead.
The Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 19 is postponed with no decision over whether it will be reinserted into the 2020 calendar for later in the season.
Impacted
The Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for March 20-22, is set to be called off as is the inaugural Vietnam Grand Prix (scheduled to take place in Hanoi on April 5).
The Chinese GP was first to be cancelled and other races could yet follow that lead
In doubt
There is hope that the F1 season can begin on May 3. F1 chiefs are looking to press on with the Zandvoort race in Holland on that date.
GOLF
Cancelled
The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific golf championship, slated to take place from February 12-15 in Thailand, was postponed and has been rescheduled for October.
The Honda LPGA Thailand event in Pattaya, Thailand scheduled for February 20-23 along with the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, scheduled to start on February 27, were both postponed
The PGA Tour Series-China postponed two qualifying tournaments and delayed the start of its 2020 campaign by two months, cutting the number of regular season events down from 14 to 10.
The decision was made to cancel the LPGA Blue Bay tournament in China, with the event at Hainan Island (due to start on March 5) seen as dangerous to players’ health
The European Tour postponed the Maybank Championship (April 16-19 in Kuala Lumpur) and Volvo China Open (April 23-26 in Shenzhen).
After deciding to play with no spectators from the second round of the Players Championship onwards, the PGA Tour cancelled the event entirely after the first round on Thursday 12 March.
They have also scrapped their next three events, meaning there will be no PGA Tour events prior to the first major of the year, The Masters, in April. However, on Friday 13 March the prestigious Augusta tournament was also postponed.
In a statement released online, Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, emphasised that the decision makers hope to hold the prestigious tournament ‘at some later date’.
The first men’s major championship of the year was due to begin on April 9 in Georgia, but has been suspended due to the escalating pandemic.
Impacted
Lorenzo Gagli and Edoardo Molinari were withdrawn from the Oman Open on medical grounds after Gagli showed symptoms of the virus. He shared a hotel room with Molinari and he was told to self-isolate. They were later reinstated to the tournament after testing negative for the virus.
HORSE RACING
Impacted
The Japan Racing Association revealed that ‘government-sanctioned races’ will go behind closed doors.
Two race meetings in France next week are to take place behind closed doors in a response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Monday’s jumps card and the Wednesday fixture on the Flat at Compiegne will have no paying customers, with the order coming from the mayor of the town and the president of the Compiegne Racing Society.
Racing in Ireland is to take place behind closed doors starting until March 29.
The Cheltenham Festival went ahead despite travel disruption caused by the virus
RUGBY
Cancelled
Scotland Women’s Six Nations match with Italy on February 23 is postponed due to an outbreak in the Milan area.
And the Women’s match between Wales and Scotland in the Six Nations on March 15 is also off after one Scottish player tested positive for the virus.
Ireland’s Six Nations meeting with Italy on March 7 is postponed.
Ospreys and Ulster’s Pro14 trips to play in Italy on February 29 are postponed. Ospreys were due to play Zebre in Parma with Treviso the venue for Ulster’s game against Benetton.
Ireland’s Six Nations encounter with Italy on March 7 has been postponed
The Italian Rugby Federation suspended its National Championship and youth games for February 28-March 1.
Hong Kong Rugby Sevens is postponed, which is a blow to Olympic preparations for Team GB.
England’s final Six Nations game against Italy is off ‘with the intention to reschedule it at a later date’. The same applies to the corresponding women’s and U20s fixtures. All were due to be played on March 13-15.
Meanwhile, France’s Six Nations clash with Ireland on March 14 has been pushed back with the French government taking measures against sporting events.
In doubt
Scottish rugby announced preparations ‘continue as normal’ as they discuss with French rugby whether to proceed with their Six Nations match on March 8 following a second coronavirus death in France.
All of Italy’s remaining Six Nations fixtures – they are due to host England in their final game on March 14 – are in serious doubt given the scale of the outbreak in Italy.
Fears of the virus spreading then prompted ITV to abandon plans to send commentators and pundits out to Rome for England’s game against Italy in Rome.
TENNIS
Cancelled
All events on the ATP Tour have been suspended for six weeks.
The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in California, set to start on March 9, was postponed at the eleventh hour. It came after a confirmed case of the coronavirus in the nearby Coachella Valley.
The final of an ATP Challenger event in Bergamo, Italy, between Enzo Couacaud and Illya Marchenko of Ukraine is cancelled. Both players received ranking points and prize money for getting to the final. They were denied the opportunity to play behind closed doors.
China forfeited a Davis Cup tie because the men’s team were unable to travel to Romania for the March 6-7 playoff.
WTA event Xi’an Open (set for April 13-19) is cancelled due to fears over player safety. WTA announced they are assessing their schedule with a number of events set for China in the second half of the season.
The International Tennis Federation has announced that next month’s Fed Cup finals have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The event was due to be held in Budapest and the competition’s play-offs, which were set to take place in eight different locations, have also been placed on hold.
The WTA also announced no tournaments will be staged for at least five weeks.
Impacted
Japan’s home Davis Cup tie against Ecuador next week is now set to be played behind closed doors.
Players will be banned from handing their towels to ball-kids at next week’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, organisers said on Friday.
OTHER SPORTS
Cancelled
MotoGP have cancelled their first two races of the season in Qatar and Thailand. Moto2 and Moto3 will though run in Qatar though as they were already based at the track for pre-season testing.
Cycling’s United Arab Emirates Tour has been cancelled with Chris Froome tested for coronavirus and Mark Cavendish put into lockdown in his hotel room.
South Korean baseball league cancelled all 50 pre-season game which were slated to take place from March 14-24. It is the first time since the leagues inception in 1982 that an entire set of exhibition matches are off.
The first-stage draw for the Table Tennis World Championships, scheduled for South Korea from March 22-29, is postponed.
A beach volleyball tournament, due to be held in Yangzhou from April 22-26, is postponed until after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
World Short track speed skating championship in Seoul is cancelled.
Next month’s World Triathlon Series event in Abu Dhabi was postponed on Saturday as a precautionary measure.
The event was due to take place from March 5 to March 7 in the city, which has reported new cases of the virus.
Event organisers said they still hoped to reschedule the event to take place later in March or April.
The Women’s World Ice Hockey Championships, scheduled for Canada later this month, have been cancelled.
The NBA has also been suspended indefinitely after two Utah Jazz players contracted the virus.
The NHL has announced it has paused the 2019-20 season with no date confirmed for when it will resume.
The London marathon has been postponed for six months. It was scheduled to take place on April 26 but has now been pushed back to October.
All 72 pre-season baseball games in Japan are to take place behind closed doors
Impacted
The Japanese professional baseball league made the decision to play their 72 pre-season games behind closed doors until March 15. Baseball is among the most popular sports in Japan.
In an aid to decrease risks of exposure to the virus, the NBA have told players to avoid taking items such as pens, markers, balls and jerseys from autograph seekers.
In doubt
The South Korean baseball league regular season is in doubt ahead of the first round of matches on March 28. An emergency meeting has been called.
Doubts remain as the Asian weightlifting championships, scheduled for March, are relocated from Kazakhstan to neighbouring Uzbekistan. They could still be postponed.
