The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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The LPGA Tour made it through its second week without any of its players testing positive for the coronavirus at the Marathon Classic. That still didn’t keep two players from withdrawing in Sylvania, Ohio, because of their caddies.
The LPGA Tour says the caddies for Perrine Delacour and Allie White received positive tests. Both players withdrew because of their close contact with them, and the tour has begun contact tracing.
There will be plenty of time to self-isolate. After the Marathon Classic, the LPGA leaves for Scotland for two weeks, returning to the United States on Aug. 28 for the NW Arkansas Championship.
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The Atlanta Falcons have activated defensive tackle Tyeler Davison from the team’s COVID-19 reserve list. The move came after earlier Wednesday the team activated linebacker Foye Oluokun, quarterback Danny Etling and rookie safety Jaylinn Hawkins from the COVID-19 reserve list. They were among six players placed on the list in the early days of training camp. Fullback Keith Smith and safety Jamal Carter have yet to be cleared to rejoin the team. Oluokun is expected to take over a full-time starting role this season, while Etling is in the mix to serve as the team’s third quarterback. Hawkins is a fourth-round pick out of California.
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Los Angeles County health director Barbara Ferrer said during a briefing that at least eight UCLA football players have tested positive.
Ferrer said contact tracing is ongoing in regards to the positive tests. The university reports on its website that 167 students or staff members have tested positive or had their diagnoses reported to the university.
UCLA has suspended on-campus classes and has restricted houses to athletes who have reported for fall sports practices and conditioning. The Bruins are scheduled to open the season on Sept. 26 against Southern California, but athletic director Martin Jarmond has said that is likely to move to another date.
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The Mountain West announced plans to have its football teams play an eight-game conference schedule and up to two nonconference games, starting Sept. 26. The Mountain West championship game, scheduled for Dec. 5 at the site of the division winner with the best record, would be pushed back to Dec. 12 or 19. Olympic sports in the conference will play only within the league and competition will also begin Sept. 26.
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The College Football Playoff announced the selection committee’s final rankings, which determine the four teams that will play for the national championship, will be released Dec. 20. College Football’s version of selection Sunday was pushed back two weeks to accommodate the changing schedules of FBS conferences. All the conferences have either rescheduled their conference championship games for Dec. 19 or said that they might move them off their originally planned date of Dec. 5.
The College Football Playoff semifinals are still scheduled to be played Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The national championship game is set for Jan. 11 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
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Indiana University anticipates having fans at football games this fall though it has not yet determined at what capacity. A final policy is expected in mid-August.
Athletic director Scott Dolson says the expectation is to play in front of smaller crowds. The announcement came just hours after the Big Ten released its revised 10-game schedule and one day before the Hoosiers open fall practice. Dolson says the athletic department will continue to follow the advice of the school’s Athletics Medical Advisory Group as well as guidelines from state and local leaders, the CDC and university officials.
One thing that already is clear: face coverings must be worn in and around Memorial Stadium.
Indiana also announced season-ticket holders can opt out of this season, donate ticket payments to the Varsity Club, apply the money toward 2021 tickets or receive a refund. Those options will also apply if games are postponed or canceled.
Ticket holders who opt out or cancel a purchase will be given the opportunity to buy the same seats next without losing their status for consecutive years.
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The Detroit Lions have put center Russell Bodine on the reserve/opt-out list.
The Lions announced earlier Wednesday they had activated receiver Kenny Golladay off the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Bodine played 10 games last season for the Buffalo Bills. Prior to that, he spent four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.
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New Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers says he never considered opting out of this season because it probably would have ended his career.
The 38-year-old, eight-time Pro Bowler signed a one-year, $25 million contract in March with Indy after spending his first 16 seasons with the San Diego and Los Angeles Chargers.
“Obviously, you try to be smart. I think that’s really kind of where we are from a family standpoint,” said Rivers, who has nine children. “But deciding not to play, we never got there. I also think making that decision, for me, would have been making the decision to be done and I’m not there yet.”
In May, Rivers announced he would become the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, when he retires. There, Rivers plans to coach his children - like his father did. He says the family has not decided yet whether the children would be home-schooled this fall.
Rivers’ comment comes the same day two more Colts said they would not play this season, safety Rolan Milligan and cornerback Marvell Tell III. They joined linebacker Skai Moore, who announced his decision Tuesday.
“These guys are family to us – we respect their decisions, personally support them, want them and their families to stay safe and healthy,” coach Frank Reich said. “We’ll maintain contact with all of them, but also understand their decision.”
Noah Trister 5:16 PM
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Michigan State defensive end Jacub Panasiuk says he’s redshirting this season because of concerns about COVID-19.
Panasiuk said on his Twitter account that he intends to come back and finish his senior year at Michigan State.
“Our country is facing difficult times with many unanswered questions regarding COVID-19,” Panasiuk said. “Unfortunately, with the uncertainty of the effects of COVID-19, I cannot risk my health and safety in order to play football this season.”
Michigan State’s football team just finished a 14-day quarantine period based on testing that took place last month. Team activities resumed Wednesday, and practice is scheduled to start Friday.
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The American Athletic Conference says it will keep its eight-game conference football schedule in place and allow its 11 schools to play up to four nonconference games.
The AAC also announced it could move the date of its football championship game, scheduled for Dec. 5 at the home stadium of the top-seeded team, back to Dec. 12 or Dec. 19 if needed, due to COVID-19 disruptions.
The conference championship game could also be moved to accommodate Navy’s annual game with Army, scheduled for Dec. 12. The conference said it hoped to make a determination on the date of the championship game no earlier than Nov. 1.
The AAC has lost at least eight games against Power Five conference opponents that have altered schedules to play all or mostly within their league. More cancellations could come. The conference is allowing its members to find replacement games if possible. Conference play begins Sept. 19 as previously planned.
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The South Carolina High School League has pushed back its start date for football practices and games.
The governing body decided to delay workouts until Sept. 8, three weeks later than the previously planned start of Aug. 17.
A seven-game schedule will start Sept. 25, according to the latest plan. The playoffs will conclude in December. Those teams that don’t make the playoffs will have the option of scheduling an extra game, as long as it happens before Nov. 20. High school stadiums will be limited to no more than 250 people in the stands with social distancing measures in place. Fans will also be required to wear a mask or face covering.
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Miami Marlins outfielder Matt Joyce, who missed all of summer camp with the coronavirus, says his antibodies tests have come back negative and he continues to observe protocols for COVID-19.
“I’m like: ‘OK, I already had it. Do I really have to wear the mask all the time?’” Joyce said. “But I still want to be mindful and careful, because there’s still so much unknown.”
Joyce said he had mild symptoms for six days, and he was frustrated that it took him a month to test negative for the virus. Eighteen of his teammates are now infected following a recent outbreak that halted the Marlins’ season for a week.
“Hopefully they have a much better experience than I did with the testing results,” Joyce said.
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