Premier League Can Return in June
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SPORT SPORT | 09 SPORT | 11 Tennis:T Pique Al Attiyah quenches pessimisticpess about thirst for speed hholdingoldin this year's with racing Davis Cup simulator TUESDAY 12 MAY 2020 Premier League can return in June AFP – LONDON how to return to group training British ministers announce safely and on how the Premier plans to ease the Premier League clubs received League would deal with pos- coronavirus lockdown as the a boost to their hopes of itive tests. English top-flight clubs meet completing the season Brighton confirmed on for further talks on “Project yesterday as the government Sunday that a third member of Restart”. published a “roadmap” that their squad had tested could see the return of elite positive. After June 1, sporting sport in England from June 1. Cases have also been found events would be allowed As the 20 English top-flight in squads in Germany, where to take place behind closed clubs met for further talks on the Bundesliga is due to restart “Project Restart”, ministers this weekend, as well as Italy, doors for broadcast, while announced plans to ease the Spain and Portugal in recent avoiding the risk of coronavirus lockdown. days. large-scale social contact. Under step two of that German second-tier side process, which cannot begin Dynamo Dresden placed their Such events will only be any earlier than June 1, sporting entire squad into a 14-day quar- allowed if sufficient progress events would be allowed “to antine on Saturday after discov- is made in limiting the A general view outside the take place behind closed doors ering two new cases of the virus. spread of the virus. London Stadium in London, for broadcast, while avoiding However, five La Liga Britain as the Premier League the risk of large-scale social players who tested positive is suspended due to the contact”. have been quarantined at home, “We are just people too,” Such events will only be while their teammates continue tweeted Norwich midfielder coronavirus pandemic in allowed if sufficient progress is to train in preparation for a Todd Cantwell on Sunday. this file photo. made in limiting the spread of return to action. In England, The Premier League’s desire the virus. players have voiced their con- to overcome so many obstacles A group of clubs near the integrity? Of course not.” Exec- relegation be removed. English Premier League clubs had cerns at the prospect of being to complete the campaign is bottom of the table are fiercely utives at Brighton, West Ham Football League Chairman Rick been planning for a return to rushed back into training and, rooted in economic necessity. opposed to plans to play the and Aston Villa have also pub- Parry suggested last week that action no earlier than the week eventually, into playing a Clubs stand to lose an esti- remaining 92 games at neutral licly opposed the neutral- legal action would be launched beginning June 8. contact sport at a time when the mated £1bn ($1.2bn) if the venues. venues plan with the suspicion if promotion were denied to English top-flight clubs rest of the public remain season is not finished, £760m “With all these compro- they will only back down if three clubs from the second-tier were talking yesterday about a encouraged to abide by social- of which comes from TV con- mises and health risks we are there is an agreement to scrap Championship. possible resumption despite distancing guidelines. tracts that would be satisfied if asked to finish a competition relegation this season. Supporters face a long wait growing disquiet among players The UK has been one of the games were played behind that bears no resemblance to However, that could cause to be allowed to attend matches, over safety issues and divisions worst-hit countries in the global closed doors. the one we started,” Watford’s even more financial hardship with the latest guidelines rec- over proposals on how to finish pandemic, with the government Financial worries are also chairman and chief executive to the league as a whole. Broad- ognising a return to sport in the season. officially recording nearly causing divisions among the 20 Scott Duxbury told the club’s casters are not keen on front of a crowd “may only be Before the resumption of 32,000 deaths of people who top-flight clubs, which could website. spending hundreds of millions fully possible significantly later matches can be considered, had tested positive for end the chances of a return to “So is this fair? Does it have for a series of glorified friendlies depending on the reduction in protocols need to be agreed on COVID-19. action. any semblance of sporting should the jeopardy of numbers of infections”. Two Belarusian Formula 1: British GP could go ahead games postponed despite quarantine restrictions due to suspected REUTERS – LONDON A general view of the Silverstone Circuit before the start of the 2019 The race will be a 70th anni- COVID-19 cases Formula One British Grand Prix in this July 14, 2019 file photo. versary for Formula One at the Formula One is working to put on a English circuit which hosted the first REUTERS – MINSK British Grand Prix in July even if the world championship race in 1950. country imposes quarantine Seven of the 10 Formula One teams One Belarusian Premier League match and measures on visitors during the are based in Britain and would be one first division (second tier) game were post- COVID-19 crisis, F1 sources said. returning from a secure envi- poned due to suspected COVID-19 cases, the The Sun newspaper quoted a ronment in Austria where they domestic football federation said yesterday. government source as saying there would have been effectively isolated Belarus was the only country in Europe would be an exemption for sports, for two weeks and repeatedly tested. playing soccer amid the coronavirus pandemic, with Formula One and soccer teams Formula One managing director making it an unlikely draw for fans overseas free to travel from Britain and return Ross Brawn outlined last week some where matches have been cancelled. without restriction once competition of the measures set to be imple- There are almost 24,000 confirmed coro- resumes. mented for the season-opening navirus cases in Belarus, with more than 130 It said athletes and teams would races. deaths. be expected to undergo a rigorous “Everybody will be tested and The federation said that the top flight game testing regime and isolate them- will have a clearance before they between FC Minsk and Neman Grodno, selves immediately if they tested coming into this country by air”. last 16 stage, and would need an even go into the paddock, and then scheduled to take place on May 15, has been positive for the novel coronavirus. An association representing UK exemption to continue in the every two days they’ll be tested called off due to suspected COVID-19 cases Formula One sources told airlines said the government was competition. whilst in the paddock and that will among the home team’s players. Reuters conversations with the gov- planning a 14-day quarantine period Quarantine also has big impli- be with an authorised authority and The first division’s match between Arsenal ernment were ongoing. for most people arriving from cations for Formula One, with the consistent,” he told Sky Sports Dzerzhinsk and leaders Lokomotiv Gomel, British Prime Minister Boris abroad to try to avoid a second peak British Grand Prix at Silverstone television. scheduled for May 16, was postponed because Johnson said in a televised of the coronavirus outbreak. scheduled for July 19 -- the weekend Silverstone has made clear that of suspected cases among Lokomotiv players. address to the nation on Sunday Manchester City and Chelsea are after teams complete a planned its race has to get government New dates for the games were not that “it will soon be the time... to still in the Champions League, which double-header in Austria on July 5 approval and cannot be a burden announced. impose quarantine on people has been halted since March at the and 12. on policing or the medical services. QORC MotoGP: Saeed and Soud shine in opening round THE PENINSULA – DOHA Top Qatari rider Saeed Al Sulaiti and compatriot Soud Al Thani topped their respective groups as the inaugural Qatar Online Racing Championship (QORC) MotoGP series flagged off on a virtual Laguna Seca Raceway on Sunday. The series, played on Play- Station 4 platform of MotoGP 19 QORC QUALIFYING ROUND 1 game, is organised by the Qatar FINAL STANDINGS (TOP 5) Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) who successfully con- GROUP B cluded the QORC for cars, last 1: Saeed Al Sulaiti month. 2: Mohamad Al Zaidan Soud clinched the victory in 3: Ali Ahmed Group A while Sulaiti, the reigning opponent in the regular Qatar taking place today and Thursday. 4: Khalid Al Maraghi Qatar Superstock champion, fin- Superstock series, Abdulla Al After that, the top 4 riders from 5: Abdulla Al Qubaisi ished first in Group B. Jeremy Qubaisi, could not secure a each group will qualify to go to Parola and Hade Ahmed won the podium spot in Sunday’s race, and the finals. GROUP A second and third places respec- came fifth. With all motorsport events 1: Soud Al Thani tively in Group A. A total of 21 riders have signed around the world coming to a halt 2: Jeremy Parola Mohamad Al Zaidan and Ali up for the championship, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 3: Hade Ahmed Ahmed finished second and third including four from Kuwait.