Report highlights growing concern of depression among footballers Tuesday, April 21, 2020 page 13

Al Sailiya coach Trabelsi Premier League’s transfer takes pay cut, supports market bubble set to burst fight against COVID-19 AFP “The vultures and predators London will pick off good players for very modest fees.” The financial squeeze put on The fear for those reliant on Premier League clubs by the transfer fees, though, is that the coronavirus crisis could be felt damage has already been done. across the continent in the com- Given the vast sums in- ing months as the well to fund volved, transfer fees are very massive transfer fees runs dry. commonly paid over the course For each of the past four of a player’s contract. summers, Premier League Based on accounts pub- clubs have flexed their financial lished to the end of the 2018/19 muscle to splurge over £1 billion season, Premier League clubs ($1.3 billion) on transfers. owed £1.6 billion in outstand- Al Sailiya coach and former Tunisian player Sam Trabelsi. That has helped spread the ing transfer payments, £900 wealth of television contracts million of which was to foreign Tribune News Network with the coronavirus crisis. worth billions across Europe clubs. Maguire warns of the Doha Qatar’s national team and crucially down the divi- domino effect whereby if one and Al Sadd captain Hassan sions to cash-strapped clubs in club fails to meet its transfer Al Sailiya coach Sami Tra- al Haydos, 2018 AFC Player England. Now even the world’s debt, it could spark a series of belsi has become the latest of the Year Abdelkarim Has- richest league is facing econom- defaulted payments on other in the list of star Qatar Stars san, and defender Bassem ic meltdown. deals or even worse force clubs League players and managers al Rawi, who plays for Al Premier League matches into insolvency. to take a pay cut and join the Duhail in the Qatar Stars have been suspended indefi- Harry Maguire’s £80 million move to Manchester United was the biggest transfer as Premier League clubs “The concern is that finan- fight against the novel coro- League, and Assem Madibo nitely with no return expected spent £1.4 billion last summer. (AFP) cial problems in one league navirus (COVID-19) in Qatar. and Almoez Ali, are among before mid-June at the earliest. could spread throughout the in- The former Tunisian the star players who have Broadcasters could be due next few months. idea. It depends on how the only accelerate fears that clubs dustry just like the pandemic,” player’s announcement fol- shown the same gesture. a rebate worth a reported £762 “Many clubs could be next few months play out.” lower down the pyramid will he said. lows that of Al Sadd Sports The others following suit million if the season is not threatened by insolvency and not survive the crisis. Bundesliga chief execu- Club’s head coach Xavi Her- include national team and completed and, even when the transfer plans came to a stand- ‘Vultures and predators’ Proceeds from transfer sales tive Christian Seifert told the nandez. Al Sadd goalkeeper Saad al games do recommence, they are still for most clubs because of Such uncertainty has led for are commonly used in the lower New York Times earlier this A few days ago, Qatar’s Sheeb, Al Duhail SC midfielder likely to be behind closed doors, the many uncertainties,” said calls to do away with transfers leagues to cover running costs month that the transfer market football stars stepped forward Assim Madibo and Al Gharafa quashing income from gate re- Matthias Seidel, founder of entirely to avoid the unseemly and will be needed even more will “collapse” and that “some and announced that they defender Almahdi Ali, and Al ceipts. Transfermarkt, a website spe- sight of clubs, who have asked without the regular income of leagues will understand that would be taking pay cuts as a Arabi player Ahmed Fathi be- Moreover, a number of ma- cialising in transfer values. staff to take pay cuts and in gate receipts to rely on. money is nothing that is com- gesture of solidarity in dealing sides many others. jor sponsors such as airlines According to Transfer- some cases relied on govern- “I think there will be sig- ing automatically every month and gambling companies have markt, 1.8 billion euros ($2 ment money, spending money nificant transfer fee deflation,” from heaven.” been just as badly hit by the billion) has already been wiped on new players. football finance expert Kieran That may have been a slight COVID-19 shutdown, which is off the value of Premier League “If you’re trying to get 30 Maguire told AFP. on the Premier League’s overin- expected to lead to a curb on squads. percent pay cuts from existing “There will be a significant dulgence on transfer fees. QCA to organise ‘remote’ commercial revenue. “There’s no doubt the actual players, you may have to put a number of clubs that when But as the biggest spender, Rather than the usual arms value of players right now has transfer embargo in place,” for- some form of transfer market the economic earthquake felt race for talent, Premier League gone down in all squads,” said mer Manchester United captain returns, they will be close to go- by English football will ripple Qatar Champions League clubs are fretting about just Brighton owner Tony Bloom. Gary Neville told Sky Sports. ing out of business and there- across Europe for some time meeting their wage bills for the “How much less, I have no However, embargoes may fore will accept fire sale prices. to come. Lightning Championship

QNA points accumulation system, Doha and the federation has set Quick read the date for the start of the The Qatar Chess Associa- competitions at 2pm via the SheffieldU nited Spanish football bodies to cooperate tion has announced that it LIchess application through manager, officials will organise the Qatar smartphones or iPad devices. defer wages to Champions League Chess Tournament Director help cash flow on creating fund, 2030 bid Lightning Champion- Hussein Aziz said ship from Satur- that the federation LONDON: Sheffield United DPA responsible for sport in will be invited to participate to any joint bid with Portugal for day (April 25). has stressed on manager Chris Wilder and Barcelona Spain, held a meeting help the most vulnerable ath- the 2030 World Cup final. The It is a series the importance several senior officials will on Saturday with the letes.” Saturday’s meeting was statement concluded: “The of 12 tourna- of holding local defer part of their salary and Spanish football’s Spanish Football Fed- a symbolic coming together of parties also undertake to work ments held by tournaments bonuses to help with cash two main governing eration (RFEF) and La the federation and the league. together, and in a coordinated the “remote” besides inter- flow during the Covid-19 pan- bodies have endorsed Liga. The two bodies have been at manner abroad, to contribute playing sys- national cham- demic, the Premier League a commitment to the The CSD statement loggerheads throughout the to the reputation of Spain and tem with the pionship dur- club said on Monday. creation of a €10 mil- issued on Monday said: coronavirus crisis. to the strengthening of our im- participation of ing the current Chief executive officer Ste- lion ($10.9 million) “The presidents of La Liga Both sides have now shown age as a country of safe sport. a number of play- period and the phen Bettis and senior coaching fund for struggling ath- and the Federation signed willing to cooperate in an at- “In this context, the Ibe- ers from the Qatari tournament came staff also agreed to the defer- letes, a government state- a commitment to create a tempt to bring football back rian candidacy for the 2030 teams, the champion- is being held to support rals for the next six months. ment said on Monday. contingency fund of 10 mil- as soon as the government’s World Cup finals becomes es- ship will be held every Satur- talent and raise their capa- “I’ve had similar experiences The Spanish Sports lion euros to which other restrictions allow. pecially important, something day and will end on July 25. bilities during the current of cash flow problems at Council (CSD), the entities, such as the CSD also suggested greater to which the government will The tournament will suspension period of tour- other clubs and I’m delighted government agency Footballers Association, collaboration was essential for give its full support.” take place with a 60-minute naments. that my staff have supported me in assisting our club in a small way,” Wilder said in a statement on the club’s website. (DPA) Bundesliga breathes sigh of relief as return to action nears

Arsenal manager and DPA mality again for millions of football This concept is the basis for the pos- players to take 12.5 Hanover fans from May 9, even if with emp- itive and trustworthy assessment of percent pay cut ty stadiums.” Both the Bundesliga the policy.” Borussia Dortmund’s The Bundesliga breathed a sigh and second division are suspended chief executive Hans-Joachim London: Arsenal said on of relief on Monday as high-level until at least the end of the month Watzke, meanwhile, immediately Monday their first-team politicians indicated they would and could face a frantic race to turned to sporting matters. squad, manager Mikel Arteta not stand in the way of closed door complete the season if allowed to “The championship is not yet and main coaching staff will matches during the coronavirus play again. decided,” he told Bild Live, with all take a 12.5 percent pay crisis, possibly as soon as May 9. “Those are positive signals that his second-placed team four points cut to help the club financially Bavarian premier Markus Soed- were sent out,” said DFL chief ex- behind leaders Bayern. “We will see during the Covid-19 pandemic. er and Armin Laschet, Prime Min- ecutive Christian Seifert. “It gives who holds the trophy high on the Arsenal said they would ister of North Rhine-Westphalia, both leagues and important per- 34th matchday.” There are nine full refund the money if they are warned nothing could be taken for spective. rounds remaining in the Bundesli- able to. granted but they looked positively “The politicians trust us and we, ga and playing them behind closed “If we meet specific tar- on proposals from the German above all the players, must now be doors would save many clubs from gets in the seasons ahead, Football League (DFL). role models.” potential financial disaster by ful- primarily linked to success on Laschet insisted a full concept Bayern Munich chairman Karl- filling lucrative television con- the pitch, the club will repay for hygiene and security, as sug- Heinz Rummenigge hailed the po- tracts. agreed amounts,” the club gested by the DFL, was needed and litical will to resume football, also Kicker magazine reported the said in a statement on their Soeder said: “Perhaps from May saying the statements from Soeder final season payment from broad- website. “We will be able to 9” that “a round of so-called ghost and Laschet were “a very positive caster Sky to the league, €304 mil- make those repayments as matches” could be played without signal for the resumption of Bun- lion ($329.2 million), was not made hitting these targets, which the fans behind closed doors. desliga matches. as planned earlier this month. players can directly influence, “A weekend with football is “It is important that we treat Teams would still lose out on will mean our financial position much more bearable than a week- German FA chief Fritz Keller with Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel. (AFP) the politicians’ legal and medical substantial gate receipts without will be stronger.” Arsenal said end without football,” he added. guidelines in an exemplary and fans but many clubs have already they will only refund the money The Robert Koch-Institute to Thursday’s DFL meeting. closed door games are definite- very serious manner in order to pleaded with supporters not to ask if the season, which is cur- would be consulted, the politicians They will then discuss how to ly possible again,” said German minimise the health risk. for refunds on tickets. rently suspended because of said, but after more than a month proceed if the federal government health minister Jens Spahn to the “I would like to thank the man- Germany started to ease lock- the virus, is completed and the without playing and terror over proposes to ease lockdown restric- Bild paper. agement of the DFL, headed by down measures Monday, allowing club receives its full share of the financial consequences of the tions from May 4 at their own April “Decisive is that the infection Christian Seifert, for an excellent smaller shops to open again, but broadcast revenues. (DPA) global pandemic, Bundesliga clubs 30 meeting. risk is minimized. concept that takes full account of mass events have been banned un- will now sleep easier in the run up “With the overall concept, “That would be a piece of nor- organisational and medical aspects. til August 31. Sports Tuesday, April 21, 2020 13 Fognini wants wife Pennetta to make comeback like Clijsters AFP lo last year, said he Milan could not see the 2020 tennis season finishing. Italian tennis player Fabio “Right now I find it hard to Fognini has revealed he would imagine a return,” he said. like wife Flavia Pennetta to “How can a tournament follow in the footsteps of an- director take responsibility for other former US Open cham- the health of players, staff, me- pion, Kim Clijsters, and make dia, spectators? a comeback to “I’m hon- the sport after est: I’m sorry having a child. Flavia because they Pennetta, Pennetta are big tourna- 38, retired soon ments and give after winning so many points, the US Open in but I don’t know 2015, and the if I will return to couple have two Asia anymore. young children, “I would not three-year-old have gone to the Federico, and a Tokyo Olym- daughter Farah pics this year. born last De- My biggest fear cember. is not catching “I’m trying the virus, but to get Flavia spreading it. I back in 2021, am no longer like Kim Cli- alone. I am a jsters,” Fognini told Italian dad and husband. A study by global players’ union FIFPro has highlighted concern about the growing number of footballers suffering with depression with the sport having been suspended due to the daily Corriere della Sera. “Talking about the econ- coronavirus pandemic. (AFP) “I spoke to (Francesca) omy is fine, but I’m not going Schiavone and (Corrado) anywhere until I am 110 per- Barazzutti, they train her and cent sure. Will I lose points I manage them, I already have and money? Patience.” the tournament programme Even talk about a return ready.” to football in Italy would be Report highlights growing concern Pennetta won 28 WTA ti- “crazy”, says Fognini. tles during her career, reach- “Thousands of people have ing a career-high number six died and they think about ranking in singles and number football,” he said. one in doubles. “They joke with people’s of depression among footballers The couple returned to health, they only chase busi- their home at Arma di Tag- ness. AFP doubts about their future,” standing that football players gia, south of Genoa after the “What’s the point of reo- Paris said Vincent Gouttebarge, a in general are actually more outbreak of the coronavirus pening without spectators? French former player who is similar to average society than pandemic. What is the meaning of emp- Increasing numbers of FIFPro’s chief medical officer. most people think.” And the 11th-ranked Fog- ty San Siro? It doesn’t exist, professional footballers are While many countries Footballers in many coun- nini, who won the Monte Car- come on.” struggling with anxiety and have gone into strict lock- tries have been confined to depression having been forced downs in attempts to slow the their homes with competi- out of action with the sport spread of Covid-19, Goutte- tions having been suspended suspended due to the corona- barge pointed out that many since mid-March. virus pandemic, according to a professional footballers live Discussions are ongoing report by global players’ union in foreign countries without among federations and gov- FIFPro released on Monday. family, and in many cases suf- erning bodies about how and FIFPro surveyed 1,602 fer added anxiety because of when the season can resume, players across 16 countries, being on short-term contracts. with Europe’s biggest leagues including England, Scotland, The FIFPro survey follows hopeful of starting again France, Australia and the an identical study undertaken soon with matches behind United States, with 468 female in December and January closed doors. players featured in the study. which found that the per- However, Baer-Hoffmann It found that 13 percent centage of players reporting sounded a note of caution and of male players surveyed, and symptoms of depression were dismissed suggestions that 22 percent of female players, much lower -- just 11 percent the study provided any argu- reported symptoms of depres- among females and six per- ment for rushing back onto sion. Close to one in five of cent among males -- although the field. both male and female players it involved only 307 players. “If we were to pressure reported symptoms of anxiety. “In us performing the Vincent Gouttebarge, a French former player who is FIFPro’s chief players back in an environ- “In football, suddenly study and publishing these medical officer. ment where they may feel young men and women ath- results we are very conscious their safety is being put in letes are having to cope with that what we are communi- that affects many more people Baer-Hoffmann. danger, then it would rather social isolation, a suspension cating here is a reflection of than our members,” said FIF- “I think the emphasis add to their anxiety and con- Italian Fabio Fognini won the 2019 Monte Carlo Masters. of their working lives and a problem in broader society Pro’s General Secretary, Jonas should be more on under- cern,” he said.

Social distancing takes a hit as referee baseball teams brawl on virus frontline AFP Despite its close proximity bench-clearing brawl. “For our international Taipei and economic links with China, The melee broke out af- viewers, you need to under- it has just 422 confirmed cases ter Fubon pitcher Henry Sosa stand that this never really in Belgium Playing to empty stadiums, and six deaths. hit in-fielderK uo Yen-wen in happens in the CPBL,” he add- Taiwan has managed to keep its As a measure of its success, the hip with an inside ball, the ed, referring to the league’s for- baseball league running during Taiwan has one of the few pro- fourth inside pitch at Kuo. mal name. the coronavirus pandemic -- fessional sports leagues in the “There are some tempers “It’s usually a very conserv- but social distancing went out world still operating, and a new exploding out there right now,” ative league. They don’t even of the window on Sunday when international audience starved an English-speaking commen- argue balls or strikes or outs a game descended into an on- of games back home. tator said on Eleven Sports very often.” field brawl. But on Sunday night, fans Taiwan, which has started Taiwan’s new baseball sea- Snooker referee Olivier Marteel. (Photos: Twitter) The island has been held up following on TV watched as broadcasting Mon- son opened last weekend -- al- as a model for how to battle the the against keys home games in English though fans are not allowed AFP for three years and I have been virus outbreak. erupted in a worldwide. into the stands in a bid to keep London working for 28 years. So when infections down. this came up, I jumped at it, Rakuten made headlines Snooker referee Olivier even if there are some risks. after they unveiled a troupe of Marteel has swapped the green “It is tough, of course... we robots to bang drums and man- baize for a frontline role in the have problems here getting nequins to stand it for real fans. fight against coronavirus in his enough personal protective Eleven Sports Taiwan native Belgium. equipment. This weekend we said it had close to a million Marteel, who refereed the started using scuba diver masks views during two games live- World Championship final in which were bought in a sports streamed with English com- 2015, would have been at the shop, because we don’t have mentary last week. Crucible in Sheffield to offici- Marteel said the volume of enough of the correct masks.” Many other sports leagues ate in this year’s tournament patients and a lack of personal Marteel has refereed on have tough decisions to make had it not been postponed but protective equipment meant he the World Snooker tour since on whether and when to let instead he is working as a nurse had to be creative in an attempt 2006 and has also taken new seasons begin during the in Veurne. to keep himself safe. charge of UK Championship ongoing pandemic. The 50-year-old normally “I have never worked in an and Masters finals. Pro baseball leagues in works in the radiology de- A&E (accident and emergen- “I have always said that ref- South Korea and Japan are tar- partment but was asked to cy) situation like this before,” ereeing is a piece of cake com- geting starts in May and June work in his hospital’s emer- he said on World Snooker’s pared to my main job,” he said. respectively after delays. gency department during the official website. “I treat snooker like a job But the US Major League COVID-19 crisis. “When I was asked to take as well of course, but for me it Baseball (MLB) may cancel His job is to triage patients, on this role, I didn’t even have is a holiday. And that will nev- the 2020 season altogether as assessing them to decide wheth- one second of doubt. Ever since er feel more true than when America’s coronavirus deaths er they need to be tested for the I was a young child I wanted I’m back at a tournament -- Baseball games are taking place behind closed doors in Taiwan. soar past 40,000. disease or to see a doctor. to work in medicine. I trained before long I hope.” 14 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 Sports Kholy draws first blood in QORC finals The driver shows composure and wins FIRST FINAL RESULTS # Driver Time ahead of Sheikh Soud; Khalid al Kuwari’s 1. Ahmad Kholy 27:07.930 unbeaten run ends 2. Sheikh Soud al Thani +03.173 3. Khalid al Abdulla +08.927 4. Khalid al Kuwari +10.619 5. Hamad al Sulaiti +14.577 6. Mansour Dbeissy 7. Rashid al Lebdah 8. Abdulla al Khelaifi 9. Salman al Khater 10. Faesal al Yafei 11. Mohammed Emadadhi 12. Basil Sholy 13. Abdulla Shaikhan 14. Khalid Saadon 15. Ibrahim al Muntafeky 0 (ret.) STANDINGS Ahmad Kholy on the podium of the first final race in the Qatar Online Racing Championship at the Nurburgring Circuit in Germany on Monday. GROUP A Sheikh Soud al Thani chases Ahmad Kholy in the first final race of the QORC at the Nurburgring Circuit in Germany on Monday. # Driver Pts Tribune News Network wrested it at Turn 1 of the second 1. Ahmad Kholy 40 DOHA lap before going on to top the po- just before the home straight but the was his fifth victory in the champion- the race, he improved his position af- 2. Sheikh Soud al Thani 36 dium three seconds ahead of Sheikh latter courageously moved along the ship as well. ter Salman al Khater suffered a spin 3. Khalid al Abdulla 33 Ahmad Kholy, the Group A leader, Saud al Thani, who had got the first finish barrier to hold the favourable Lebdah, within two more turns and in the closing stages, he passed 4. Khalid al Kuwari 31 held his nerves superbly while doing place on the grid yesterday. line at the first turn. in the same second lap, went wide Hamad al Sulaiti to finish in the 5. Hamad al Sulaiti 30 the front-running and clinched the Khalid al Abdulla managed to Sheikh Soud also seemed to and fell to fourth spot. After the fourth spot by less than two seconds 6. Mansour Dbeissy 29 first of the three-race finals in the -Qa keep Khalid al Kuwari, who had been be following Lebdah and for a mo- fourth lap, he had to visit the pit- adrift of Abdulla. Sulaiti grabbed the tar Online Racing Championship at unbeaten during the six qualifying ment, it appeared both Lebdah and stop for repair and slided to eighth fifth place. 7. Rashid al Lebdah 28 the Nurburgring Circuit in Germany rounds, by less than two seconds to Sheikh Soud would be able to get to spot. He managed to recover the Mansour Dbeissy did well and 8. Abdulla al Khelaifi 27 on Monday. complete the podium. Abdulla, who the front. However, Kholy pressed ground a bit and eventually landed came sixth, ahead of Lebdah. Abdul- 9. Salman al Khater 26 The race had to be postponed won a race earlier, was nearly nine the accelerator and fended off the at- te seventh spot. la al Khelaifi, who had five runners- 10. Faesal al Yafei 25 on Sunday after a technical glitch seconds off the winner’s pace. tack, staying in the lead. From that As the race progressed, Sheikh up spots in the Group C during the 11. Mohammed Emadadhi 24 forced the organisers, the Qatar The race itself was off to a hot start moment onwards, Kholy worked on Soud built a commanding gap with qualifying stage, got the eighth spot, 12. Basil Sholy 23 Motor and Motorcycle Federation, and five drivers - Kholy, Shekh Soud, cementing his advantage. his cool driving and ensured his sec- while Salman al Khater and Faesal 13. Abdulla Shaikhan 22 to rehold the 15-lap today afresh. Lebdah, Abdulla and five-race win- As the chasing pack was busy for ond spot, being 03.173 seconds off al Yafei finished ninth and 10th, re- 14. Khalid Saadon 21 Kholy dominated the day, getting ner Hamad al Sulaiti - were involved other positions, Kholy wrapped up Kholy. Abdulla was followed hotly spectively. 15. Ibrahim al Muntafeky (ret.) 0 the pole first. Then, he briefly lost in a thrilling duel upfront right in the the first final and took a crucial step by Kuwari, who got involved in some The second final race is sched- the lead to Rashid al Lebdah and opening lap. Lebdah passed Kholy towards the title with 40 points. This heavy traffic at the back. Midway of uled on Tuesday at 6.15 pm.

South Africa-Lanka Celtics’ Brown Cricket chiefs to series off until pens message discuss ICC calendar ‘normality returns’ on Thursday AFP T20 series 3-0 when they went of unity amid Colombo to South Africa in February last AFP year. London South Africa’s tour of Sri Cricket South Africa act- COVID-19 crisis Lanka set for June was offi- ing chief executive Jacques Cricket chiefs will this cially called off on Monday be- Faul cited health concerns and week discuss the future of cause of the coronavirus pan- the fact that the South African some of the sport’s biggest demic with no new date set for players would have been una- events as they try to find a the three one-day internation- ble to prepare properly because Jaylen Brown, the guard of Boston Celtics. way through the disruption als and three T20 clashes. of the country’s coronavirus caused by the coronavirus Sri Lanka Cricket said it lockdown as the main reasons AFP by race show a pattern of based answers and coopera- pandemic. had decided with Cricket South for the postponement. Los Angeles over-representation by black tive efforts for those (soci- Thursday’s conference Africa that the tour should be “It is very sad that we have Americans in states or juris- etal) problems. call will bring together the indefinitely postponed. been forced to take this step Boston Celtics guard Jaylen dictions that are sharing the “My intention in writing chief executives of the Inter- meant to start on October 18. Sri Lanka have not played and we will re-schedule the Brown urged people to “come numbers. this editorial is to hopefully national Cricket Council’s And next year’s inaugural a game since losing two T20s tour as soon as cricket returns together” amid the coronavirus When it was shown in inspire our society to come 12 full member nations and World Test Championship fi- against West Indies in early to a sense of normality and our pandemic, even as he used an early April that 68 percent together rather than drift three associate representa- nal at Lord’s may have to be March. England pulled out of international fixture list al- essay in The Guardian to point of coronavirus deaths in Chi- farther and farther apart,” tives. delayed if countries are un- a tour to the island just before lows,” said Faul. out that the virus has highlight- cago had been among African he said, urging those able to The start of the English able to play their scheduled the opening match. “It would have been a par- ed inequality in America. Americans, who make up just reach out with aid to food season and the lucrative qualifying matches. The governing body said ticularly important tour for us Noting that more than 30 percent of the city’s popu- banks and homeless shelters Twenty20 Indian Premier ICC chief executive Manu South Africa will visit “once with the three ODIs counting 30,000 have died from COV- lation, mayor Lori Lightfoot as well as healthcare workers. League have both been de- Sawhney said the meeting normality returns and also for the new ICC one-day league ID-19 in the United States said the numbers “take your He offered condolences to layed by COVID-19. would be the first step in a when the international cricket and the T20 programme be- -- it was 40,000 by Sunday breath away.” Minnesota Timberwolves star England and Wales Crick- “collective process”. calendars of both nations open ing part of our preparation for afternoon -- the Georgia na- Brown sympathized with Karl-Anthony Towns, whose et Board chief executive Tom “We need to share knowl- up for a rescheduling”. the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup tive added that of “those anyone feeling frustrated or mother died of COVID-19 Harrison has warned an en- edge and start to build a deep Much of Sri Lanka is under scheduled for Australia later heart-wrenching numbers, confused at seemingly con- complications after weeks in tire season without cricket understanding of what it will a pandemic shutdown and the this year.” the percentage of African flicting information coming an induced coma, and said he would cost the game there take to resume international country has recorded seven Faul said it was “very frus- Americans and people of from different leaders. was proud of the NBA’s re- more than £300 million cricket,” he said. deaths from 295 cases of COV- trating for the players who color is both alarming and But he said he believed sponse to the pandemic. ($373 million) while Cricket “Countries will start to ID-19. want to build on the good form disproportionate. a calm, concerted response “It’s Game 7,” Brown wrote Australia have laid off staff. reopen at different stages South Africa were last in Sri they showed at the back end of “Our healthcare system could make the pandemic an -- a reference to the do-or-die South Africa’s limited- and in different ways and Lanka in 2018 when they lost a our home summer against Aus- could be potentially high- opportunity for change. game in an NBA champion- overs tour of Sri Lanka in we will need to respect that two-match Test series 2-0 and tralia”. lighting injustices this beauti- “I hope that our nation ship series -- “and how we per- June became the latest series and have a holistic view a one-off T20, but won 3-2 in South Africa finished an ful nation has composed and not only consolidates over form down the stretch is going to be postponed on Monday. of this to enable us to take the one-day internationals. otherwise undistinguished sea- suppressed since its estab- the next few weeks but also to determine our outcome. The virus could also well-informed decisions that Sri Lanka won a two Test son with a 3-0 one-day series lishment,” he wrote. heals,” he wrote. “Let’s use Let’s lean in and get this done threaten this year’s T20 mitigate the various risks as series but lost the ODIs 5-0 and win against Australia. Data on COVID-19 cases this time to look for solution together as a team.” World Cup in Australia, much as possible.” Blue Jackets bring Grigorenko back to NHL Agencies 12th overall by the Buffalo Sa- He and Columbus defence- it coming to fruition. I think Moscow bres in the 2012 NHL Draft. man Vladislav Gavrikov has it’s going to happen.” He last played in the NHL played together international- Gretzky, who holds the re- Mikhail Grigorenko’s with the Colorado Avalanche ly for Russia. Having Gavrikov cords for career goals, assists three-year stint in the Konti- during the 2016-17 season. around might help Grigorenko and points, is self-quarantin- nental Hockey League (KHL) He posted 10 goals and 23 stay focused on the ice. ing in California and trying is over. points in 75 games during his to help the NHL with content The 25-year-old signed a most recent season in North Gretzky optimistic during its pause for the pan- one-year, $1.2 million deal America. Grigorenko played Wayne Gretzky is opti- demic. He and Alex Ovechkin with the Columbus Blue Jack- 217 NHL games with Buffalo mistic the NHL will be able recently taped their first joint ets on Monday, as announced and Colorado, and he picked to resume at some point this interview to air Monday, and by his agent, Dan Milstein. up 22 goals and 64 points in summer. they will play the NHL20 vid- Grigorenko spent the last 217 games. According to NBC News eo game against each other three seasons with CSKA Grigorenko’s combination website, Gretzky said he is Wednesday. Moscow, where he scored of size and skill has led to him hopeful hockey and other The league is considering 19 goals and 41 points in 47 getting multiple chances at sports will be able to come several options on trying to games during the 2019-20 the NHL level. He’s listed at back from the coronavirus resume this season, including campaign, according to NBC 6-foot-2, 213 pounds and he’s pandemic and serve as a posi- going directly to the playoffs News website. been an offensive player at tive sign that conditions are at several neutral sites. Gretz- According to Sportsnet’s every level. improving. ky believes the NHL will find Elliotte Friedman, the Rus- As TSN’s Bob McKenzie “I really believe some- a way. sian forward left serious mentions in the video at the how, someway, that the lead- “Maybe I’m wrong,” he money on the table to come top of the page, Grigorenko ership in this country and in said. “Maybe I’m too op- back to North America. Fried- was once considered the num- Canada, that we’re going to timistic. I think I’m not. I man mentioned that one of ber two prospect in the 2012 figure this out,” Gretzky said. hope that that’s a good sign the KHL offers on the table draft class. That’s how skilled “And I really believe that for everyone that we’re mov- was for double the amount he was. Can he figure it all out we’ll see hockey and some ing on in life, in business, in of money he signed for in Co- now that he’s older? Maybe. sort of other sports in June, sports. I really see in the next lumbus. Either way, this is a low-risk July and August, albeit in a couple months something Mikhail Grigorenko of Russia: Returns to the NHL after refusing a handsome offer. Grigorenko was drafted signing for the Jackets. different way, but I really see good happening.”