12 Thursday, May 7, 2020 Sports Football set to allow ‘I’m healed’: Dybala gets all-clear after coronavirus AFP players to test positive along with Italy outstretched looking at the sky: “My five substitutions MILAN defender Daniele Rugani and France’s face says it all, I’m finally cured from Blaise Matuidi. Covid-19.” AFP Leagues will not be obliged JUVENTUS star Paulo Dybala revealed Rugani was the first Italian top- Italian champions Juventus also LAUSANNE to implement the change, a on Wednesday that he has been given flight footballer diagnosed with the vi- confirmed that their Argentine star had source said, but they will be the all-clear almost a month-and-a-half rus on March 11. recovered. FOOTBALL’S lawmakers are free to do so as soon as they after contracting coronavirus. Both he and World Cup winner Ma- “Dybala performed, as per proto- this week set to announce a restart after almost all football “Many people talked in the past tuidi recovered mid-April. Dybala was col, a double check with diagnostic tests “temporary” change to the around the world shut down weeks ... but I can finally confirm that diagnosed on March 22, along with his (swabs) for Coronavirus-Covid 19, which laws of the sport allowing in mid-March because of the I am healed. Thank you once again girlfriend Oriana, who recovered soon- came back with negative results,” Juven- teams to make up to five sub- pandemic. for your support and my thoughts on er from the disease which has killed tus said in a statement. stitutions in games when the The German Bundesliga is all who are still suffering from it. Take nearly 30,000 people in Italy. “The player has, therefore, recov- Argentine forward Paulo Dybala was one of sport resumes after the coro- set to be the first leading Eu- care,” tweeted the 26-year-old. Dybala also posted a picture of ered and will no longer be subjected to three Juventus players to test positive for navirus-induced suspension. ropean league to restart later Dybala was one of three Juventus himself on Instagram with his arms the home isolation regime.” coronavirus. (AFP) The proposal to help teams this month. cope with likely fixture con- The IFAB’s objective is to gestion in a packed calendar “protect players’ health” when was made by world governing matches do resume, with a body FIFA and is expected to fixture schedule that could be be validated by the Interna- even more packed than usual tional Football Association potentially leading to an “in- Board (IFAB) this Friday. creased risk of injuries”. NBA players can start The IFAB said last week While the measure is in- that it was working with FIFA tended to be temporary, it on a “temporary dispensation could be maintained for the of Law 3 (The Players) allow- whole of the 2020-21 season ing competitions to give teams and right through to the next the option to use a maximum European Championship, solo workouts at team of five substitutes on up to which was postponed by a three occasions during the year until June and July 2021 match, plus at half-time.” because of the pandemic. Limiting the number of oc- FIFA have said that imple- casions on which teams can menting the measure will be make changes would remove “at the discretion of the organ- sites on Friday the incentive to do so purely iser of each competition”. for time-wasting purposes. “If the measure is still in AFP said. The Phoenix Suns were A sixth change may also be force, UEFA could then adopt NEW YORK “We want to make sure looking at May 16 return, a day permitted in matches that go it for the Euro,” a source said. the facility meets all the league after Arizona stay-at-home reg- to extra time. It remains to be seen if NBA team facilities are set to specifications, the local and ulations are eased. Currently teams can make the measure could be left in reopen for individual player state health officials’ proto- The Milwaukee Bucks, who three substitutions during place permanently, but doing workouts on Friday in areas cols, and then we’re going to be had the NBA’s best record at 53- games, although since 2018 so may play into the hands of where state and local govern- even more stringent with those 12 when the season went on hia- teams have been allowed to the wealthiest clubs with the ments have eased coronavirus standards and create our own.” tus, were unsure as of Tuesday make a fourth substitution in largest squads and greatest lockdown restrictions. Another concern for the about workout timing. extra time. strength in depth. It’s the first small step on league is not to provide some “When you hear reports the road to resuming a 2019-20 clubs a major edge over others about things opening up, you NBA campaign that was shut because their players are al- get pretty excited,” Milwaukee’s down March 12 after Utah’s lowed to work out at facilities Pat Connaughton said. “But Rudy Gobert tested positive while others are denied the op- we don’t have any information Swimmer Schooling seeks for COVID-19, even though the portunity, although no solu- about ours yet.” league has unveiled no timeta- tion to that issue has been an- The workouts mark small national service delay after ble to return and says it could nounced. progress toward a return to change its workout plan based Many health safeguards games, but safety is a top prior- Olympics moved on updated virus news. will be in place for the solo ity and what the relaxed stay- About a month of the regu- workouts, with only four at-home measures produce in AFP try said Schooling and another lar season remains unplayed. players allowed on the court terms of virus spread will be a SINGAPORE Tokyo-bound Singapore swim- Two months of playoff games at once, each shooting at major factor in any return time- mer, Quah Zheng Wen, have were to have started almost different hoops with no table. OLYMPIC swimming cham- applied to further postpone three weeks ago. passing between players “I do want to play right pion Joseph Schooling is seek- their national service to com- “We’re excited... to take that and no coaches allowed in the now, but I feel like everything ing to further delay his national pete in the Olympics. first small step toward return- sessions. that’s going on right now is to service in Singapore so he can The ministry said it would ing to play. We miss the com- According to multiple re- protect everybody as long as we compete in the postponed To- examine “details of their train- petition. We miss the camara- ports, the NBA will detail ex- stay home and sort of stay away kyo Games, officials said on ing plans and milestones” be- derie,” Utah Jazz executive vice tra requirements for clubs and from each other,” said Mem- Wednesday. fore making a decision. president of basketball opera- players, including all balls be- phis Grizzlies rookie guard Ja The city-state requires all Schooling faces a tough tions Dennis Lindsey said in a ing sterilised after each session Morant. male citizens aged 18 to serve fight to repeat his 2016 suc- posting on the club website. and players not being allowed to “I’m doing good, but I defi- two years in the military, the cess -- he was criticised for be- “We’re going to ramp up exercise at any team facility but nitely want to be out there on police or the emergency ser- ing out of shape at last year’s systematically. The biggest goal that of their own club. the court.” vices, an obligation authorities Southeast Asian Games in the is to have the confidence of the In this file photo Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls handles the ball Players reportedly must Oklahoma City forward rarely let people skip. Philippines, where he won only players and the staff that they against the Phoenix Suns at the United Center on February 22, 2020 wear face masks except dur- Danilo Gallinari, whose Italian But Schooling was al- one individual gold medal. can enter our facility safely.” in Chicago, Illinois. (AFP) ing physical activity and have homeland has also struggled lowed to defer national ser- In 2018, the defence min- Not every team can open their temperatures taken with the deadly virus, longs for vice in 2014 to train for the istry refused an application by facilities for workouts and some rules will keep the Los Angeles open on Friday, Lindsey said. before entering the building a post-pandemic world. 2016 Rio Olympics, where Singaporean football player clubs might choose not to open Lakers and Clippers from work- “That could be within a day while staffers who rebound “We’re going to get through he famously beat his idol Ben Davis to defer national given the safety precautions ing out at team facilities. or two, but my best guess is it balls for players must wear it,” he said. “Sooner or later, Michael Phelps to win the service so he could play in the required. California lockdown The Utah Jazz don’t plan to will be after May 8,” Lindsey masks and gloves. we’re going to get through it.” 100-metre butterfly gold. English Premier League, say- He got another deferment ing he did not meet the criteria. to train for the 2020 Tokyo Davis signed a deal with Olympics, but the Games were Premier League side Fulham moved to next year because of anyway, and could now face jail Paris 2024 organisers vow to not change Olympic ‘DNA’ the coronavirus pandemic.