Coronavirus: Here’s what’s happening in the sports world on Sunday

Coronavirus: Here’s what’s happening in the sports world on Sunday

The latest on how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting sports around the globe:

Russia opens border to athletes, coaches

Russia has relaxed border restrictions for athletes and coaches in a move that will help soccer to restart in the country next month.

Since March Russia has barred most foreign arrivals in a bid to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Now the government says athletes and coaches will be allowed in if they have a contract with a Russian sports team or organization. They will have to spend 14 days in isolation on arrival and will be observed by doctors.

The government says “the decision will help professional sports organizations, including Russian Premier League soccer clubs, to resume training after the lifting of restrictions related to the spread of the new coronavirus.”

The Russian Premier League aims to restart June 21 though some of its foreign stars headed home during the outbreak and have yet to return.

Lokomotiv Moscow said Saturday its 35-year-old Peruvian winger Jefferson Farfan had contracted the virus. Club chairman Anatoly Meshcheryakov told the RIA Novosti news agency that Farfan was in Moscow and had not been hospitalized. Farfan hasn’t played this season due to injury.

Ex-NFL star Dexter Manley hospitalized with virus

Former Washington Redskins star Dexter Manley is hospitalized and receiving oxygen to treat breathing issues related to the coronavirus, two of his children told The Washington Post.

The 61-year-old Manley was hospitalized Friday in the Washington area. Daughter Dalis Manley said the former defensive end tested positive for the coronavirus May 2 and has steadily run a temperature between 38.3 C and 40.

“I just think he is scared,” Dalis Manley said.

She said doctors told the family that he has pneumonia.

“He hasn’t gotten worse, but they’re worried about his breathing,” Dexter Manley II said.

Manley helped Washington win two Super Bowl titles in nine seasons with the team.

NASCAR roaring back during pandemic

Ready or not, NASCAR is back, but without fans, flyovers or commercialism. Darlington Raceway opened its 70-year-old gates so engines in the stock car series could roar again and the revenue flow would resume.

NASCAR’s return started Sunday morning as teams began filing into Darlington at designated arrival times. A checkpoint at the gate allowed pre-approved personnel into the infield after a health screening. There is no exiting once inside NASCAR’s designated footprint, all part of a meticulously planned health protocol.

NASCAR chose Darlington, the oldest speedway on the Cup circuit, as the safest place to restart the season after eight events were postponed and the series sat idle for 10 weeks. Facing a financial collapse if live races didn’t get going on national television, NASCAR had its health plan approved in South Carolina and North Carolina and released an aggressive revised schedule.

Sunday marks the first of 20 races across seven Southern states between now and June 21. All eyes will be on NASCAR and its protocols — representatives from IndyCar and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, among others — were expected to observe the screening process Sunday.

Published at Sun, 17 May 2020 14:32:42 +0000