Coronavirus and sport - key developments so far

BERLIN – The sporting world remains in chaos during the coronavirus crisis. Here is an overview of the latest updates as on Thursday:

GOLF 

The British Open golf could become the latest major sporting event to be postponed because of the coronavirus crisis, but a final decision has not yet been taken. Martin Slumbers, chief executive of governing body the R&A, said in a statement: "We are continuing to work through our options for The Open this year, including postponement."

OLYMPICS 

Athletes who have already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics may still have to get clearance from their national associations to be able to compete in the rearranged 2021 Games, the International Olympic Committee said. The IOC would welcome qualified athletes but said the final decision on the nomination of athletes remained with the respective National Olympic Committees.

A woman wearing a protective face mask walks near the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games Thursday, April 2, 2020. Photo: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko

FOOTBALL 

English football will lose its appeal if clubs are forced to complete the season without fans, according to players' union chief Gordon Taylor, who says it is "not the favoured option."

- Brescia president Massimo Cellino has said he is firmly against a restart of the Serie A season in June. With Brescia one of the worst affected areas to be hit by the coronavirus, the president of the league's bottom side told Gazzetta dello Sport it was "unfeasible and irresponsible."

- The Belgian top flight will be abandoned, with the last regular matchday and play-offs scrapped, the league's board decided by video conference. The Belga news agency said the move, brought about by the coronavirus crisis, would have to be rubber-stamped by the league's general assembly but that this was just a formality. Club Brugge are therefore set to be proclaimed champions.  

MOTORSPORT 

Formula One circuit architect Hermann Tilke should have been proudly watching the inaugural Vietnamese Formula One Grand Prix this weekend on a Hanoi street track he designed. Instead the coronavirus has led to the race's postponement."It hurts tremendously, because many of our people were working on it. We even still have engineers and architects on site to do the dismantling," the German told dpa.

DPA

• Olympic delay adds workload, costs and cash flow uncertainty

• 'There may be no more tennis this year' says Wimbledon chief Lewis

• Decision on rugby's July internationals to be made this month

• SASCOC will have to pick Tokyo Olympics team again, says IOC