Sports News Roundup: Pressure on Swiss attorney general over soccer fraud trial; Bad luck rules Nadal out of virtual reality charity much and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Pressure grows on Swiss attorney general over soccer fraud trial

Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber faced calls on Monday to resign over accusations that he botched a high-profile soccer corruption trial. The five-year statute of limitations to secure convictions expired on Monday during the fraud trial over a suspect payment linked to the 2006 World Cup hosted by Germany.

Bad back rules Nadal out of virtual reality charity match

Rafael Nadal is no stranger to being out of action for months due to injuries taking a toll on his body but when the Spaniard pulled out from a virtual reality tennis match that would have been contested using a game console - it raised a few eyebrows. The claycourt king had been expected to take on gamer DjMariio as part of a virtual Madrid Open charity event - but ended up being a no show on Monday.

FIFA proposes up to five substitutions per match on a temporary basis

FIFA has proposed that teams should be allowed to make up to five substitutions per match, instead of the usual three, as a temporary measure to help cope with potential fixture congestion in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Football has been at a standstill since mid-March but many leagues and federations are still hoping to complete the season but to do so they would have to cram fixtures into a shorter period than usual once play re-starts.

Cycling: Riders committed to Bigla-Katusha despite funding withdrawal

Bigla-Katusha's riders remain "fully committed" to the Swiss women's cycling team after their title partners withdrew funding due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, they said on Monday. Bigla have been a partner since 2005 but last week withdrew all funding. Katusha, who were brought in as co-sponsors for this season, have been unable to make payments for the past month as cycling remains suspended due to the outbreak.

Bulls hire 76ers' Eversley as GM

The Chicago Bulls are set to name Marc Eversley as their new general manager, multiple outlets reported Monday. Formally the senior vice president of personnel for the Philadelphia 76ers, Eversley was selected by new Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, who previously named JJ Polk of the New Orleans Pelicans as assistant general manager.

Soccer: UEFA releases 236.5 million euros to member associations amid pandemic

UEFA has released 236.5 million euros ($256 million) to its 55 member associations who are grappling with the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Europe's soccer governing body said on Monday. UEFA said each association would receive 4.3 million euros from a fund earmarked for targeted areas of development but decided to allow each association to "set its own priorities" due to the new coronavirus outbreak.

Seahawks part ways with C Britt, G Fluker

The Seattle Seahawks revamped their offensive line on Sunday, parting ways with center Justin Britt and guard D.J. Fluker. Fluker posted a letter revealing his release to Seattle fans on Twitter. Britt's release was reported by multiple entities and he posted a photo of himself in a Seahawks uniform simply saying "Thank You" on his Instagram account.

Speed skating: Russian short track great Ahn retires due to injuries

Six-time Olympic gold medallist Viktor Ahn on Monday announced his retirement from short track speed skating, citing several lingering injuries. The South Korean, who switched allegiance to Russia in 2011 and won three gold medals and a bronze at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, said in a letter carried by Russia's RIA news agency that he did not think his body could handle another season.

F1 expects to start delayed season in Austria in July

Formula One hopes to start its delayed 2020 season in Austria in July without spectators before ending in Abu Dhabi in December after races in Asia and the Americas, chairman and CEO Chase Carey said on Monday. The opening race at the Red Bull Ring, belonging to the Austrian energy drink company that owns two of the 10 teams on the starting grid, would be held as planned over the July 3-5 weekend.

British sprinter Henry says will put health before Olympics

British sprinter Desiree Henry will prioritize her health and family's well-being over competing at the Tokyo Olympics next year if the COVID-19 pandemic has not been brought under control. The Games were pushed back by a year to July-August 2021 due to the new coronavirus and Henry, a 4x100 metres relay bronze medallist at the 2016 Rio Games, urged athletes not to risk their health, saying she wouldn't "die for the sport".