Sports News Roundup: Formula One extends shutdown period for second time; Sports will not resume before Sept in France and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Formula One extends shutdown period for second time

A factory shutdown for Formula One teams and engine makers has been extended for a second time to a period of 63 consecutive days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the governing FIA said on Tuesday. It said in a statement that it's World Motor Sport Council had approved an extension, running potentially into June depending on when teams started their closures, from the previous 35 days.

French soccer, other sports will not resume before September: PM

French professional soccer, rugby and other league sports will not be allowed to return before September, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Tuesday, in comments that appeared to call an end to their 2019-20 seasons. The French football league is expected to decide in May on exactly how to end the Ligue 1 season, which currently has Paris St Germain leading Olympique Marseille by 12 points. The 2020-2021 season had been due to begin in August.

IHF asks IOC to give pandemic funds to other federations in need

Handball's global governing body has turned down an offer of financial aid from the International Olympic Committee and asked it to provide funds to sports federations more in need following the coronavirus pandemic, the Inside the Games https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1093659/ihf-tells-ioc-to-direct-help-elsewhere website reported. The pandemic has brought global sport to a standstill, with the Tokyo Olympic Games, originally scheduled for this summer, pushed back to July-August 2021.

Players should not be rushed back to action: World Players Association

Professional athletes across the world should not be rushed back to action once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, and they must have a strong say in determining the conditions for their return, the World Players Association said on Tuesday. Sports competitions around the world have come to a screeching halt this year as the virus spreads across the globe, starving clubs, leagues and federations of revenues and putting tens of thousands of professional athletes on hold.

UEFA gives European leagues May 25 deadline for restart plans

European football leagues have been given a May 25 deadline to inform governing body UEFA of their plans to restart their domestic competitions. Soccer has ground to a halt in all major leagues in Europe and none have yet to resume. But UEFA is keen to start planning for next season's European club tournaments.

Lakers return federal relief loan funds amid coronavirus lockdown

The Los Angeles Lakers returned a loan obtained through the U.S. government's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the team confirmed on Monday, after learning that funds in the federal program had been depleted. The loans were intended to help smaller businesses with no more than 500 employees cover employee payroll and rent, with large sectors of the U.S. economy frozen amid coronavirus lockdowns and social distancing mandates.

Tour de France may have to limit number of spectators at start: ministry

The Tour de France may have to make arrangements for limiting the number of spectators in order to comply with a ban on major events gathering more than 5,000 people before September, as it starts late August, the French sports ministry said. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Tuesday that following the end of a nationwide coronavirus lockdown on May 11, major sporting and cultural events bringing together more than 5,000 participants cannot be held before September.

World Athletics creates $500,000 pandemic fund to support athletes

World Athletics and the International Athletics Foundation (IAF) have come together to launch a $500,000 fund to help athletes in financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global governing body said on Tuesday. The coronavirus outbreak has brought sporting events worldwide to a halt, leading to a loss of income for athletes.

Most Americans to avoid sports, other live events before coronavirus vaccine: Reuters/Ipsos

Fewer than half of Americans plan to go to sports events, concerts, movies and amusement parks when they reopen to the public until there is a proven coronavirus vaccine, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday. That includes those who have attended such events in the past, an ominous sign for the sports and entertainment industries hoping to return to the spotlight after being shut down by the pandemic.

Japan must keep state of emergency, 2021 Olympics 'difficult,' top doctor says

It is too early to consider lifting Japan's state of emergency over the coronavirus, the head of a powerful physicians' lobby said on Tuesday, adding that Tokyo would find it tough to host next year's Olympics without an effective vaccine. The comments of the Japan Medical Association (JMA) chief highlight the nation's concerns about a pandemic that prompted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to call the nationwide emergency until the final day of Golden Week holidays on May 6.