Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. U.S. Soccer scores victory in equal pay suit with women's team players

The U.S. women's soccer team's claims for equal pay were dismissed by a court on Friday, handing a victory to the United States Soccer Federation. Judge R. Gary Klausner of the United States District Court for the Central District of California threw out players' claims that they were under paid in comparison with the men's national team but allowed complaints of unfair medical, travel and training to proceed to trial. Tennis: Feels surreal to be back on court, says Germany's Brown

Germany's Dustin Brown said returning to competitive action at the Tennis Point Exhibition Series in Germany this week amidst the coronavirus pandemic was a surreal experience. Brown, who famously beat Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon in 2015, is the highest-profile player in the eight-man field at the event being held at the Base Tennis centre near Koblenz. NFL-League on track for full season starting on September 10

The National Football League (NFL), the only major American sporting league so far largely unaffected by the coronavirus outbreak, says it is on course to begin its season on time in September. "We plan announcing late next week the full regular season schedule that begins with Kickoff on September 10 and culminates with the Super Bowl in Tampa February 7, 2021," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email to Reuters. Biden backs U.S. women's team after lawsuit setback

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Saturday voiced his support for the U.S. women's soccer team, a day after it suffered a setback in its gender discrimination lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation. The team's claims for equal pay were dismissed by a court on Friday, handing a victory to U.S. Soccer. FIFA vice-president ponders calendar year season in Europe

FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani has said that moving the European soccer season to the calendar year is a "possibility to be discussed" in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic which has brought football to a standstill around the world. In an interview with Italy's Radio Sportiva, Montagliani, who is seen as a close ally of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, said the move would fit in with the 2022 World Cup being played in Qatar in November and December. Report: NHL proposing to move draft, hold it virtually

The NHL is hoping to convince teams that the league should move the 2020 draft to early June and hold it virtually, according to a report. ESPN said Saturday that it obtained a memo sent by deputy commissioner Bill Daly to teams that laid out the benefits of holding the draft in early June. It currently is scheduled for June 26-27 in Montreal. Motor racing: Vettel makes his esports debut in Legends Trophy

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel made his esports debut on Saturday in Legends Trophy races that also featured retired Formula One world champions Emerson Fittipaldi and Jenson Button. The German has some time on his hands with Formula One's season stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic and organisers hoping to get going in Austria at the start of July. Teams worried about coronavirus affecting older staff

The NBA will have to decide who is considered essential game staff should play resume amid the coronavirus pandemic, ESPN reported. One of the concerns weighing on NBA teams is the age of people typically deemed essential to a team, such as a member of the coaching staff or a general manager, or whether they have a preexisting medical condition. Former Eagles tight end Lucas dies after coronavirus battle

Former Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dick Lucas died Wednesday after a battle with the coronavirus, the team announced on Friday. Lucas was 86. Lucas was a member of Philadelphia's 1960 NFL championship squad. Weightlifting: 'The Mountain' Bjornsson deadlifts 501 kg to set world record

Icelandic actor and strongman Hafthor Bjornsson set a world record for the deadlift on Saturday when he lifted 1,104 pounds (501 kg) at Thor's Power Gym in Iceland. Bjornsson, best known for his portrayal of Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane on the popular HBO series Game of Thrones, broke the record previously held by Briton Eddie Hall who in 2016 became the first man to lift 500 kg.