Sports News Roundup: Players Association seeking 'certainty' before return; F1 governing body sets up whistleblowers' hotline and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Players Association seeking 'certainty' before return

National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts told ESPN on Tuesday that players are seeking a "level of certainty" regarding their return from the hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic. On hold since March 11, Roberts said "it's time" for players to get back on the court.

F1 governing body sets up whistleblowers' hotline

Formula One's governing body has set up an online 24-hour 'ethics and compliance hotline' for whistleblowers to report suspicious behavior or concerns of possible misconduct in motorsport. Formula One is set to introduce a $145 million budget cap for the 10 teams next year, with whistle-blowing seen as a component of that.

Postponing Ryder Cup to 2021 would be right call, says McIlroy

World number one Rory McIlroy believes the Ryder Cup is unlikely to take place this year and postponing the biennial match play event to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic would be the right call to make. The golf calendar has been decimated by the coronavirus outbreak, with three of the sport's four majors rescheduled and the British Open canceled.

Barkley: NBA teams should forfeit series if player gets virus

Charles Barkley laid out a possible ugly scenario for the NBA postseason if it is played this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Hall of Famer believes teams should be eliminated from the playoffs if one of their players tests positive for COVID-19.

Dolphins owner says 2020 season will 'definitely' happen

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said on Tuesday he believes the NFL's 2020 season will take place as scheduled later this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic and that his team's plan is to have fans in attendance. Speaking in an interview with CNBC, the 80-year-old real estate developer said the league wants to have fans in place but that plan is subject to change before the regular season begins on Sept. 10.

Dolphins' Ross: There will be football in 2020

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross spoke confidently Tuesday when asked to assess the likelihood of the 2020 NFL season being played as scheduled. "I think there definitely will be a football season this year," Ross said in an appearance on CNBC.

Knicks great Ewing out of hospital after positive COVID-19 test

New York Knicks great Patrick Ewing was released from hospital on Monday and sent home to recover after he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, his son has said. The 57-year-old Ewing, who played 17 seasons in the NBA and is currently the head coach of the Georgetown University men's basketball team, had shared his diagnosis on Twitter on Friday in a bid to encourage people to stay safe.

Cilic and Coric to join Djokovic's Balkan tour

Croatians Marin Cilic and Borna Coric will join world number one Novak Djokovic's tennis tournament to be played across the Balkans June 13-July 5, the Serb said on Tuesday. Their inclusion will complete a formidable field also featuring Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem and Grigor Dimitrov, with the first of four legs set to take place in Belgrade on June 13 and 14.

Russell feels esports success has raised his profile

Williams Formula One driver George Russell feels his recent esports success, with back-to-back wins in the virtual Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix, is enhancing his reputation in the real world. The 22-year-old Briton was unable to score a point with an uncompetitive car in F1 last season but he has impressed online in a series he started doing for fun during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The new normal: A guide to playing tennis

Some countries are again allowing non-contact sports like tennis, as long as players and venues stick to strict guidelines aimed at minimizing health risks. Here's what it's like to play at a London club under Britain's Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) guidelines:

(With inputs from agencies.)