Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Hamilton back on track next week in Mercedes F1 test

Six-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will be back on track at Silverstone next week for the first time since February as Mercedes gear up for the start of the delayed Formula One season. Mercedes said on Twitter that Hamilton will be in his title-winning 2018 Mercedes W09 car on Wednesday, with team mate Valtteri Bottas driving on Tuesday, to practise protocols for the July 5 Austrian opener. Nadal says he would not travel to U.S. Open in present circumstances

Ordinarily Rafa Nadal would likely be closing in on a 13th French Open title this week. Instead, he is home in Mallorca trying to make sense of a world that feels anything but normal. Tennis is on hold until at least the start of August because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while there have been positive noises about the prospects of the U.S. Open taking place, followed by the French Open, Nadal served a dose of reality. MLS to allow full-team training, with COVID-19 testing in place

Major League Soccer (MLS) said on Thursday that clubs could return to full-team training, provided they get approval from medical staff and a local infectious disease expert and follow rigorous health and safety procedures. The announcement marks a critical step forward for the league to return to competition, nearly three months after it shut down due to the novel coronavirus outbreak and a month after teams resumed individual training. NBA's minor-league circuit cancels season due to COVID-19

The National Basketball Association's minor-league organization said on Thursday it has decided to cancel the remainder of its 2019-20 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The NBA G League in mid-March followed the lead of the NBA when it suspended its season, which was scheduled to conclude on March 28. The NBA made the move after a member of the Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus. Japan to explore 'simplified' Games, says Tokyo governor

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said on Thursday it may be necessary to a stage a "simplified" Olympics next year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and that organisers were already discussing possible changes. Koike's comments came after the Yomiuri newspaper reported that various options, such as mandatory coronavirus testing and having fewer spectators, were being considered by organisers. NHL: Penguins say player has recovered from COVID-19

The Pittsburgh Penguins, who would be part of the approved NHL playoff format should the season resume, said on Thursday one of their players tested positive for COVID-19 but has recovered. The Penguins did not identify the player but said he was not in Pittsburgh and had been in isolation at his home since first experiencing symptoms. NBA approves plan to resume season in July at Disney World

The NBA's Board of Governors have approved a plan to restart the suspended season with a tentative July 31 start at Disney World in Florida amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the league said on Thursday. The plan would see 22 of the NBA's 30 teams play eight seeding games to determine a 16-team playoff field that would follow the traditional post-season format with four best-of-seven series that would crown a champion no later than Oct. 12. Drew Brees apologises for kneeling comments

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees issued a lengthy apology on Thursday for comments he made about kneeling protests being disrespectful to the American flag that drew criticism on social media. Brees was asked during an appearance on Yahoo Finance's On the Move on Wednesday about the possibility of players protesting against racial injustice by kneeling during the anthem when the NFL's 2020 season kicks off in September. NFL coaches allowed to return to facilities on Friday

NFL coaches can return to work at team facilities beginning Friday, more than two months after their offices were shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. In a memo sent to teams, the NFL said members of the coaching staff will count toward the number of employees who can be in the building, which is capped at 100. Tennis star Gauff demands change amid protests over Floyd death

American teenage tennis prodigy Coco Gauff appeared at a protest in her hometown of Delray Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, calling for racial and social justice after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in police custody in the U.S. "I was eight years old when Trayvon Martin was killed. So why am I here at 16 still demanding change?" said Gauff, days after posting a video on social media in which she pledged to use her voice to fight against racism.

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