Sports News Roundup: Silver walks back idea of restrictions for older NBA coaches; Tokyo exec says make Games decision in spring and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Silver walks back idea of restrictions for older NBA coaches

After initially saying that older coaches might not be able to return to the bench this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, NBA commissioner Adam Silver reversed course Thursday night. Health experts have stated that people age 65 and older are most vulnerable to COVID-19, and the NBA has three head coaches in that category: the San Antonio Spurs' Gregg Popovich, 71; the Houston Rockets' Mike D'Antoni, 69; and the New Orleans Pelicans' Alvin Gentry, 65.

Olympics: Tokyo exec says make Games decision in spring - Kyodo

A Tokyo 2020 executive board member said on Friday organizers will need to monitor the novel coronavirus situation until next spring before deciding whether to go ahead with the Summer Olympics, Kyodo News reported. The comment by lawmaker Toshiaki Endo, one of six vice presidents on the board and a former Olympics minister, marks the first time an organizing committee executive has remarked on the timing for a decision on the Games, the news agency said.

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.

NHL: League clears way for players to resume training next week

The National Hockey League (NHL) on Thursday took another step towards resuming the season during the COVID-19 pandemic by announcing teams will be allowed to reopen training facilities from next week. Starting on Monday, players from all 31 teams can participate in individualized training activities, the NHL said in outlining Phase 2 of its 'Return to Play Plan'.

Ryan donates $500K to Atlanta's black community

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is donating $500,000 toward helping the black community in Atlanta. Ryan, who is preparing for his 13th season with the team, said he can no longer stand on the sidelines as people of color endure social injustice.

Hungarian GP contract extended by a year to 2027

Hungarian Grand Prix organizers have negotiated a year's contract extension to 2027 to compensate for having to hold this year's Formula One race without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hungary is set to be the third race of a shortened season on July 19, after back-to-back grands prix behind closed doors in Austria.

IndyCar serves up 'daunting' test in season opener

IndyCar drivers eager to get back behind the wheel will face a test unlike any other on Saturday when, with limited practice, they kick off a season delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic on one of the series' trickiest tracks and with no fans in attendance. The Genesys 300 at the daunting Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth will air as a primetime show in a sports-starved world and mark the first time drivers have been in their cars since pre-season testing in February.

World 400m champion Naser provisionally suspended by AIU

Women's 400 metres world champion Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain has been handed a provisional suspension for failing to make herself available for anti-doping tests, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Friday. Naser won gold at the World Championships in Doha last year with a time of 48.14 seconds, the third fastest in history, to become the first Asian to claim the women's 400 metres world title.

Tennis: German Becker does not rule out a return to coaching

German tennis great Boris Becker, who previously worked with reigning world number one Novak Djokovic, has not ruled out a return to coaching, the six-time Grand Slam champion said. During his stint with Becker, Djokovic won six Grand Slam titles. After they parted ways, Becker was named by the German tennis federation as head of men's tennis, a position he holds today.

MLB players union reaffirms stance against further pay cuts

The union representing Major League Baseball players said on Thursday its membership is against further salary reductions being sought by the league, which could hamper plans to get the season up and running during the COVID-19 pandemic. The MLB Players Association and MLB have been trying to find common ground for weeks on a return-to-play plan for the 2020 season but have been unable to reach agreement in key areas like player compensation and the length of the season.