Reuters Sports News Summary

NFL: Memorial to late Redskins' owner Marshall removed, calls for name change intensify A memorial to late Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, who fought against the racial integration of the National Football League, was removed from RFK Stadium on Friday, the company in charge of the property said.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Watney tests positive for COVID-19, withdraws from PGA Tour event

American Nick Watney withdrew from the RBC Heritage in South Carolina ahead of the second round on Friday after he became the first golfer to test positive for COVID-19, the PGA Tour said. Watney, who competed last week in Fort Worth, Texas where he missed the cut in the PGA Tour's return from a three-month hiatus, traveled privately to Hilton Head Island this week. MLS players establish coalition to conquer racism in soccer

A group of more than 70 Major League Soccer (MLS) players have formed a new coalition that was unveiled on Friday with the aim of addressing racial inequalities in the U.S.-based league and standing with those who fight racism in the sport. The Black Players Coalition of MLS, which is being headed up by Toronto FC defender Justin Morrow, was announced to coincide with the Juneteenth holiday marking the abolition of slavery in the United States. Motor racing: Zanardi critical after surgery for severe head injury

Former Formula One driver and twice Champ Car champion Alex Zanardi was in intensive care on Friday after surgery for severe head injuries suffered in a road accident while racing his handbike in Italy. Siena's Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital said in a statement that the 53-year-old Italian, who lost both legs and nearly his life in a 2001 Champ Car crash in Germany, was in a critical condition. Healthy Gronkowski says Brady 'icing on the cake' of NFL return

Rob Gronkowski is feeling healthy again and has rediscovered his love of the sport he walked away from after mounting injuries zapped his desire to ever play in the NFL again. Gronkowski, 31, announced his retirement in March 2019 after nine season and three championships with the New England Patriots, saying he had no interest in returning given the sport's physical and mental toll. Dream's Montgomery to skip WNBA season to focus on social reform

Atlanta Dream guard Renee Montgomery will sit out the new Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) season to focus on social justice reform. The death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in police custody in Minneapolis last month, has triggered outrage and protests across the world. Report: Leafs' Matthews tests positive for COVID-19

Toronto Maple Leafs All-Star center Auston Matthews has tested positive for COVID-19, the Toronto Sun reported on Friday. Citing two "NHL sources outside Toronto," the Sun reported that Matthews, 22, is self-quarantining at his home in Arizona and hopes to be healthy enough and eligible to travel to Toronto in time for the opening of Leafs camp on July 10. U.S. Open organisers rethinking decision on wheelchair event

The organisers of the U.S. Open said on Friday they could have better communicated with wheelchair athletes before announcing they would not be part of this year's scaled-down event in New York and are now rethinking their decision. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) held a call on Friday with wheelchair tennis leadership during which they stated they should have worked in a "collaborative manner" with wheelchair athletes when developing the plan for the U.S. Open. NFL: Memorial to late Redskins' owner Marshall removed, calls for name change intensify

A memorial to late Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, who fought against the racial integration of the National Football League, was removed from RFK Stadium on Friday, the company in charge of the property said. Although NFL teams signed individual Black players as early as 1946, Marshall refused until the federal government stepped in and, in 1962, Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell joined the team. MLB, NHL teams close Florida facilities, dampening outlook for sports in COVID-19 era

The hope for a return of professional sports in North America took a hit on Friday as two teams from MLB and one from the NHL closed their Florida facilities after players tested positive for the new coronavirus. The Philadelphia Phillies shut down its Clearwater, Florida, site after five players and three members of the Major League Baseball team's staff tested positive. Baseball: Minnesota Twins remove statue of racist ex-owner Griffith

The Minnesota Twins on Friday said the club has removed a statue of the late former owner Calvin Griffith from outside Target Field in Minneapolis because of racist comments he made decades ago. The team said it erected the statue of Griffith, who died in 1999, in 2010 as a tribute to the moments that shaped the franchise's history including its move to Minnesota from Washington, D.C. in 1961, which he orchestrated.