Sports News Roundup: 'White Lives Matter' banner disheartening, says Richards; Motor racing: Blaney and Wallace both claim victory at Talladega and more

Australia-New Zealand prime ministers push joint Women's World Cup bid The prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand have sent a letter to FIFA emphasising their support for a joint bid to host the 2023 Women's World Cup as soccer's global governing body prepares for the final vote this week. Report: Ryder Cup will be postponed until 2021 The Ryder Cup matches scheduled to be held Sept.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Australia-New Zealand prime ministers push joint Women's World Cup bid

The prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand have sent a letter to FIFA emphasizing their support for a joint bid to host the 2023 Women's World Cup as soccer's global governing body prepares for the final vote this week. FIFA's Executive Council will make a decision on hosting rights on Thursday. Colombia is the only other bidder after the Japanese Football Association withdrew on Monday.

MLB owners vote to proceed with 2020 season

Major League Baseball said on Monday owners have voted unanimously to proceed with the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 outbreak after the players' union earlier shot down a proposal to play a shortened 60-game campaign. The vote to reject the proposal by the MLB Players Association sub-committee allows MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to intervene and set a schedule of his choosing under terms of a March agreement between the two sides.

'White Lives Matter' banner disheartening, says Richards

Former England defender Micah Richards says he was disheartened after a plane carrying a banner reading, 'White Lives Matter Burnley' flew over Manchester City's Etihad Stadium at the start of Monday's Premier League game. Burnley condemned the incident, which occurred shortly after players and officials took a knee in support of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement.

Motor racing: Blaney and Wallace both claim victory at Talladega

Ryan Blaney claimed a wild last-lap victory at the rain-delayed Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday, in a race run under a cloud of racism and tight-security after a noose was discovered in the garage of Bubba Wallace. With cars wrecking behind him and others banging and slamming down the home stretch Blaney held his nerve to take his fourth career victory in a photo-finish ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., while Aric Almirola spun across the finish line in third.

Tennis: Coric, Troicki test positive for COVID-19, poses questions for sport's return

Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki tested positive for COVID-19 after playing in Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour exhibition event, raising serious concerns for tennis governing bodies in their bid to restart the sport after a lengthy shutdown. The professional circuit was halted in early March as nations closed borders and imposed lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus.

Report: Ryder Cup will be postponed until 2021

The Ryder Cup matches scheduled to be held Sept. 25-27 in Wisconsin will be postponed until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Guardian of London reported Monday. According to the newspaper, the official announcement regarding the event at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., is expected to come next week.

Tennis: Djokovic should feel responsible after COVID positives, says Evans

World number one Novak Djokovic should put his hand up and accept responsibility after Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric tested positive for COVID-19 while participating in his Adria Tour exhibition tournament, Briton Dan Evans said on Monday. The tournament, which also had top names such as Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev, was held in Belgrade, and Zadar and the players were also pictured playing basketball and dancing together without following social distancing protocols.

NASCAR steps up security around Wallace after noose found in garage

NASCAR has stepped up security around Bubba Wallace for the rain-delayed Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday after a noose was found in the driver's garage. The only Black driver in NASCAR's top series and a vocal supporter of Black Lives Matter, Wallace was the target of a racial attack on Sunday when a noose, a symbol connected to lynching and America's slave history, was left in his team stall.

Murray says priority is to play at U.S. Open and French Open

Former world number one Andy Murray says he is looking forward to competing at the U.S. Open and French Open later this year but only if it is safe enough amid the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the sport in March. The U.S. Open will be staged without fans as scheduled from Aug. 31-Sept. 13 in New York while the postponed French Open will be held from Sept. 27-Oct. 11.

Colombian FA accuses FIFA of bias for raising security fears

The FIFA evaluation report which highlighted that security could be an issue if Colombia hosted the 2023 women's World Cup were based on a preconceived bias rather than reality, the head of the Colombian Football Federation told Reuters on Monday. The Colombian proposal to become the first South American country to stage the tournament received the lowest score in reports prepared by FIFA's evaluation team of the three bids.