Reuters Sports News Summary

Players from 22 teams will live, train and play in a so-called "bubble" at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, with tip-off for the fan-free games set for July 30, months after the league abruptly suspended its season in March due to COVID-19.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Report: Rockies sign Kemp to replace Desmond

The Colorado Rockies struck a deal with veteran outfielder Matt Kemp, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported on Tuesday. Nightengale reported on Twitter that the club signed Kemp to a minor-league deal. The 35-year-old Kemp had spent spring training with the Miami Marlins on a minor-league contract. NBA: Commissioner touts safety of Disney World campus for games to resume

With no entirely risk-free path to play, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he hopes the league can be a model for other industries to safely reopen when it resumes its season. Players from 22 teams will live, train and play in a so-called "bubble" at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, with tip-off for the fan-free games set for July 30, months after the league abruptly suspended its season in March due to COVID-19. Baseball: You're out, minor league season canceled by coronavirus

Minor League Baseball (MiLB) canceled its 2020 season on Tuesday, as Major League Baseball continued to push ahead with plans to begin play next month even as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to spike in regions across the United States. "These are unprecedented times for our country and our organization as this is the first time in our history that we've had a summer without Minor League Baseball played," MiLB president and CEO Pat O'Connor said in a statement. Doping: China anti-doping official urges WADA and U.S. to end feud

A leading anti-doping official from China urged the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and U.S. anti-doping authorities to end their escalating feud on Tuesday, saying collaboration was the best way to achieve drug-free sport. Tensions rose last week when WADA fired back at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) over a report it sent to the U.S. Congress that threatened to cut funding to the global anti-doping body if sweeping reforms were not immediately undertaken. Premier League says support for Black Lives Matter not political

The Premier League reaffirmed its commitment to its anti-racism campaign on Tuesday, which it said was not political, although it was "aware of the risk posed by groups that seek to hijack popular causes and campaigns". The league issued a statement after its chief executive Richard Masters was grilled by British lawmakers at a hearing on Tuesday about its support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. FIFA bans former top official Kattner for 10 years

Soccer's world governing body FIFA has banned Markus Kattner, a former leading official in the Zurich organisation, for 10 years and has fined him one million Swiss francs ($1.06 million) after a probe into bonus payments. "The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has found Markus Kattner, former FIFA Deputy Secretary General and Acting Secretary General, guilty of conflicts of interest and having abused his position, in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics," FIFA said in a statement on Tuesday. NWSL's return attracts record-breaking viewership

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Challenge Cup kickoff brought in record-breaking viewership as the league became the first in North America to return from the COVID-19 shutdown. The first match of the month-long tournament between the reigning champion North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns on Saturday brought in 572,000 viewers on CBS, the network said, smashing the record for an NWSL game by more than 200%. Messi nets 700th career goal with ice-cool penalty against Atletico

Barcelona's Lionel Messi scored his 700th career goal by converting a second-half penalty against Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou in La Liga on Tuesday. The Argentine hit the landmark goal for club and country by netting from the penalty spot to give his side a 2-1 lead in the 50th minute, showing some nerve by chipping the ball into the net to deceive goalkeeper Jan Oblak. D.C. launches bid to be 2026 World Cup host city

Washington, D.C., launched its bid Tuesday to be one of the host cities when the 2026 World Cup comes to North America. "With our deep soccer roots and diversity, the culture of our city gives us the foundation to successfully highlight FIFA World Cup 2026, and leave a lasting impact on the future of the game," D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid, a native Washingtonian and co-chair of the bid committee DC2026, posted on Instagram. NBA to stop season if virus spreads

Spread of the coronavirus would prompt the NBA to stop the 2019-20 season, commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday. Speaking on the TIME 100 Talks, Silver said the league is "reasonably confident" about its plan to restart the season in Orlando on the Disney World campus in July. But if the virus spreads among players and personnel in Florida, Silver said the league will have no choice but to pull the plug.

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