Reuters Sports News Summary

The new timeline is the result of the impact of the pandemic on the start of business operations and stadium development, the league said.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. NBA MVP, Rookie of Year races are over

There is nothing more Giannis Antetokounmpo can do in his bid to win his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award. That is because the league informed all 30 teams on Friday that none of the games played once competition restarts on July 30 will count toward individual awards, according to multiple publications. Only 22 of the clubs are resuming play. Tennis: Healthy competition key to Russian success, says Kafelnikov

Russians Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov are ranked in the top 15 of men's ATP Tour and the healthy competition between among the trio is helping them excel, according to their compatriot and former world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov. The 24-year-old Medvedev is the oldest of the three and ranked the highest at fifth, while Rublev, 22, is world number 14. Khachanov is a year older than Rublev and placed a spot below in the rankings. Oilers D Jones confirms positive COVID-19 test

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Caleb Jones practiced Friday after recovering from the coronavirus. The 23-year-old missed the first four days of training camp after testing positive for COVID-19 when he arrived in Edmonton earlier this month from his home in Dallas. He had been listed as unfit to practice. Olympics: Organisers announce schedule for rearranged Tokyo Games

The Tokyo Olympics next year will use the same venues and follow an almost identical competition schedule as the one originally planned for this year before the event was postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, organisers said on Friday. However, organisers told an IOC session held by video conference that it was too early to give details on coronavirus prevention measures during the Games or on whether events would be in full or partly-full stadiums, or behind closed doors. NFL calls misconduct accusations against Washington team 'serious, disturbing'

The National Football League (NFL) said on Friday it takes accusations of workplace misconduct against the Washington Redskins team seriously and will meet with the team's outside counsel once it has completed an investigation. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that 15 women who previously worked for the team had told the paper they were sexually harassed during their time at the club. IOC's Bach ready to run for second term as president

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Friday he was ready to run for a second term at next year's election. The 66-year-old German, a former Olympic fencer who won a gold medal for West Germany in the team foil event at the 1976 Games, was first elected in 2013 for an eight-year term and is eligible for one further term of four years after that. NFL, union gear up for additional talks

The NFL said in a statement issued Friday that progress has been made toward safely playing amid the coronavirus pandemic but acknowledged not all issues have been settled with the players union. "NFL clubs met today via videoconference and received an update on preparations for the 2020 season," the league said. "We will continue to implement the health and safety protocols developed jointly with the NFLPA, and based on the advice of leading medical experts, including review by the CDC. We will address additional issues in a cooperative way. All decisions will be made in an effort to put us in position to play a full regular season and postseason culminating with the Super Bowl which is the shared goal of the clubs and the players." Surfing: World Championship Tour cancelled for 2020, revamped for 2021

The World Surf League, professional surfing's governing body, has cancelled the 2020 World Championship Tour (WCT) due to the coronavirus pandemic and revealed a new format for 2021 that will culminate in a winner-takes-all finale for the top surfers. This year's WCT was scheduled to start in March and run through until December but no events were able to be held. MLS delays launch of three expansion teams due to COVID-19

Major League Soccer has unveiled a revised expansion timeline with the inaugural seasons for three of its four new teams delayed by a year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The new timeline is the result of the impact of the pandemic on the start of business operations and stadium development, the league said. Baseball: Free agent Yasiel Puig says he has COVID-19

Free agent outfielder Yasiel Puig on Friday said he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was quarantining but added that he was asymptomatic and felt "absolutely fine." The 29-year-old Cuban slugger was reportedly set to join the Atlanta Braves when the shortened 60-game season kicks off next week but the deal fell through following the test result, the Athletic reported.