Sports News Roundup: Diamond League announces calendar for 2021 season; Saudi Arabia to host Formula E's first night race and more

Steelers in doubt The Baltimore Ravens held virtual team activities on Tuesday amid an NFL Network report of 10 confirmed new positive COVID-19 tests in the organization, leaving the status of the club's scheduled Thursday game at Pittsburgh uncertain.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Best-case scenario for Games is venues full of spectators: Tokyo governor

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said on Tuesday that the best case scenario for the 2020 Olympics postponed until next year is to have venues full of spectators, as organisers wrestle with how to plan for the Games amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. With COVID-19 infections on the rise in many countries around the world, Olympics organisers have yet to decide whether to allow spectators into venues next year and if so, how many.

Players must be able to train ahead of Australian Open: Medvedev

ATP Finals champion Daniil Medvedev says players health will be at risk if quarantine restrictions prevent them from playing or practising in the run-up to the Australian Open. Organisers are in talks with the Victoria state government over the protocols to be put in place for those arriving in Australia for the first Grand Slam of the year.

Diamond League announces calendar for 2021 season

The Diamond League on Tuesday released its provisional calendar for the 2021 season, which will consist of 14 athletics meetings beginning in Rabat in May and ending in Zurich in September. Doha will stage a meeting on May 28 after which Rome will host the first European event of the season on June 4, with Oslo hosting a week later. Meetings in Stockholm, Monaco and London are scheduled for the first two weeks of July.

Masks required for players on sidelines as league enhances COVID-19 protocols

Players in the National Football League (NFL) must wear masks on the sidelines unless they have their helmet on and are preparing to enter the game, the league said on Monday as it unveiled an enhanced set of COVID-19 protocols. In a memo distributed to teams, the NFL also outlined increased safety regulations for play-callers and said post-game interactions between players and staff would be limited.

Saudi Arabia to host Formula E's first night race

Saudi Arabia will host Formula E's first ever night race with a double-header in Diriyah next February, the all-electric series announced on Tuesday. Organisers said low consumption LED floodlights would be powered by fully renewable energy, using low-carbon certified hydrogenated vegetable oil made from sustainable materials.

As Ravens work virtually, game vs. Steelers in doubt

The Baltimore Ravens held virtual team activities on Tuesday amid an NFL Network report of 10 confirmed new positive COVID-19 tests in the organization, leaving the status of the club's scheduled Thursday game at Pittsburgh uncertain. The Ravens closed, and then reopened, their team facility on Monday following positive COVID-19 tests involving running backs Mark Ingram and rookie J.K. Dobbins. Defensive tackle Brandon Williams was deemed a close contact, and all three players were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

No honeymoon period for new Canada Soccer boss

There will be no honeymoon period for Nick Bontis who steps into the top job at Canada Soccer facing a budget crunch brought on by COVID-19 and a scramble to get the national teams back into action ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and World Cup qualifying. Bontis, elected Soccer Canada president on Friday, takes over from the outgoing Steven Reed, who had served the remaining three years of Victor Montagliani’s four-year term after the latter became top man at regional governing body CONCACAF.

Australian Open delay 'most likely', says state minister

The Australian Open is likely to be delayed by a week or two as negotiations between organisers, the tennis tours and the Victoria government over health measures continue, the state's sports minister said on Wednesday. Tennis Australia (TA) on Saturday dismissed as "speculation" a report that the Grand Slam would be moved back from its scheduled Jan. 18-31 spot in the calendar.

Chadwick to go off-road with Veloce in Extreme E

Jamie Chadwick, the first winner of the all-female W Series, will race off-road next year after being announced on Wednesday as a driver for the Veloce Extreme E team. The new five-race all-electric series is due to start in Saudi Arabia in March, with further rounds in Senegal, Greenland, Brazil and Argentina. Each competing team must enter a male and female driver.

(With inputs from agencies.)