Sports News Roundup: Australian Open to go ahead despite COVID-19 cas; Paul George knocks down 32 in Clippers' win and more

Australian Open to go ahead despite COVID-19 case - organisers The Australian Open will begin as scheduled on Monday even though a worker at one of the Melbourne hotels used to quarantine players and their entourages tested positive for COVID-19, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Australian Open to go ahead despite COVID-19 case - organisers

The Australian Open will begin as scheduled on Monday even though a worker at one of the Melbourne hotels used to quarantine players and their entourages tested positive for COVID-19, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Thursday. The day's warm-up matches at Melbourne Park were called off after the case was announced late on Wednesday, and those who underwent quarantine at the Grand Hyatt hotel were instructed to get tested and isolate until they had a result.

Tokyo Olympics chief retracts sexist comments, refuses to resign

Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori apologised on Thursday for sexist comments about women talking too much, but said he would not resign, as his remarks sparked a storm of criticism on social media and risked tainting public opinion of the Games. Mori, 83, apologised at a hastily called news conference, but when pressed on whether he really thought women talked too much, he said: "I don't listen to women that much lately so I don't know".

Sabres coach Ralph Krueger tests positive for COVID-19

Buffalo Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger has tested positive for COVID-19, the team said Thursday. The Sabres said Krueger, 61, will immediately enter the league's COVID-19 protocol.

NFL: League in 'active discussions' with players' association over COVID vaccinations

NFL Chief Medical Director Allen Sills said the league was in "active discussions" with its players' association over whether to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for players and staff, as well as what role it would take in coordinating inoculations. There were 262 COVID-19 cases among players and 463 among personnel detected between August 1 and the end of January, out of more than 950,000 COVID-19 tests administered, causing several schedule delays but no outright cancellations during the season.

Beijing boycott not the answer says Canadian Olympic Committee

A boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics would not bring home two Canadian men detained in China for more than two years or force a change to China's human rights record but would only punish athletes, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) said on Thursday. With the Feb. 4-20 Beijing Winter Games scheduled to start in exactly one year, the COC put out an op-ed confirming a commitment to take part in the 2022 Games as calls grow to boycott the event or have it moved from China.

'Hoping and praying': Tampa eyes Super Bowl windfall despite COVID-19 crunch

This Sunday's Super Bowl in Tampa will hardly rake in as much revenue as in past years but it is a welcome salve for Florida's third-largest city, with local businesses grateful for any windfall during a pandemic. Last year's Super Bowl, 280 miles (451 km) down the road in Miami, brought that city $572 million in new spending, according to Miami's Super Bowl Host Committee. This year's figure is expected to be far lower due to COVID-19, with limited attendance at the game, canceled corporate events and curtailed spending.

NBA roundup: Paul George knocks down 32 in Clippers' win

Paul George shot 8-for-9 from 3-point range and scored 36 points to lead the visiting Los Angeles Clippers to a 121-99 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points, Lou Williams had 15 and Serge Ibaka added 14 points for Los Angeles, which finished 4-2 on its road trip. Ivica Zubac had 10 points and 16 rebounds in a reserve role for the Clippers.

Laugh, but not too hard: New Super Bowl advertisers keep it light in pandemic

In a teaser ad Uber Eats released ahead of the Super Bowl, actor Mike Myers, reprising his role as Wayne from "Wayne's World," tells sidekick Garth what is on everybody's mind: "2020, man, that was a great year...not." The food delivery app and other brands doing well during the pandemic including electronics brand Logitech and gardening company Scotts Miracle-Gro, will replace long-time advertisers during Sunday's Super Bowl LV telecast.

Report: NBA, union agree to March 7 All-Star Game in Atlanta

The NBA and National Basketball Players Association have agreed to stage the All-Star Game in Atlanta on March 7, The Athletic reported Thursday. Details are being finalized and could be announced this week, per the report.

Spectacular' Beijing 2022 Games will transform winter sport - Bach

The Beijing winter Olympics next year will be spectacular and will transform winter sports "for ever" by introducing some 300 million Chinese people to them, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Thursday. In a video address to China, Bach said Beijing, which will become the first city ever to have staged both summer and winter Games after also staging the Beijing 2008 Olympics, was ready to deliver 'spectacular Games'.