Sports News Roundup: Indians ace Shane Bieber tests positive for COVID-19; Race director received death threats after parallel and more

All-Star Game to go ahead amid COVID-19 pandemic The NBA will hold the 2021 All-Star Game in Atlanta on March 7 despite a number of top players expressing concerns about staging an exhibition game amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Indians ace Shane Bieber tests positive for COVID-19

American League Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber tested positive for COVID-19 but is expected to report to the Cleveland Indians training site soon. Chris Antonetti, the club's president of baseball operations, said Thursday that Bieber has had "very, very mild" symptoms, adding the Indians are hopeful he will join the team in Goodyear, Ariz., within days. Pitchers and catchers reported on Wednesday.

Alpine skiing: Race director received death threats after parallel events

Men's race director Markus Waldner received death threats following the parallel giant slaloms at the Cortina d'Ampezzo Alpine skiing world championships, the organizing committee said on Thursday. Fondazione Cortina 2021 issued a statement expressing their support and solidarity after the Italian was sent the threats via email.

Billiards legend 'Black Widow' battling stage-4 ovarian cancer

Billiards legend Jeanette "Black Widow" Lee announced she has stage-4 ovarian cancer and a GoFundMe page on her behalf states she has only a few months left to live. Lee, 49, was immensely popular in the 1990s and early 2000s when ESPN regularly featured her and other billiards stars in televised tournaments. She had an array of trick shots and earned the name "Black Widow" for her steely demeanor during matches.

Djokovic ends Russian qualifier Karatsev's golden run

Defending champion Novak Djokovic ended the remarkable run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev to ease into his ninth Australian Open final with a 6-3 6-4 6-2 win on Thursday. In one of the more improbable semi-final matchups at a Grand Slam, Djokovic was broken twice by the world number 114 Karatsev but ensured there would be no Russian revolution under the lights of Rod Laver Arena.

Skateboarding eyes brighter future with USOPC support on mental issues

The skateboarding community, rocked by several prominent deaths related to mental health issues, is hoping the benefits that go with the sport's inclusion in this year's Tokyo Olympics will help its athletes tackle the underlying problems. Briton Ben Raemers died by suicide in 2019, skateboarding pioneer Jeff Grosso passed away after a drug overdose in 2020, and 22-year-old Henry Gartland took his own life last month, highlighting the urgent need to address issues like depression and addiction.

Osaka to meet Brady in final as Williams exits in tears

Naomi Osaka ended Serena Williams' bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title with an imperious 6-3 6-4 win on Thursday, a victory that booked her spot in her second Australian Open final and left the American great in tears. In a rematch of their tumultuous 2018 U.S. Open decider, Osaka underlined her status as the new queen of women's tennis and soaked up the cheers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd as fans returned to the Grand Slam after a five-day lockdown.

Former Twins IF Brian Dozier announces retirement

Infielder Brian Dozier on Thursday announced his retirement from baseball after nine seasons, the first seven of which were spent in a Minnesota Twins uniform. Dozier, 33, had stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals and New York Mets to conclude his career.

NFL boosts 2021 salary cap minimum to $180M

The floor of the NFL salary cap for 2021 has been set at $180 million, an increase of $5 million from last year's previous agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association. The NFL informed teams in a memo on Thursday morning that the $180 million figure is not the final 2021 cap number, just an adjustment to the floor. The new league year and free agency is slated to begin on March 17.

Former Olympic athlete Hashimoto chosen as head of Tokyo 2020 organizers

Japanese athlete-turned-politician Seiko Hashimoto has been chosen as president of the Tokyo 2020 Organising committee, replacing a man who resigned after setting off a furore with sexist remarks. Hashimoto, who competed in seven Summer and Winter Olympics as a cyclist and a skater, now faces a raft of tough issues at the helm of one of the world's biggest sporting events with less than half a year before its delayed start.

All-Star Game to go ahead amid COVID-19 pandemic

The NBA will hold the 2021 All-Star Game in Atlanta on March 7 despite a number of top players expressing concerns about staging an exhibition game amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it said on Thursday. The NBA will arrange private travel for All-Star Game participants and, together with the National Basketball Players Association, will commit over $2.5 million toward Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and COVID-19 relief efforts.

(With inputs from agencies.)