Sports News Roundup: Tennis-Fognini defaulted for verbal abuse at Barcelona Open; Soccer-Super League shelved as more clubs withdraw and more

President Joe Biden's administration signaled earlier this year that it had no plans to bar American athletes from participating in the Beijing Games. Exclusive: Breakaway Super League cannot go ahead, says Agnelli Breakaway European Super League founder and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli called time on the project on Wednesday after six English clubs withdrew and he blamed the involvement of politicians for the league's downfall.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Olympics-Women's football draw for Tokyo 2020

Draw for the women's football competition at this year's Tokyo Olympics: Group E

Players, fans hail 'beautiful day for football' as Super League unravels

Players, pundits and fans cheered a "beautiful day for football" after the breakaway European Super League unravelled with the withdrawal of the six English clubs who had signed up to the controversial competition. Following a storm of protests and threats of sanctions from the game's European and world governing bodies, the Super League said it would "reconsider" its next steps after it was reduced to three teams each from Spain and Italy on Tuesday.

Olympics-U.S. women to face Australia in women's football at Tokyo Games

The U.S. women's national team will face Australia, Sweden and New Zealand at this summer's Tokyo Olympics, while in the men's competition 2016 winners Brazil will take on Germany following the group stage draw on Wednesday. The American women's team are the reigning world champions and four-time winners of the Olympic tournament and will start as favourites in Tokyo, with Rio 2016 winners Germany failing to qualify.

Olympics-Men's football draw for Tokyo 2020

Draw for the men's football competition at this year's Tokyo Olympics: Group A

Panel recommends that U.S. officials not go to China's Olympics

A U.S. government commission on Wednesday urged the Biden administration to not send officials to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing religious persecution including China's repression of Uighur Muslims, which Washington has labeled genocide. President Joe Biden's administration signaled earlier this year that it had no plans to bar American athletes from participating in the Beijing Games.

Exclusive: Breakaway Super League cannot go ahead, says Agnelli

Breakaway European Super League founder and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli called time on the project on Wednesday after six English clubs withdrew and he blamed the involvement of politicians for the league's downfall. Twelve of Europe's leading soccer clubs from England, Italy and Spain announced a breakaway league on Sunday but after 48 hours of intense criticism from fans and politicians the six English clubs backed out on Tuesday.

Olympics-Tokyo organisers to delay decision on spectator limits

Tokyo Olympic organisers indicated on Wednesday they would delay making a decision on the limit for spectators in venues, possibly until June, as a resurgence in coronavirus cases complicates planning. Games organisers decided last month that international spectators would not be allowed into Japan, and had said they would decide in April on how many domestic spectators would be allowed into venues.

Sport world hails Chauvin conviction but adds more work to do to end racism

The sporting world celebrated the conviction on Tuesday of former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd but cautioned there was still work ahead to achieve racial justice and equality. The verdict followed months of protest in the United States triggered by the murder of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, last May that sparked a global movement uniting athletes around the world.

Tennis-Fognini defaulted for verbal abuse at Barcelona Open

Italian Fabio Fognini was defaulted during his second-round match at the Barcelona Open on Wednesday after the Italian lost his temper and hurled verbal abuse that was picked up by a line judge. Ninth seed Fognini was trailing 6-0 4-4 against Spain's Zapata Miralles when a line judge reported him for using foul language following a foot fault.

Soccer-Super League shelved as more clubs withdraw

The European Super League collapsed on Wednesday as eight of the 12 founding members from England, Italy and Spain abandoned the breakaway project under massive pressure from fans, politicians, soccer officials and even the British royals.

Founder and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli told Reuters he was reluctantly calling time on the new league after six English clubs withdrew on Tuesday, with Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid following suit and AC Milan indicating they would too.