Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Factbox: Sports events hit by the coronavirus epidemic

Here is a list of international sports events hit by the outbreak of a coronavirus: OLYMPICS Ricciardo keeps options open ahead of key season

Daniel Ricciardo will be keeping a close eye on his mobile phone this season as the Australian's Formula One future comes into focus. At the moment, the 30-year-old is committed to the Renault project he signed up for in 2018, but both he and the French manufacturer team will be starting a big year in Melbourne on March 15. Golf: Masters 'proceeding as scheduled', monitoring coronavirus

The Masters will proceed as scheduled next month and precautions will be established to ensure the safety of everyone at the year's first major following the coronavirus outbreak, Augusta National Golf Club said on Wednesday. People from all over the world attend the Masters, which this year will be held April 9-12, and Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley said after consulting with relevant health experts the show will go on. Tokyo 2020 Olympics committee steps up health measures for torch relay

Tokyo 2020 Olympics organizing committee said on Wednesday it had stepped up its measures to protect the health of runners and spectators for the torch relay as the coronavirus spreads nationwide. The measures will include limiting the number of visitors to venues and monitoring the health of runners, the committee said in a statement. Spring training roundup: Harper homers twice in Phillies' win

Bryce Harper hit his first two homers of the spring and drove in four runs on Wednesday to help the Philadelphia Phillies record a 9-7 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates at Clearwater, Fla. Carlos De La Cruz hit a tiebreaking two-run blast in the bottom of the eighth for the Phillies. CAS criticizes Sun for lack of remorse during doping case

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) criticized Chinese swimmer Sun Yang for showing "no regret" for his actions during an aborted doping test that resulted in an eight-year ban for the Olympic champion. The Switzerland-based CAS on Friday accepted an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against a decision by swimming body FINA to clear Sun of wrongdoing for his conduct during a 2018 test. Racing Point aim to be fast followers with 'Pink Mercedes'

Racing Point are aiming for fourth place in the Formula One championship and have copied a winner to help them get there. Their RP20 car was dubbed the 'Pink Mercedes' as soon as it broke cover, a near carbon-fibre copy of six times world champion Lewis Hamilton's title-winning 2019 machine. Ocon credits Hamilton and Mercedes for making him stronger

Esteban Ocon says Lewis Hamilton and Formula One champions Mercedes have made him stronger as he starts afresh with Renault. The 23-year-old French driver spent last season as Mercedes reserve after a move to Renault from Racing Point, where he was replaced by team owner Lawrence Stroll's son Lance, fell through. Japan committed to hosting Olympics on schedule even as virus spreads

Japan's Olympics minister said the country is committed to hosting the summer games as planned from July even as the coronavirus outbreak spread to new parts of the country. "Cancellation or delay of the Games would be unacceptable for the athletes," Seiko Hashimoto said in parliament on Thursday. "An environment where athletes can feel at ease and focus should be firmly prepared." Islanders' Boychuk gets 90 stitches to eyelid after taking skate to face

New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk needed 90 stitches to close a wound on his eyelid after taking an opponent's skate blade to the face, the NHL team announced on Wednesday. Boychuk suffered the injury during a home game on Tuesday when he was cut by the skate blade of Montreal Canadiens left wing Artturi Lehkonen, whose right leg popped up behind him as he fell forward to the ice.