Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Tokyo 2020 torch handover to take place in empty Athens stadium

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games flame handover in Athens next week will be done in an empty stadium amid the coronavirus outbreak, Greece's Olympic Committee said on Sunday. Greece on Friday canceled the remainder of the domestic Olympic torch relay through the country to avoid attracting crowds a day after the Tokyo Games flame was lit in ancient Olympia. British athlete Learmonth calls for Games to be postponed over coronavirus

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) must give athletes some "clarity, transparency and flexibility" by postponing the Tokyo Games over the coronavirus pandemic, British athlete Guy Learmonth has said. The flu-like virus which originated in China late last year has already killed over 6,000 people globally and infected more than 160,000. IOC's Tokyo Games chief faces mandatory quarantine in Australia

John Coates, the International Olympic Committee's point man for the Tokyo Games, faces mandatory self-isolation when he returns to Australia from Europe this week as part of border controls to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced all international arrivals to the country after midnight on Sunday would need to self-isolate for 14 days to help the country "stay ahead of (the) curve" in containment efforts. Factbox: Sports events around the world hit by coronavirus pandemic

Major sports events around the world that have been hit by the coronavirus outbreak: OLYMPICS NBA hiatus could be three-plus months

The NBA's season -- on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic -- could be suspended for at least three months, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sunday night. Per the report, owners and executives are bracing for the possibility of mid-to-late June -- a time when, in a normal year, the NBA Finals would typically be over -- being the best-case scenario for play to resume. IOC to hold talks with sport chiefs amid coronavirus crisis

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will hold talks with heads of international sports organizations on Tuesday in response to the coronavirus outbreak, a source close to an international federation briefed on the issue said. With less than five months to go until the scheduled start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on July 24, questions have been raised as to whether the Games can go ahead. Gobert sorry for not taking coronavirus more seriously

Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert, whose coronavirus diagnosis last Wednesday was the first domino that effectively shut down American sports, regrets not having taken the threat more seriously, he said in a social media post on Sunday. "I've been feeling a little better every single days," the 27-year-old Frenchman said on the National Basketball Association (NBA) twitter feed. Esports: No F1 but Verstappen and Norris still find a way to race

Formula One drivers Max Verstappen and Lando Norris were racing on Sunday but, with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix canceled due to the coronavirus, it was against invisible opponents on virtual racetracks. The world of esports came to the rescue in the absence of a race in Melbourne or indeed of any single-seater series with the Formula E and IndyCar calendars also ravaged by the fast-spreading virus. Valencia's Mangala tests positive for coronavirus

France international Eliaquim Mangala said that he is one of the five players and staff of La Liga side Valencia who have tested positive for the coronavirus. The 29-year-old's team mate Ezequiel Garay on Sunday became the first La Liga player to contract the virus that has affected a host of global sports events. NFL notebook: Players approve 10-year CBA

NFL players approved the proposed collective bargaining agreement overnight, which will give the league labor peace through the 2030 season. The vote was 1,019 to 959 in favor of ratification, the NFL Players Association announced Sunday morning. Voting closed at 11:59 p.m. ET on Saturday.