Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Olympics: Hokkaido's farmhorse jockeys dream torch relay can spur racing revival

At Obihiro racetrack, spectators walk alongside the course as fast as the big beasts they've backed to win, cheering as they go. There's no sprinting in this contest: The adrenaline charge is all about power - pure, 1-tonne horse power. The Obihiro track is for 'ban'ei keiba', traditional racing featuring giant farmhorses on Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido. Every Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the horses pull sleds that equal their own tonne in weight, guided by a jockey, along a 200-metre sand track - with two mounds to climb along the way. NFL, union ban free-agent travel, postpone OTAs

The National Football League and NFL Players Association jointly announced Monday that offseason activities will be postponed or altered due to the spread of the coronavirus. The declaration came eight hours after the NFL's "legal tampering" window for free agents opened, with numerous players and teams reaching contract agreements and executing trades. Factbox: Sports events still ongoing despite coronavirus pandemic

Sports events around the world that have not been suspended, postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak: OLYMPICS There are more important things than golf, says Tiger

American Tiger Woods sought to put the cancellations of a slew of golf tournaments due to the coronavirus into perspective on Monday, saying the well-being of others trumped the sport. "There are a lot more important things in life than a golf tournament right now," the 15-times major champion wrote on Twitter. League says players can return home, should self-quarantine

National Hockey League players can opt to return to their homes, even if that means leaving North America, but should self-quarantine once they get there until March 27, the league said in a statement on Monday. The NHL, which last week joined other leagues around the world in suspending its season in light of the coronavirus pandemic, said players should still immediately report any symptoms or testing results to club medical staff. Japan's Abe says G7 supports 'complete' Games, polls back postponement

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday that Group of Seven leaders had agreed to support a "complete" Olympics, but dodged questions about whether any of the leaders had brought up the possibility of postponement. His comments come as concerns mount about whether the Games can proceed as planned now that the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic has brought business and social activity in many countries to a standstill and panic to financial markets. Horse racing: Dubai World Cup meeting to be held 'without paid spectators'

The Dubai World Cup horse race meeting will go ahead on March 28 "without paid hospitality spectators" due to concerns of the new coronavirus outbreak, Dubai Racing Club said in a statement. Spectators have been banned at race meetings this month across the United Arab Emirates, which has recorded 98 cases of the virus. 49ers keep Armstead, reportedly trade Buckner to Colts

The San Francisco 49ers decided on the future of their defensive line, making a pair of huge moves Monday involving two of the key pieces to their Super Bowl run last season. First, the team signed defensive end Arik Armstead to a five-year contract, the 49ers confirmed on Twitter. While the club did not disclose the finances involved, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Armstead will earn $48.5 million in guaranteed money on an $85 million deal. Exclusive: Coronavirus must hit peak by end-May for Tokyo Games to happen on time - French Olympic Committee chief

The coronavirus pandemic must have reached its peak and be on the wane by the end of May otherwise the Tokyo Olympics cannot be staged on schedule, the head of the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) said on Monday. "My feeling is that if we're still in the crisis by the end of May I can't see how the Games can happen (on time)," Denis Masseglia told Reuters in a telephone interview. MLB pushes baseball season back further, citing CDC guidance on coronavirus

Major League Baseball will further delay the start of its 2020 season, the league said on Monday, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that gatherings of 50 or more people should be cancelled or postponed for the next eight weeks in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The 162-game season, which was set to kick off on March 26 with all 30 teams taking the field, is among the numerous international sporting events upended by the outbreak, as teams, athletes and leagues across the globe face an uncertain future.