Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. Coronavirus will not be opportunity for drug cheats says WADA chief

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Witold Banka had a message on Friday for any athlete thinking they could take advantage of the gap in drug-testing created by the coronavirus outbreak -- "we will catch you" and "eliminate you". WADA acknowledged last week that the coronavirus pandemic had created challenges for drug-testers with countries closing borders, cancelling flights, enforcing mandatory quarantines or isolations and the shutdown of the sporting calendar. Doping: Russian agency halts testing amid coronavirus outbreak

Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA said it was temporarily halting all testing in response to government measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus. Russia has reported 1,036 cases of the virus and has stepped up measures to prevent it from spreading further, including declaring next week a non-working week and ordering shut all Moscow cafes, restaurants and shops apart from those providing vital services, such as food and medicine. Report: Plan for Thanksgiving baseball being considered

There could be baseball during the 2020 holidays, with USA Today reporting Friday that both Major League Baseball and its players are willing to extend the season until Thanksgiving in order to preserve as much of the schedule as possible. USA Today also reported that under a deal reached Friday, players with guaranteed contracts will start receiving an advance of $5,000 a day for 60 days, up to a maximum of $300,000. Players would be obligated to give the money back if a season is played. NFL notebook: Rodgers escaped Peru before airport shutdown

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers barely got out of Peru on March 18 just before the airport closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic, he said Friday. Speaking to radio hosts A.J. Hawk, Rodgers' former Green Bay teammate, and Pat McAfee, a former Indianapolis Colts punter, Rodgers recounted a frantic exit from South America for himself and three traveling companions. NHL players discuss possible playoff formats

With the NHL season on an indefinite hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, players have plenty of time to ponder the potential return of the sport. With it looking increasingly likely that a full 82-game regular season won't be completed, attention is turning to how the playoffs might look. Olympics: 'We'll be stronger than ever in 2021' – Naomi Osaka

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, the poster girl of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, took to social media on Saturday to show her support for the decision to postpone the Games until next year Osaka, who won the U.S. Open in 2018 and the Australian Open in 2019, was the central character in the video to launch Tokyo 2020's official motto for the Games, launched last month. Athletics: Iran Olympic discus trailblazer Hadadi has coronavirus

Ehsan Hadadi, Iran's first Olympic track and field medalist, has tested positive for coronavirus, World Athletics reported on Saturday. Hadadi, the Asian discus champion who became a national hero when he won silver at the 2012 Olympics in London, has an athletics base in the U.S. but was at home in Tehran when he contracted the virus. Team USA weighing roster alternatives in event of spring Olympics

USA Basketball is weighing alternative roster options in the event of a potential conflict between the delayed Tokyo Olympics and the NBA season. If the postponed Games are moved from a July 2020 start to March or April of 2021, NBA players would not be eligible to participate. The NBA regular season typically ends in mid-April, when the playoffs begin. NBA notebook: Play likely to resume without fans

If the NBA regular season resumes, it is almost "100 percent" the games will be played without fans present, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Friday. Windhorst said the NBA very likely will mimic the plan being used in China for a potential end to the current hiatus, which began March 12. 'Challenge' to decide who covers cost of postponing Tokyo Games: Mori

Tokyo 2020 Olympics organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori has told international federations that deciding who foots the bill for postponing the Games to 2021 will be a "major challenge", Olympic news website insidethegames https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1092504/tokyo-2020-president-warns-ifs-costs reported on Saturday. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese organizers this week postponed the July 24-Aug. 9 event due to the coronavirus pandemic -- the first such delay in the modern Games' 124-year history.

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