The NHL could have trouble getting non-Canadian resident players into that country should the league decide to resume its season during the coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday that players would at a minimum need to follow quarantine protocols if they were to arrive in Canada while the border remains closed.
Trudeau says anyone who arrives from another country will have to follow all the rules of quarantine in an extremely strict manner. However, he adds that an agreement between Canada and the NHL hasn't been brokered. The Associated Press reported last week that Edmonton and Toronto were being looked at as possible "hockey pod" cities that could host the remainder of the NHL season during the summer months. Games would be played in air-conditioned arenas without fans.
In other virus-related sports news:
Two people told The Associated Press that replay reviews could vanish in Major League Baseball in 2020 as part of a deal with umpires that contemplates a possible “monastery setup.” Off-the-field movement could be restricted because of COVID-19. The agreement also covers how umpires would be paid for a season shortened or wiped out. Umps get 50% of their salaries for May, but nothing else if no games are played in 2020. Umpires generally make between $150,000 and $450,000.
The Pan-Mass Challenge is going virtual in the hopes that it can continue to raise money for cancer research. This year’s event was scheduled to include around 7,000 riders on 12 different routes covering from 25 to 192 miles. Instead, participants will be encouraged to ride however they can on their own. There will be a virtual starting line and reimagined opening ceremonies. The cross-state bike ride was among the first athletic fundraisers when it began in 1977. Since then, it has raised more than $700 million for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund.
A team executive in the Premier League says the EPL could face years of legal challenges if this season is not completed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish offered public support for the league's "Project Restart" plans after Brighton and West Ham expressed concerns about teams being forced to play their remaining games in neutral stadiums. The league is working with the government to find a safe way of players resuming group training and playing games by June at the earliest.
Italy's Serie A soccer clubs have been cleared to resume training this week on an individual basis following a clarification from the Italian government. The government had said last week that athletes in individual sports could resume training today and teams on May 18. That sparked confusion and frustration from Serie A clubs, which pointed out that their players would be allowed to train individually in public parks but not inside team training centers. Serie A has been suspended since March 9, when the government ordered a nationwide lockdown.
Players from Spanish league clubs will be allowed to resume training today as Spain eases some of the lockdown measures that had been in place because of the pandemic. The government is allowing players to train individually at the clubs' facilities while observing a series of safety measures pre-established by the league and local authorities. The league prepared a detailed four-phase training protocol that has already been distributed to clubs. Smaller group sessions and full squad sessions are likely to be allowed in the coming weeks.
A men's pole vault competition featuring three of the event's biggest names has resulted in a tie for the gold medal. Mondo Duplantis of Sweden and Renaud Lavillenie of France each cleared a height of 16 feet 36 times over a span of 30 minutes Sunday. Both had one miss. Sam Kendricks of the United States wound up third by clearing the bar 26 times. Each man competed from his own backyard.
NASCAR
William Byron showed he's the sharpest gamer in NASCAR's iRacing Series with his third victory in four events. Byron passed Timmy Hill with seven laps remaining at virtual Dover International Speedway, where NASCAR had been scheduled to race Sunday. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has consistently been the best of the NASCAR professionals in simulated racing. Hendrick drivers have won four straight iRacing events, including Alex Bowman's victory last week at virtual Talladega Superspeedway.
NFL
The Kansas City Chiefs have picked up additional quarterback depth by working out a contract with undrafted free agent Shea Patterson. The former Michigan signal-caller started all 26 games for the Wolverines over the past two seasons after transferring from Mississippi. Patterson threw for 3,061 yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions last year and finished with 45 scoring passes with the Wolverines.
MLB
Former Oakland Athletics pitcher and special assistant Matt Keough has died at age 64. Keough spent 10 seasons in the majors, breaking in with the 1977 A's and playing for the Yankees, Cardinals and Cubs before ending up with the Astros in 1986. He was an All-Star as a rookie in 1978 and led the American League with 18 losses in 1982. Keough was 58-84 with a 4.17 ERA in 215 big league games, including 175 starts. Keough pitched in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers from 1987-90, going 45-44 with a 3.73 ERA.
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