Coronavirus in Sport LIVE: Premier League return LATEST, UFC Fight Night results, Bundesliga build-up – The Sun

May 14, 2020

THE Bundesliga is back this weekend, and talks are continuing for the Premier League's comeback.

But some Prem clubs are opposed to Project Restart in the fear Liverpool will play the kids once they have won the title.

Follow all the latest coronavirus in sport updates below, underneath our quick poll…

'PAID TO WATCH UFC'
UFC viewers were left in awe of the rare Wednesday Fight Night as furloughed fans joked they were being paid to watch fights.
Just days after Justin Gaethje's all out war with Tony Ferguson at UFC 249, promoter Dana White was back to work as he staged a midweek non-PPV event.
One said: “Furloughed for another 6 week, I’m getting 100% pay to watch UFC on a Wednesday night.”
Another said: “Nice little midweek bonus UFC card could get used to this.”
One added: “So happy sports are back!! 2nd time in a week!!”
MORNING, SPORTS FANS
Premier League clubs have been given the green light by the government to return to the training ground – but only if they socially distance.
The official guidance, issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, was described as providing “a significant step towards a safe resumption of live sport behind closed doors”.
But the new position, which is effective immediately, confirms that the initial phase of the two-stage process only allows for individual or small group training regimes.
Meanwhile, Norwich have become the first Premier League club to openly question whether there should be relegation.
Sporting director Stuart Webber said: “It needs to be settled on the pitch, not off it.
“A big question we have around restarting is it’s fine if we restart and three teams are relegated. But the Championship has to play all of its games also.
“What we could not accept is we play out all of our games, get relegated, but then the Championship can’t play and automatically promote some teams.
“It’s a bit like saying the FA Cup finishes now. We’re in the quarter-finals — does that mean we win the Cup, qualify for Europe and all get a medal?
“It’s a really important sporting point, it needs to be settled on the pitch, both coming up or going down, and we accept that. If we get relegated on the pitch it’s not nice but not a surprise.”
Finally, Amiens have become the first team in Europe to take legal action after being relegated with ten games still to play.
President Bernard Joannin has lodged a formal complaint against the French Football Federation in a Paris court.
He is demanding that no teams are demoted from Ligue 1 after the government ordered a sports shutdown until September.
Joannin insisted: “This decision is unjust, incoherent and unfounded.
“How can you relegate two teams when there’s still a quarter of the season to be played?”
Sporting director John Williams expects to win their case and said: “The Amiens soldier is not dead and nobody is dancing on its coffin.”
NO DEAL
Norwich have become the first Premier League club to openly question whether there should be relegation.
Sporting director Stuart Webber said: “It needs to be settled on the pitch, not off it.
“A big question we have around restarting is it’s fine if we restart and three teams are relegated. But the Championship has to play all of its games also.
“What we could not accept is we play out all of our games, get relegated, but then the Championship can’t play and automatically promote some teams.
“It’s a bit like saying the FA Cup finishes now. We’re in the quarter-finals — does that mean we win the Cup, qualify for Europe and all get a medal?
“It’s a really important sporting point, it needs to be settled on the pitch, both coming up or going down, and we accept that. If we get relegated on the pitch it’s not nice but not a surprise.”
NEW WAYS
Mark Noble and Declan Rice were the first stars through West Ham’s new tented village before training.
Club captain Noble and his midfield partner were only allowed in after undergoing medical check for symptoms of coronavirus.
But they were not given the full test which clubs plan to administer twice a week if and when the Premier League season resumes next month.
The pair had their temperatures taken by medical staff and were then asked to blow into a wide tube to check their lung function.
West Ham have implemented the new controls as an added level of precaution to try to keep the spread of the disease at bay.
The tents were erected in the past few days as the players ramp up preparations to fulfil the remaining 92 fixtures of the campaign.
West Ham are insisting on a 20-30 minute ‘time buffer’ between groups of two arriving for training with boss David Moyes and his coaching staff.
Even then the players work in strict isolation on separate pitches to minimise the risk of infection.
RUG PULLED OUT
Rugby stars have been barred from returning to training grounds despite getting the all-clear from Government.
Just minutes after No 10 said the sport could get back into action, Twickenham chiefs put the brakes on, saying there was still much to sort, including how to put furloughed staff back on full pay.
Players had hoped they could be back doing gym work or out on the pitches in isolation — but that is now some way off.
An RFU spokeswoman said: “While much has been done to establish protocols around a safe return to training and ultimately competition, there is still significant work to do and discussions to be had with players and staff before any form of training can resume.
“Their welfare will be at the heart of our decisions.”
Premiership Rugby said they would help clubs with testing for Covid-19 once players return.
But, despite having already held eight weeks of talks, chief executive Darren Childs says more planning is needed.
He said: “Our priority is the health and safety of supporters, players, management, staff and the wider community, so our season will resume only when it is safe to do so.”
WELCOME MATT
Matt Doherty claims many Premier League footballers are willing to take risks to get back to work.
He said: “If the Premier League and the doctors say it’s safe to come back, then I trust them.
“It’s getting to the point now when you would almost take a bit of a risk just to get back playing, because you miss it that much.
“We’ll obviously follow the guidelines and do what we have to do. But if they say it’s OK, then I’ll believe them and I’ll be ready to return to playing.
“I was allowed back to the training ground on Monday for the first time since lockdown. It was great just to get Wolves training kit on and feel normal again. It made me feel the return to playing was close now.
“We are doing short, sharp work in solitary sessions but we will gradually do more with the lads next week.
“I can’t wait until we can all get back to full training and then it starts to feel real again.
“On my way back from training on Monday, I heard the Government had opened up the possibility of returning in June and I thought ‘Good, now we can work out a plan for when we’re going to play’.
“All clubs will have to accept we are playing again and we can get on with it. It won’t take long to get your touch back but the real test will come against a tricky winger — which there are lots of in the Premier League.”
TAKE YOUR TIME
Prem players have been assured they will not be rushed back for Project Restart.
Several stars voiced their concerns in their summit with the League, PFA and medical experts yesterday.
Both the League and PFA admitted to the union representatives and captains of the 20 teams that a June 12 return is looking like a non-starter.
And it could now be June 19 before English football’s top flight returns.
Some clubs are already back in individual training but the rest will be back next Monday.
The players insisted they would not be ready physically by May 25 to return to full contact training.
And UK Sport chief Sally Munday has told them: “The choice to return to training is a personal one,” and they can “opt in”.
EF-HELL
The EFL shocked Championship clubs by ordering them to scrap plans to go back to training next week.
Most of the second tier outfits were set to return to work on Monday – but now Rick Parry's organisation have told them to wait a further seven days.
The news came as a shock to the teams who were making plans to get their men fit and aim for a start of fixtures in early June.
However one top club official said: “We have the full details of the medical requirements now – and we can still end the season by July 31.”
FULL REVERSAL
Amiens have become the first team in Europe to take legal action after being relegated with ten games still to play.
President Bernard Joannin has lodged a formal complaint against the French Football Federation in a Paris court.
He is demanding that no teams are demoted from Ligue 1 after the government ordered a sports shutdown until September.
Joannin insisted: “This decision is unjust, incoherent and unfounded.
“How can you relegate two teams when there’s still a quarter of the season to be played?”
Sporting director John Williams expects to win their case and said: “The Amiens soldier is not dead and nobody is dancing on its coffin.”
PAY BACK
Man City have begun to refund their season ticket holders for the final six Premier League home matches of the season.
The Etihad giants have also agreed to pay back the money for those who had bought tickets for the Champions League second leg with Real Madrid.
The statement from the club said: “Given the announcement, Seasoncard holders will now be offered a refund equating to six the value of the remaining six home Premier League games.
“Supporters who had purchased individual tickets for Premier League fixtures or any cup fixture will also receive a full refund.”
EXCLUSIVE BY DUNCAN WRIGHT
Owen Hargreaves believes competitive football will return with a bang following the Covid-19 shutdown – just as soon as one player smashes into another.
Hargreaves said: “I don’t think it will be that testimonial, but it will be slightly reserved, because the boys will be thinking ‘I’ve been out for a long time, I don’t want to pull a hamstring’.
“But once somebody smashes into you, then the competitive juices are going to flow and everybody is going to go full tilt.
“I don’t think the football is going to be the hard part, because the boys have been chasing a football around since they were five years old.
“I think it’s more about the intensity, and it’s going to be a big jump from whatever they were doing at home.
“Initially people will be a bit cautious and soft-tissue injuries, I think, will be the biggest issue.
“But the boys, as much as they won’t be as physically sharp, their competitive instincts naturally if somebody tackles them or something happens in a game, their instincts are going to kick in then you’re going to get it back to natural.”
NO IFS OR BUTTS
Jos Buttler admits to plenty of concerns as he prepares to strap on his pads and get ready for England matches behind closed doors.
He said: “It’s a multitude of things, with cricket probably being one of the smaller ones. No-one has ever been in this situation before.
“Speaking for myself, anytime there’s uncertainty, there’s apprehension and I think it’ll take me a few days to work out those feelings and process how I can control them.
“I think it’s important for all the players to have coping strategies for the different scenarios we’re going to come up against.
“So, when I heard training for England players could start again soon, I had some apprehension and anxiety.
“There’s some performance anxiety you haven’t felt for a while – for seven weeks, you’ve had freedom from that. What will my cricket look like? But there are bigger things than that.”
IT ALL ADS UP
Adrian insists Liverpool are ready to defy coronavirus and start playing again.
The Reds are closing in on their first-ever Premier League title.
He said: “We are not afraid to play again, although we know it is risky.
“We are training again at Melwood, we are footballers and want to work again, but minimising the risk, of course.”
GETTING CLOSER
The EFL is reportedly “confident” that the Championship season could be restarted in less than a month.
ESPN claim the coronavirus football shutdown could be over “as early as June 6”.
Talks between the EFL and its 71 clubs are continuing, with it widely-believed the League One and Two seasons will be finished to focus solely on promotion and play-offs.
But there is optimism that the second tier can still be completed on the pitch.
ITALIAN SWAB
Serie A faces being AXED as entire squads will be sent to quarantine for two weeks if just one player tests positive for coronavirus.
Top-flight teams in Italy have been given the green light to return to training and plans are in place for the league to resume on June 13.
But the Italian government have warned the clubs that everything will stop if there is a positive coronavirus test.
Sandra Zampa, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, said: “If one gets sick, the quarantine is for everyone.
“Otherwise we would go back to suspending everything.
“Everything stops, no doubt if the quarantine is triggered, the championship also stops.”
FLATMOSPHERE
Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach are finding a novel way of filling their stadium – with 12,000 cardboard cut-outs of real fans.
The 'Stay at home, be in the stands' campaign allows the Fohlen faithful to purchase a cut-out bearing their image for just £17, with all profits going to charity.
Season ticket holders are being given the chance to place their cardboard likeness at their usual seat.
All other cut-outs are destined to go behind the goal in the home Nordkurve end – with Ultras allowed to pick their Block 16 home.
FUR GOODNESS SAKE
Former England Women’s star Eniola Aluko has apologised for her now deleted tweets criticising people placed on the government's furlough scheme amid the coronavirus crisis.
Aluko took to Twitter to suggest that furloughing “is needed but has created a culture of do-nothing entitlement” – attracting widespread criticism.
Responding to one Twitter user, Aluko wrote: “Well unfortunately death is a daily occurence (sic) in all parts of the world before this crisis. When people were dying in other parts of the world before this crisis, did you stop working? Probably not.”
She followed that up with: “I think you are naive to think there will be people not absolutely chuffed that they are being paid until October to not go to work at jobs they hate anyway.”
Aluko has now deleted a number of her posts, set her Twitter account to private and said sorry for “any offence caused”.
She wrote: “Opening up my tweets this morning to say sorry for any offence caused by any of my tweets on furlough last night.
“The tweets that seem to have upset people the most have been deleted. I have no interest in being a source of further public upset.”
MORE ON TRAINING GUIDELINES
Only if the initial stage is passed successfully can Stage Two, which envisages “social clustering within the training environment” and players working in groups.
That stage would include contact training and intensive coaching work.
The document confirms: “Small groups of athletes and staff will be able to interact in much closer contact.
“For example, close quarters coaching, combat sports sparring, teams sports tackling, equipment sharing, etc.
“The additional guidance necessary for operating under step two will be finalised and communicated once when the government has agreed to move to this step, following advice from Public Health England and medical experts that it is safe to do so.”
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “I know our sports stars are keen to get back to training and this guidance will enable them to do so in a safe way.
“Our top priority is protecting the health of athletes, coaches and support staff.
“Enabling athletes to get match-fit is an important milestone towards restarting competitive sport behind closed doors – but we have not given a green light yet.
“We are clear that this can only happen on the advice of medical experts and when it is safe to do so.”
TRAINING DAY
Prem clubs have been given the green light by the government to return to the training ground – but only if they socially distance.
The official guidance, issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, was described as providing “a significant step towards a safe resumption of live sport behind closed doors”.
But the new position, which is effective immediately, confirms that the initial phase of the two-stage process only allows for individual or small group training regimes.
Aimed directly at “professional sportsmen and women”, the guidance is designed “to ensure athletes can initially carry out individual performance training at an official elite training venue”.
That can still only happen, “under carefully controlled medical conditions, providing they keep two metres apart at all times from their teammates and other people outside their household”.
Players must be tested Covid-free before being cleared to take part and then be subjected to twice weekly further examinations.
The guideline adds: “All athletes and staff must also adhere to the existing social distancing guidelines travelling to and from, and during, training at this stage, and adhere to all other restrictions applying to the general population outside training.”
RIP
A Japanese sumo wrestling star has died aged 28 after becoming the first victim of the coronavirus in his sport.
Shobushi, whose real name is Kiyotaka Suetake, passed away after multiple organ failure caused by Covid-19.
Back on April 10, he became the first sumo to test positive for the virus, but his condition quickly worsened and he was taken to intensive care nine days later.
Japan Sumo Association Chairman Hakkaku said: “I can only imagine how hard it must have been, battling illness for over a month, but like a wrestler he endured it bravely and fought the disease until the end.
“I just want him to rest peacefully now.”
Approximately 1,000 members of the JSA are due to undergo a virus antibody test, according to reports.
That will be the first large-scale testing event to be held in the Japanese sporting world.
BECKS APPEAL
Man Utd legend David Beckham quizzed Spurs boss and former Chelsea chief Jose Mourinho on how to look after his Inter Miami stars after paying a visit to Tottenham's North London stadium before the coronavirus lockdown.
He told AIA: “As an I owner I want to help my team be the best they possibly can.
“To get insight from a manager as experienced and successful as Jose was a real privilege.
“There’s a lot of science and new thinking in the game since I was a player but it’s clear that simple things like a solid routine and great sleep are still really important.”
UFC CONTINUES
Dana White's Jacksonville bonanza continues tonight with another UFC card in Florida.
The event starts at around 2am UK time though… but don't worry, we'll be bringing you live blogging and reports right here on SunSport.
They will hold three fight cards in the space of eight days, with ALL of the shows taking place from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena with no crowd.
The state of Florida has stated that “professional sports and media production with a national audience” are essential services during the pandemic.
UFC president Dana White revealed to ESPN: “We're having fights May 9, then another card May 13, then May 16.”
White has also said there will be a show on May 23 but has yet to reveal the location.
DOG DAYS ARE OVER
Phil Jones was spotted training alone at a field in Cheshire – 24 hours after his team-mates linked up for a similar session.
The Manchester United defender, 28, only had a dog to contend with as he tried to get back up to speed after the lengthy lay-off.
The defender was snapped by the pup-arazzi as he did some sprinting drills on Wednesday morning.
Jones appeared to timing himself on his Smart watch as he worked up a sweat ahead of his return to Carrington.
CLICK HERE TO SEE PICTURES OF JONES WORKING OUT
NOT OK
Former England international Eni Aluko has apologised for criticising people on furlough.
The ex-Chelsea and Juventus star, now Aston Villa Women’s sporting drector, said it created a “culture of entitlement”.
Several leading Women’s Championship clubs have had to fulough staff during the coronavirus crisis.
Aluko, 33, said: “Opening up my tweets this morning to say sorry for any offence caused by any of my tweets on furlough last night.
“The tweets that seem to have upset people the most have been deleted. I have no interest in being a source of further public upset.”
She added: “No generalisations or widespread offence was intended. Just a personal opinion on the future economy in this crisis. This account will now be private and views, as always, remain my own.”
IT'S A MORATHON
Multiple Olympic champion Mo Farah says the postponement of the Tokyo Games to 2021 could work to his advantage as the Briton will now have around 20 months to train for the defence of his 10,000m title having switched his focus back to the track.
The 37-year-old retired from track athletics in 2017 to focus on road marathons but announced in November last year that he was returning for one more tilt at 10,000m gold.
He told Reuters: “Having postponed it actually helps me a bit more.
“It gives me a year to do more track races and then go into the Olympics. So in a way I think it works out well for me.”
Farah, who is chasing a third successive Olympic gold over 10,000 metres but does not plan to defend his 5,000m title in Tokyo, said everyone was in the same boat and dealing with plenty of uncertainty.
He added: “Hopefully when it gets going we can have some races and can start working towards something, because as an athlete you always want to have something to work towards if its an Olympics, a world championships, any event.”

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