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COVID-19 and sports: Latest updates across all leagues
Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

COVID-19 and sports: Latest updates across all leagues

It's been several months since sports in the United States came to a screeching halt amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the NBA, MLB and NHL seasons suddenly were put on hiatus.

Recent UFC bouts, WWE matches, NASCAR races and golf tournaments offered a glimmer of hope, and now the timelines of major sports are finally still being finalized. The NBA, NHL and MLB have announced plans to return to play, but with news breaking so often, we’ve gathered the latest stories fans need to know.

 
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COVID-19 and sports: Latest updates across all leagues

COVID-19 and sports: Latest updates across all leagues
Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

It's been nearly two years since sports in the United States came to a screeching halt amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the NBA, MLB and NHL seasons suddenly were put on hiatus.

COVID continues to complicate sports. With news breaking so often, we’ve gathered the latest stories fans need to know.

 
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NBA

NBA
NBA commissioner Adam Silver Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

Here is what has happened over the last couple of weeks in the NBA:

MARCH 30

  • Celtics, 76ers decline to say if all players meet Canadian COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Read more here.

MARCH 29

  • Veteran guard Trey Burke is the second Mavericks player to enter the NBA’s health and safety protocols in recent days, joining fellow reserve Sterling Brown, the team’s PR department tweets. Read more here.

MARCH 23

  • Kyrie Irving, other unvaccinated athletes in NYC cleared to play in home games. Read more here.

MARCH 10

  • Pelicans SG CJ McCollum enters health and safety protocols. Read more here.

MARCH 2

  • Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been placed in the NBA health and safety protocols. Read more here.

FEBRUARY 28

  • Although New York City has begun to loosen its vaccine mandate, Kyrie Irving still will not be able to play for the Brooklyn Nets under the updated set of rules. While it may be tempting to give Irving a pass due to his importance to the Nets, New York mayor Eric Adams said that is simply not an option. Read more here.

FEBRUARY 23

  • Relaxed vaccine rules in New York could allow Kyrie Irving to play Nets home games soon. Read more here.
  • Nets' Kyrie Irving "excited" relaxed vaccine rules could allow him to play home games. Read more here.

FEBRUARY 16

  • During an appearance on ESPN's "Get Up" on Wednesday morning, NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the vaccine mandate that New York City currently has in place. "This law in New York, the oddity of it to me is that it only applies to home players," Silver said, per ESPN's Andrew Lopez. "I think if ultimately that rule is about protecting people who are in the arena, it just doesn't quite make sense to me that an away player who is unvaccinated can play in Barclays but the home player can't. To me, that's a reason they should take a look at that ordinance." Read more here.

FEBRUARY 3

  • Pelicans' Willy Hernangomez, Garrett Temple placed in health and safety protocols. Read more here.
 
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MLB

MLB
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Here is the latest MLB news from the past couple of weeks:

MARCH 23

  • New York City set to lift vaccination requirement for professional athletes. Read more here.

MARCH 10 

  • Unvaccinated players won’t be able to travel to Toronto, and they obviously won’t be able to participate in any games at the Rogers Centre. They’ll apparently not be compensated for those missed contests. Duke Castiglione of WCVB reports that the league and Players Association agreed in Thursday’s CBA that players won’t receive either salary or service time for any games missed on account of vaccination status. Read more here.
 
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NHL

NHL
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Here is what the NHL has been doing over the past couple of weeks:

MARCH 30

  • Jets' Kyle Connor, Nate Schmidt to miss at least three games after testing positive for COVID. Read more here.

MARCH 29

  • Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen and assistant coach Steve McCarthy have been placed in the league’s COVID protocol. Read more here.

MARCH 21

  • Several players, Vegas assistant placed in COVID protocol. Read more here.
 
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NFL

NFL
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Here are updates from around the NFL:

MARCH 3

  • NFL, NFLPA agree to suspend all COVID-19 protocols. Read more here.

FEBRUARY 21

  • NFL cancels plans for Combine 'bubble' amid boycott threats. Read more here.

FEBRUARY 7

  • According to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills said Monday that the league reported just one hospitalization related to the coronavirus among approximately 7,000 players, coaches and staff members for this season. Sills didn't name the individual, but it's known Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Dakota Dozier was hospitalized for one night because of COVID-19 complications in November. Dozier ultimately returned to the lineup later in the season. Read more here.
 
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Golf

Golf
Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods recently participated in a charity golf match. Mike Ehrmann-Handout Photo

The latest from the world of golf since competition resumed:

NOVEMBER 26

  • A gaggle of golfers participating in the Joberg Open in Johannesburg, South Africa this week withdrew before the second round of the tournament could get underway on Friday. ESPN said that British and Irish golfers participating in the tournament withdrew after the U.K. government announced heavy restrictions on flights from South Africa "to counter the spread of a new COVID-19 variant." Read more here.

AUGUST 4

  • With COVID-19 cases surging throughout the United States due to different variants, the PGA Tour is going back to its previous guidelines of mandating that all individuals wear masks indoors at events regardless of their vaccination statuses. Read more here.
 
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NASCAR

NASCAR
Kevin Harvick won the Real Heroes 400. Brynn Anderson-Pool Photo

What's the latest from the world of NASCAR:

APRIL 25

  • NASCAR will not require drivers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, president Steve Phelps said Sunday, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "It is important, in my opinion, that people get vaccinated," Phelps said before the race at Talladega Superspeedway. Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin are among the few NASCAR drivers who have made it known that they received the COVID-19 vaccine. Read more here.

MARCH 11

  • More and more states, cities, and communities are opening outdoor and indoor events to paying spectators despite continued COVID-19 concerns. During a Thursday appearance on ESPN's "First Take," National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci explained that the existence of at least three coronavirus vaccines should permit growing numbers of fans to safely attend sporting events over the next several months. Read more here.
 
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NCAA athletics

NCAA athletics
NCAA president Mark Emmert Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Here is the fallout from the most recent news from the NCAA:

FEBRUARY 4

  • Iowa coach Fran McCaffery tested positive for COVID-19. Read more here.

FEBRUARY 1

  • Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji missed game vs. Iowa State due to health and safety protocols. Read more here.

JANUARY 21

  • Creighton coach Greg McDermott positive for COVID-19. Read more here.

JANUARY 19

  • Memphis assistant coach Rasheed Wallace to work rest of season remotely. Read more here.

JANUARY 18

  • Penn State-Minnesota men's basketball game postponed due to COVID-19 issues within Gophers. Read more here.

JANUARY 13

  • Providence-UConn men's basketball game postponed due to COVID-19. Read more here.

JANUARY 11

  • Creighton-Providence game canceled due to COVID-19. Read more here.

DECEMBER 29

  • Holiday Bowl officially canceled; NC State gets trophy by default. Read more here.

DECEMBER 28

  • Penn State men's basketball cancels third straight game due to COVID-19. Read more here.

DECEMBER 27

  • Duke men's basketball postpones two games due to COVID. Read more here.

DECEMBER 26

  • Fenway Bowl, Military Bowl both canceled due to COVID issues. Read more here.

DECEMBER 24

  • Hawai'i Bowl canceled after Hawai'i withdraws due to COVID. Read more here.

DECEMBER 22

  • Texas A&M will not participate in the Gator Bowl because of a COVID outbreak within the team, SI.com first reported on Wednesday. Read more here.
  • For college football, a team can now actually advance to the national championship and win if its opponent has to forfeit a game due to an outbreak. ESPN's Heather Dinich reported Wednesday that the new rules, which was put into effect this week, stipulate if "one team is able to play in the title game and the other can't because of COVID-19 -- and the game can't be rescheduled -- the team that can't play will forfeit and its opponent will be declared the national champion." Read more here.

DECEMBER 20

  • Louisville-Kentucky postponed as Cardinals pause due to COVID. Read more here.
  • Nick Saban says that '90 percent' of Alabama players have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and received boosters. Read more here.

DECEMBER 17

  • Syracuse men's basketball has postponed the team's games vs. Lehigh and Cornell due to COVID-19. Read more here.
  • The UCLA-UNC men's basketball game was canceled due to COVID-19. The Tar Heels will play Kentucky instead. Read more here.
  • The Penn State-Quinnipiac game was canceled due to COVID-19. Read more here.
  • Going forward, Northeastern University will hold sporting events without spectators due to COVID-19 surges. Read more here.

DECEMBER 16

  • The Penn State-VCU game has been canceled due to COVID-19. Read more here.
  • The Ohio State-Kentucky men's basketball game has been canceled due to COVID-19. Read more here.

DECEMBER 15

  • On Wednesday, the Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball program announced it was temporarily pausing all team activities following the discovery of coronavirus cases. Read more here.
  • UCLA confirmed via a statement that head coach Mick Cronin would miss Wednesday's game in-person due to COVID-19 protocols. Associate head coach Darren Savino is handling Cronin's standard game-day duties. Read more here.

 
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Tennis

Tennis
Wimbledon was canceled for the first time in 75 years. Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

Here is what has happened most recently in the world of tennis:

MARCH 9

  • As ESPN's D'Arcy Maine explained Tuesday, Novak Djokovic was announced in the draw for the ongoing BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells even though it was unclear if he could enter the United States because of his vaccination status. On Wednesday, the 34-year-old took to social media to announce he won't play at Indian Wells or at the Miami Open set to start later this month. "I knew it would be unlikely I’d be able to travel. The CDC has confirmed that regulations won’t be changing so I won't be able to play in the U.S.," he said. Read more here.

MARCH 3

  • Novak Djokovic could play in French Open after France lifts vaccine requirement. Read more here.

FEBRUARY 15

  • Novak Djokovic says he will opt out of future Grand Slam events with COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Read more here.
 
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Pro wrestling

Pro wrestling
This year's WrestleMania still took place. Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com-NorthJersey

Pro wrestling news over the past few weeks:

JANUARY 11

  • WWE champion Drew McIntyre tested positive for COVID-19 and is now in quarantine. As Joseph Currier of the Wrestling Observer noted, this is the first time that WWE confirmed the identity of a roster member who returned a positive coronavirus test since the start of the pandemic. According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com, multiple wrestling brands that have national television deals are currently dealing with COVID-19 issues. Read more here.

SEPTEMER 24

  • Back in March, Roman Reigns decided to opt out of WrestleMania 36 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During an appearance on "WWE After the Bell" with "SmackDown" announcer Corey Graves, Reigns explained his choice, saying that it was entirely based on keeping his family safe. Read more here.

SEPTEMBER 2

  • Legendary wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shared on Instagram that he, his wife, and his two baby daughters all tested positive for the coronavirus. The Rock says they got the virus from close family friends. He said overcoming the virus was harder than recovering from injuries he’s dealt with in the past. Read more here.
 
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UFC

UFC
Henry Cejudo (red gloves) fights Dominick Cruz (blue gloves) during UFC 249. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Here's the latest from the MMA world:

JANUARY 19

  • The UFC is set to hold its first event in the United Kingdom in three years, multiple sources reported on Wednesday. While no matchups have been confirmed for the fight card yet, the event is set to take place at O2 Arena in London on March 19 with tickets going on sale in February. Read more here.

JANUARY 18

  • Fully vaccinated fighters, corner staff won't be tested for COVID-19 before UFC 270. Read more here.
 
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Boxing

Boxing
The third installment of Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin will be postponed. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

What's new in boxing:

SEPTEMBER 8

  • Oscar De La Hoya posted a video on social media Wednesday after being released from the hospital. De La Hoya said in the video that he was hospitalized for three days after contracting COVID-19. He says that COVID hit him “really hard” despite him being in great physical shape. Read more here.

SEPTEMBER 3

  • Oscar De La Hoya tested positive for COVID-19, TMZ reports. Evander Holyfield has agreed to take De La Hoya’s place and fight Vitor Belfort on Sept. 11. The fight will need approval from the California State Athletic Commission. TMZ reports that the fight will be moved to Florida if California will not sanction it. Read more here.
  • De La Hoya shared a video from a hospital bed on Friday. The 48-year-old confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated. De La Hoya said in a follow-up tweet that he has been receiving treatment and is confident he will make a full recovery. He is still aiming to fight before the end of the year. Read more here.

JULY 8

  • The third match between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder that was scheduled for July 24 has been postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak among Fury’s camp. Fury tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing symptoms. The 6-foot-9 heavyweight champion received one COVID-19 vaccine dose but did not get the second shot, according to boxing reporter Dan Rafael. Read more here.
 
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Olympics

Olympics
The 2020 Summer Games were pushed to 2021. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The latest from the IOC:

JANUARY 19

  • With COVID-19 cases skyrocketing across the globe just weeks before the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, NBC Sports will not be sending its announcer teams to Beijing, according to USA Today. The events will instead be announced remotely from the United States. Read more here.

JANUARY 17

  • the Winter Olympics in Beijing, set to start next month, will reportedly only permit "selected" spectators at the Games, according to the Associated Press. A statement posted by the Games' organizing committee states the decision to limit tickets is to make the Games more enjoyable for those who are able to attend. Read more here.

DECEMBER 21

  • The NHL and NHLPA 'in agreement' that no players will participate in 2022 Beijing Olympics. Read more here.
 
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MLS, NWSL

MLS, NWSL
MLS and NWSL continue to be on hold. Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

MLS and NWSL most recent developments:

SEPTEMBER 7

  • United States men's national team midfielder Weston McKennie was suspended for this past Sunday's 1-1 draw against Canada in a World Cup qualifier due to violations of the program's COVID-19 policies and dismissed entirely from the team on Monday ahead of Wednesday's qualifier at Honduras.  There's now more information on the exact nature of McKennie's supposed wrongdoings.  According to Jeff Carlisle of ESPN, McKennie spent a night outside of the team's coronavirus bubble during the current international break. Additionally, both Carlisle and TUDN's "Hablamos Soccer" podcast report the 23-year-old brought an unauthorized individual inside the U.S. bubble and into his hotel room on a different night.  As a result, manager Gregg Berhalter released McKennie back to Serie A club Juventus. Read more here.

JULY 20

  • For the second straight year, there will be no U.S. Open Cup due to COVID-19. The U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed on Tuesday that this year's edition of the competition won't take place "after not finding available match dates shared across the various participating leagues." According to Brian Straus of Sports Illustrated, a proposal to hold an altered U.S. Open Cup format with 24 clubs in May and June was abandoned, and the federation explained Tuesday it's now planning for next year instead of for the fall months. U.S. Soccer said Tuesday its board of directors will address the automatic berth for the 2022 Champions League in the coming weeks. Read more here.
 
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International soccer

International soccer
Some soccer leagues overseas have resumed play, albeit in empty stadiums. Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua/Sipa USA

Most recent news from international soccer circles:

APRIL 13

  • Tottenham manager Antonio Conte tests positive for COVID-19. Read more here.

JANUARY 20

  • Unvaccinated Real Madrid, Chelsea players may be banned from Champions League games in France. Read more here.
 
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WNBA

WNBA
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

WNBA's latest developments:

JUNE 28

  • The WNBA announced Monday that an astonishing 99% of its players are considered fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. "All 12 teams have met the threshold for being considered a fully-vaccinated team," the Association added in its brief statement. No players have tested positive for the virus since the regular season started on May 14. Read more here.

APRIL 13

  • The 25th WNBA season will have a much more normal feel to it than its 24th. On Tuesday, the WNBA announced the upcoming regular season will begin May 14 and feature the league's 12 teams playing at their home venues. The league will temporarily pause from July 15 through Aug. 11 due to the Summer Olympics, and teams will play a total of 32 games through the final day of the regular season scheduled for Sept. 19. The 2020 campaign was shifted to the bubble site at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fan attendance for upcoming games will be determined and announced by individual clubs, and all teams will follow local health and safety recommendations. Read more here.
 
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International baseball

International baseball
While MLB remains on hold, baseball has resumed overseas. Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

What has happened in international baseball:

JULY 8

  • During a recent game against the Rakuten Eagles, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks employed 20 dancing robots to liven things up. The two kinds of robots, SoftBank’s humanoid robot ‘Pepper’ and others on four legs, engaged in a choreographed dance to the team’s fight song. Read more here.
 
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eSports

eSports
eSports has thrived under lockdown during the pandemic. The Commercial Appeal-Imagn Content Services, LLC

esports carries on:


MAY 19

  • Esports’ popularity has experienced an uptick on both sides of the remote, as CNBC’s Bob Woods reported on May 19 that streaming website Twitch experienced a “23% surge in viewership in March,” coinciding with the time frame when much of the country started to stay home.

MAY 4

  • While the pandemic is having a negative effect on the sports world, it’s been business as usual for esports and gaming. Participants can easily play while maintaining social distancing guidelines since gaming takes place online. In fact, esports has been flourishing. Texas A&M head esports coach Travis Yang told KSAT.com that there has been a “noticeable increase” in gamers and tournaments as people were forced to stay at home.
 
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One-off events

One-off events
The Boston Marathon was canceled for the first time in 124 years. Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Most recent developments among other sports:

AUGUST 21

  • After hoping to allow a decreased percentage of spectators to the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced on Friday afternoon that no fans will be welcomed to the event postponed from May 2 to Sept. 5 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.

AUGUST 4

  • Indianapolis Motor Speedway has once again reversed course and declared that the Indianapolis 500 held on Aug. 23 will occur without fans in the stands due to the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.

JULY 1

  • The 2020 Mexico City Marathon announced that the race scheduled for Aug. 30 is canceled. According to Mexico News Daily, the event drew roughly 30,000 runners last year. Read more here.

JUNE 26

  • The Indianapolis 500, set for Aug. 23, became the latest American sporting event to welcome fans amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles confirmed the news, stating, "We will be limiting attendance to approximately 50 percent of venue capacity." Per Shanna McCarriston of CBS Sports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway carries a capacity of around 235,000. The official announcement also explained that individuals who do not wish to attend, such as those considered high-risk, will receive credits. Safety items such as masks and hand sanitizer will be distributed to all race attendees. Read more here.

JUNE 24

  • The world's largest marathon in New York City has officially been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Jackie Salo of the New York Post. The five-borough race, which hosts more than 50,000 runners from across the globe, would've celebrated its 50th anniversary on Nov. 1. It is now set to take place on Nov. 7, 2021. Read more here.

JUNE 23

  • The Haspa Marathon Hamburg, which was postponed from April, is set to occur on Sept. 13. The race is expecting 10,000 to 14,000 runners. However, Americans might not be among thm. Action Network's Darren Rovell reported that runners from "higher-risk COVID areas" will not be allowed to participate. A higher-risk area could include the United States. Read more here.

JUNE 13

  • Approximately 20,000 rugby fans in New Zealand packed the stands to watch the Otago Highlanders take on the Waikato Chiefs in the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition. New Zealand lifted nearly all of its coronavirus restrictions earlier in the week, as no new cases have been reported for more than 20 days and the death toll is at just 22 in the country since the pandemic started. Read more here.

MAY 28

  • The Boston Marathon, originally scheduled for April 20 but postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic, was canceled and converted into a virtual experience. It's the first time in 124 years the Marathon won't run. Read more here.

More must-reads:

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