LAST UPDATE | 13 Mar 2020
DONALD TRUMP HAS advised the International Olympic Committee to postpone this summer’s games for a year.
Speaking at the White House last night, the US President said: “I like that idea better than I like having empty stadiums all over the place. If you cancel it, do it a year later. That’s a better alternative rather than having it with no crowd.”
However, the International Olympic Committee are pressing ahead with their plans to host the Games in Tokyo this July.
Elsewhere in the world of sport, chaos is happening with postponements announced not just in Ireland but throughout the globe.
Yesterday, the GAA, FAI, IRFU, Pro14 called a suspension to all its games. Meanwhile, Irish racing will take place behind closed doors until 27 March.
These are today’s key developments.
- Wales v Scotland game is given go-ahead by WRU.
- Uefa have announced all Champions League and Europa League games scheduled for next week have been postponed.
- FFR have suspended all amateur and schools rugby in France. LNR will meet today to decide what to do with Top 14. A suspension on all rugby would have huge implications for the Champions Cup. Ulster are due to play Toulouse on 5 April.
- Premier League bosses are meeting at 10.30am today to decide if they should suspend activity.
- Everton this morning became the third English top flight team to enter self isolation after a first-team player reported ‘symptoms consistent with coronavirus’. The club added that the player in question is now now “undertaking a period of self-isolation for seven days”.
- The opening grand prix of the Formula One season was called off after a staff member in McClaren got the coronavirus.
- Michael Conlan’s fight on St Patrick’s Day was postponed.
- Men’s tennis has been postponed for six weeks, big tournaments like Miami Open and Monte Carlo cancelled.
- Golf’s Players Championship was abandoned.
- In America, major league basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer have all been suspended. NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournaments have been cancelled.
- France announce that all Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 games are suspended indefinitely.
- It’s also been confirmed that all Scottish football has been postponed, including Sunday’s Old Firm clash.
