Sport

Teams will be able to make up to five substitutions under a Fifa proposal to help players cope with fixture congestion amid the coronavirus pandemic. The substitutions will be allowed in a maximum of three in-play slots and at half-time to avoid unnecessary stoppages but are being proposed in recognition …

Andres Iniesta has described his struggle with depression while playing for Barcelona, which his mother says was a “bottomless pit” that caused her 25-year-old son to ask to sleep with his parents. Iniesta recalls his experience with the illness in a Rakuten TV documentary, ‘Andres Iniesta – The Unexpected Hero’, …

The European Athletic Association has confirmed that the 2020 European Athletics Championships have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The competition was due to take place at Paris’ Charlety Stadium from the 25th of August until the 30th of August. A statement released by the European Athletics said, “The …

A major human rights group has urged authorities in the English Premier League to dismiss a bid by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and allies to take over the ownership of a club, saying the controversial figure fails the very basic tests of ownership rules in the competition. The …

If the big European football leagues can’t get their league back up and running by June, they could be forced to finish the season using PLAYOFFS, according to reports. UK newspaper the Daily Mail reports that UEFA has issued guidelines to clubs and leagues across the continent in a bid …

Amnesty International has written to the Premier League saying it “risks becoming a patsy” unless it takes a serious look at Saudi Arabia’s human rights record before sanctioning Newcastle United’s £300m takeover by an alliance in which the country’s sovereign wealth fund would hold an 80% controlling stake. Saudi’s Public …

New lawsuits have been filed against the helicopter company that owned and operated the aircraft that crashed in January, killing Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and eight others. Family members from four of the eight passengers have sued the company, Island Express Helicopters. The Associated Press reported that two of …

Barcelona’s stadium will have a formal name for the first time in its 63-year existence after the club announced plans to sell next season’s rights and hand the proceeds to charitable activities and the fight against coronavirus. The Camp Nou, which means the new ground, became the de facto name …

Soccer matches and other sports events in Spain will take place in empty venues at least until the end of the summer, the mayor of Madrid said Saturday. José Luis Martínez-Almeida told the Onda Cero radio station that the coronavirus pandemic likely “won’t be under control” by then for events …

A 16-year-old Iranian chess prodigy has upended the chess world by beating World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen in the final of the Banter Blitz Cup. Alireza Firouzja defeated the Norwegian 8.5-7.5 in the final of the online quickfire knockout contest — where players must comment verbally on their moves, and …

Switzerland’s federal prosecutor is about to end its investigation into former FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s deals with the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) to sell World Cup broadcasting rights. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said it has informed all the parties of its intention to close the case and …

Six Barcelona board members have resigned and told president Josep Maria Bartomeu they are unhappy at how the club is being managed. In a joint letter, the six expressed concern over the financial implications of the coronavirus crisis for the club. They also criticized the handling of a scandal in …

FIFA, on Tuesday, made a series of amendments to players ’contracts and summer Mercato dates due to a global outbreak of the Corona pandemic. FIFA confirmed in an official statement on its website: “He made the decisions in consultation with various stakeholders, after the unprecedented turmoil caused by the Coruna …

Bayern Munich has confirmed that players will return to training on Monday for the 1st time since the Bundesliga was suspended due to the coronavirus. The Bavarians said in a statement that the training session will be held in coordination with government policy and the relevant authorities. It added that …

UEFA has decided to postpone the Champions League and the Europa League finals due to the ongoing health crisis across the continent. The European Football governing body said in a statement that it has formally taken the decision to postpone the club finals, originally scheduled for May 2020. It added …

A decision was taken by the International Olympic Committee in agreement with the Japanese Government and Tokyo 2020 organizing committee to delay this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games until 2021 due to the worldwide outbreak of Covid-19, which has hampered athletes in their preparations and seen a number of competing …

Major sporting nations Australia and Canada quit the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Monday as organizers faced global pressure to postpone the Games due to the coronavirus crisis for the first time in their 124-year modern history. Putting back the July 24-Aug. 9 event, as is looking inevitable, would be a …

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated his desire to hold the Olympic Games in their “complete form,” and indicated he wasn’t thinking of reducing the scale of the event or holding the games behind closed doors. Speaking in parliament, Abe said that the games must be safe and secure for …

Soccer’s 2020 European Championship has been postponed for a year as the world fights to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Norwegian and Swedish FAs said on Tuesday. “Postponed until 11/6- 11/7 2021. Will get back to you after the meeting,” Swedish FA chairman Karl-Erik Nilsson said in a …

Real Madrid has ended a seven-game winless run in El Clásico with a deserved 2-nil victory over Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu, a crucial win that sends Madrid back to the top of La Liga. Barca threatened their hosts on some occasions in the first half, but could not find …