How other sports are tackling cases of athletes testing positive for Covid-19
In addition to cricket, the pandemic has disrupted football, tennis, the NBA and Formula 1
Anirudh Menon
29-Aug-2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has created serious complications in sporting leagues all around the world. Here is how a selection of them are handling cases of athletes testing positive for the virus.
Cricket
At least ten members of the Chennai Super Kings IPL franchise, including an India player, tested positive for the coronavirus on August 28. On the next day, it emerged that another player, uncapped at the highest level, also tested positive. The infected persons, most of them being support-staff members or net bowlers, are understood to have been moved to a different hotel from the team hotel, and are being monitored by medical personnel behind closed doors.
At least ten members of the Chennai Super Kings IPL franchise, including an India player, tested positive for the coronavirus on August 28. On the next day, it emerged that another player, uncapped at the highest level, also tested positive. The infected persons, most of them being support-staff members or net bowlers, are understood to have been moved to a different hotel from the team hotel, and are being monitored by medical personnel behind closed doors.
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The IPL is set to start on September 19, but with Super Kings expected to play defending champions Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener, and with their start to training now delayed, it remains to be seen how the schedule is affected.
Football
In Spain, a spike of positive cases at second division club Fuenlabrada caused a major disruption to the schedule. Fuenlabrada were forced to abandon their last league (against already relegated Deportivo La Coruna), a match in which a point would have secured their place in the playoffs. The league initially decided to cancel the fixture to keep the integrity of the playoff schedule, but after a furore it was played out three days later. Fuenlabrada lost, meaning Elche, in sixth place ahead of them, sneaked into the playoffs, which they duly won.
In Spain, a spike of positive cases at second division club Fuenlabrada caused a major disruption to the schedule. Fuenlabrada were forced to abandon their last league (against already relegated Deportivo La Coruna), a match in which a point would have secured their place in the playoffs. The league initially decided to cancel the fixture to keep the integrity of the playoff schedule, but after a furore it was played out three days later. Fuenlabrada lost, meaning Elche, in sixth place ahead of them, sneaked into the playoffs, which they duly won.
In early August, the rescheduled Champions League suffered a scare when two Atletico Madrid players tested positive for covid-19. However, this happened before the squad travelled to Lisbon where the knockout stages were to take place. The two were placed under self-isolation at home, and after all other squad members tested negative, the team travelled to Lisbon and the tournament went on without any incident.
Now, a number of footballers, returning from post-season holidays, have tested positive for covid-19, including Manchester United's Paul Pogba and AS Roma's Justin Kluivert. There are growing fears it may affect the scheduled restart of the domestic seasons in England, Spain, and Italy.
Tennis
Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour event - held during the middle of the worldwide lockdown in June - saw a number of high profile players, including himself, test positive for the virus. Controversy surrounded the tournament due to its apparent lack of coronavirus protocols.
Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour event - held during the middle of the worldwide lockdown in June - saw a number of high profile players, including himself, test positive for the virus. Controversy surrounded the tournament due to its apparent lack of coronavirus protocols.
ATP and WTA then restarted their events this month, with the protocols in place. The crammed (re)schedule plans to have the US Open run from August 31 to September 13, followed almost immediately by the rescheduled French Open from September 21 to October 11.
The US Open is going ahead despite the withdrawal of several high-profile names ,including defending champions Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu, due to the apprehensions over covid-19. The tournament had already cancelled the qualifying rounds, the junior matches, and the mixed-doubles event.
The players, meanwhile, have been placed in a bio-secure bubble at Flushing Meadows to minimse their chances of contraction. Testing will be conducted through the tournament, and anyone testing positive will be forced to withdraw.
Baseball - MLB
The restart of baseball has been beset with postponements due to players testing positive for covid-19. Games across August and July were postponed while teams that did not have positive cases went ahead with their games. This ad-hoc approach seems to remain the plan for the MLB.
The restart of baseball has been beset with postponements due to players testing positive for covid-19. Games across August and July were postponed while teams that did not have positive cases went ahead with their games. This ad-hoc approach seems to remain the plan for the MLB.
Basketball - NBA
Multiple players tested positive immediately preceding and following the suspension of the league in March. The league resumed on July 30 with 22 teams in a bio-secure bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort, and there have not been any positive cases amongst the active players since.
Multiple players tested positive immediately preceding and following the suspension of the league in March. The league resumed on July 30 with 22 teams in a bio-secure bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort, and there have not been any positive cases amongst the active players since.
Motorsport - Formula 1
Racing Point driver Sergio Perez tested positive ahead of the British GP, and his place was taken by Nico Hulkenberg for the two races held at Silverstone. However, after testing negative, Perez returned to the circuit for the next race at the Spanish GP.
Racing Point driver Sergio Perez tested positive ahead of the British GP, and his place was taken by Nico Hulkenberg for the two races held at Silverstone. However, after testing negative, Perez returned to the circuit for the next race at the Spanish GP.