The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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The College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta plans to reopen July 1 with a new exhibit featuring historically black colleges and universities.
The museum closed in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. The reopening was delayed after the facility sustained damage in riots that erupted the night of May 29 over the death of George Floyd. The glass facade was shattered and merchandise was stolen from the street-front gift shop, but no exhibits or artifacts were damaged.
The new HBCU exhibit will focus on their history, traditions and Hall of Fame players and coaches. There will also be a special section dedicated to Georgia’s HBCUs, the Celebration Bowl and kick-off games between the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference. The museum is also planning a second exhibit that will open next year during black history month.
The hall of fame also plans new safety protocols in accordance with state and federal guidelines, including rigorous cleaning procedures, temperature checks for staff and guests, masks and additional hand sanitizing station throughout the museum.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he will not hold Kyle Walker’s lockdown indiscretions against him when the Premier League resumes on Wednesday.
Walker apologized for hosting a party at his home during the 100-day shutdown of the league because of the coronavirus outbreak. The England right back also said he was being “harassed” after acknowledging in a statement he breached lockdown rules to visit members of his family.
Guardiola was asked if Walker’s actions affected his chances of being selected against Arsenal on the first day of the Premier League’s resumption. He says “I judge my players on what happen on the pitch.”
Guardiola says Walker made a “brave statement” about the effect the lockdown had on him and his family and adds “the human being always goes first before the football player.”
Guardiola says there is no chance his players would be fully fit after only three weeks of training ahead of the restart and is worried about the risk of injuries.
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Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone says an antibody test revealed he had COVID-19.
Malone says in an interview with CBS4 in Denver he wasn’t feeling well shortly after the season was suspended March 11. He reached out to the team’s medical staff to be tested but no tests were available at the time. Malone says he had an antibody test around Memorial Day weekend.
Malone says the team doctor called up and said “you tested positive.”
Malone adds that he likes to say “I got coronavirus and I kicked its butt.”
His squad was in third place in the Western Conference when the season was halted. The league is working on completing the health and safety protocols for a restart at the Disney campus near Orlando, Florida.
Malone says “I hope that going down to Orlando will be in a safe environment and we can limit the amount of people that actually get it.”
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The Russian anti-doping agency says it is resuming the testing of athletes after a break of nearly three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The agency says its staff has been equipped with protective equipment and will have to test negative for the virus before working with any athletes.
It has also offered athletes advice on how to register their status if they have to isolate themselves because they have been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
The agency initially suspended testing on March 27 for one week but that was extended because of Russian government measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
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