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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Smash Hit Michael Jordan Documentary Fills TV Void For NBA Fans

In all, 6.1 million people watched the opening episodes in the United States, making the Michael Jordan documentary Twitter's top trending topic and ESPN's most watched original program since the network began producing such shows 16 years ago. An average of 5.9 million viewers watched the latest episodes aired in the US on Sunday."The Last Dance" mixes previously unaired behind-the-scenes footage taken by a special camera crew with the Bulls during their 1997-98 NBA championship run with the retelling of Jordan's amazing story from his youthful days to Chicago's amazing dynasty run of six 1990s NBA titles.The project was set to be broadcast in June when the NBA Finals were scheduled, but when sports programs were wiped out due to the global virus pandemic, ESPN advanced the release date.The Jordan documentary's blockbuster success looks likely to spark similar projects.Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar who died in a January helicopter crash, had a personal camera crew follow him around during his final NBA season, ESPN reported last week, hinting that behind-the-scenes footage could become part of a Bryant documentary.Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, scored 60 points in his final NBA game in 2016, which capped the worst season in Lakers history at 17-65.Dwyane Wade, a member of the 2008 US Olympic "Redeem Team" that won Beijing gold after a 2004 bronze at Athens, says he is already executive producing a documentary about that collection of NBA talent.A lingering hatredESPN has aired discussion shows about the documentary after telecasts, with Sunday's episodes about Jordan's lingering hatred of the Detroit Pistons leading to Monday interviews with former Detroit star Isiah Thomas, notably about the Pistons snubbing the Bulls for post-game handshakes when Chicago swept the defending champions out of the 1991 playoffs."I hated them," Jordan said in the fourth chapter of the documentary. "And that hate carries even to this day."Thomas was not selected as a member of the 1992 Barcelona US Olympic gold medal "Dream Team" -- an NBA all-star lineup that featured Jordan -- and Thomas said Monday on ESPN that he hoped the handshake snub wasn't the reason why he didn't make the historic lineup."If I'm not part of the Dream Team for that lapse of emotion, for not shaking somebody's hand, then I'm more disappointed today than I was back then when I wasn't selected," Thomas said."I paid a heavy price. If that moment meant I'm not selected to be on the Dream Team because of that moment, that's hurtful. That cuts deep." Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Coronavirus: Premier League Comes Up With "Project Restart" To Finish Season, Says Report

The Premier League is eyeing a resumption of the season on June 8, behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, and reaching a climax on July 27, according to The Times. The paper claims football chiefs, along with other sports governing bodies, have been holding talks with the British government about when they can resume and at only "approved grounds". The Premier League has 92 games remaining since it suspended the season on March 13 with Liverpool agonisingly close to their first-ever EPL title.The Times says Premier League bosses shared their idea 'Project Restart' with the shareholders last week.The matches would be played behind closed doors -- a maximum of 400 people would be permitted to attend including media though only if they tested negative for the virus -- and at selected stadia to limit stretching the limited resources of the medical services.Extra changing facilities would be introduced to ensure social distancing measures were in place whilst players would be required to turn up for training individually and already in their kit.They have also suggested August 22 as the date for the start of the 2020/21 campaign. The main sticking point, though, remains the lack of tests available.Should the season be unable to resume -- the Dutch championship was abandoned without promotion or relegation on Friday -- it would be a financial nightmare for the clubs.Measures being taken to alleviate some of that has seen the EPL link up with DLA Piper -- a law firm that has advised on TV rights deals for the league in the past -- on an emergency loan fund, with a maximum of $12.4 million per club.Some clubs have taken measures agreed with their players to ease the financial burden.Southampton, West Ham United, Sheffield United and Watford have agreed deferrals with their first-team squads while the majority of Arsenal's players have agreed a 12.5 percent wage reduction. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Glenn McGrath Picks Pat Cummins As The Most Complete Bowler Of Current Generation

Australia's Pat Cummins is the most complete pacer among the current crop, says the legendary Glenn McGrath, who feels bowlers, in general, are "better blokes" and more hardworking than batsmen. McGrath was answering 25 rapid-fire questions from 'ESPNCricinfo' on a range of subjects, including who he would like to see as himself in a biopic. Asked to name the most complete bowler in world cricket now, McGrath replied: "Pat Cummins. I like the way he goes by." Cummins is currently no.1 in ICC Test rankings and occupies the fourth spot in the ODI list.One of the best fast bowlers through the '90s till late 2000s, McGrath also addressed the big debate of his era -- who was harder to bowl at, Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara? "Tough," he said when asked to pick between the two icons."I would go with Lara just (a bit) from my experience. The hat-trick wish-list would be Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid."Asked if there was any delivery which was missing from his armoury, he cheekily replied: "the 100miles per hour delivery."According to him, the bowlers work a lot harder than batsmen."Fast bowlers are better blokes, work harder and batsmen expect everything," he opined.Asked if he would indulge in 'Mankading' a batsman in a World Cup final where he has to get the last wicket but with only two runs to defend, the legendary pacer said he would never do it.He also feels that after watching Jim Carrey's performance in 'Dumb and Dumber', he would like the iconic funny-man to play his role if a biopic is ever made on him. "Brad Pitt or Hugh Jackman," are his other choices.Not known to be an extravagant dresser, McGrath said he nonetheless likes wearing outfits by Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee.Away from cricket, the sporting legends that he has felt privileged to meet include Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt, tennis icon Roger Federer and five-time Olympic champion rower Steve Redgrave. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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IWF President Tamas Ajan Steps Down Amid Corruption Probe

International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) president Tamas Ajan resigned on Wednesday in the wake of allegations of corruption and doping violations made in a documentary earlier this year. "The IWF thanks Tamas Ajan for more than four decades of service to weightlifting," said IWF acting president Ursula Papandrea in a statement on its website. "We can now begin the work of determining a fresh path towards achieving the full potential of our sport," said Papandrea.The statement by the Budapest-based federation noted an independent investigation is ongoing into the allegations made by German broadcaster ARD in a report in January. The documentary alleged a "culture of corruption" had been established in the Olympic sport with prominent weightlifters rarely subjected to drugs tests and cash being taken by doping controllers to accept manipulated urine samples.Hungarian Ajan, 81, who had been at the IWF since 1976 serving 24 years as general secretary and the past 20 as president, claimed the allegations were unfounded.The programme by journalists ARD including Hajo Seppelt, who broke the story on Russia's state doping scandal, claimed half of the 450 world championship or Olympic medallists between 2008 and 2017 were not asked to undertake any doping tests while a doctor for the Moldovan team was caught on hidden camera explaining how urine samples could be manipulated.Beyond doping, the report accused the IWF of transferring USD 5 million in funding from the International Olympic Committee into two Swiss accounts overseen only by Ajan.Ajan claimed he had been the victim of "an unjust attack" by ARD. "This film has completely ruined my life and 50 years of my work. A large part of my work has been about doping prevention," he said. Papandrea also praised Ajan on Wednesday for his work "in recent years to ensure an anti-doping programme which meets the standards of the IOC (is) in place"."I offered the best of my life to our beloved sport," Ajan said Wednesday according to the IWF statement."When health circumstances related to the (COVID-19) pandemic allow, holding elections would enable a new generation to start work as soon as possible on ensuring a bright future for the sport we love," he said. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Dean Jones Shares Hilarious Video Of Australian Comedian Andy Lee Trying To Catch A Ball. Watch

Dean Jones, the former Australian cricketer, shared a fun video of Australian comedian Andy Lee. In the catching challenge video, Andy Lee can be seen hitting the ball high in the sky over his bungalow's roof. As soon as he hits the ball, Andy starts running through his house to catch the ball. Andy catches the ball but funnily enough, falls in his swimming pool after losing his balance in the video. To this, Dean Jones took to Twitter and said," Great job Andy .... But .. any time someone falls in the pool while attempting the catch.. it's a 6.. reload start again".According to Andy Lee, it took him 68 minutes and 52 attempts to finally catch the ball. He also revealed that he lost 12 tennis balls during the process. Great job Andy.... BUT .. anytime someone falls into the pool while attempting to catch.. it's a 6.. reload start again.. https://t.co/HrnqqTk2AC — Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) April 10, 2020 Dean Jones made his debut for Australia on January 30, 1984, against Pakistan in an ODI. Soon after, Jones made his Test debut against West Indies in the same year. Dean Jones played 52 Test matches for his country and scored 3,631 runs with an average of 46.55. He scored 11 Test centuries with a career-best score of 216 runs.The right-handed batsman featured in 164 ODI's and scored 6,068 runs with an average of 44.61. He retired from international cricket back in 1994.With the coronavirus pandemic bringing all sporting events to a standstill, sports personalities from around the world have been finding ways to keep their fans entertained. India is currently under a 21-day lockdown and chances are that it can affect the upcoming edition of the IPL.The BCCI had announced that the IPL will begin from April 15, after it got postponed from its original date of March 29. It will be interesting to see if BCCI still goes ahead with the revised schedule as coronavirus cases rise in the country. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Coronavirus: WWE's 'Wrestlemania 36' Goes Ahead Behind Closed Doors

Despite all sporting action coming to a grinding halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, the WWE decided to go ahead with its trademark show 'Wrestlemania' as a two-day event. The day one of the show took place on Saturday (local time) and it saw major stars taking the ring with no spectators around. Wrestling fans were expected to fill the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida but now the event is being held at closed sets at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando and other, unnamed, locations, with only essential personnel.On day one of 'Wrestlemania 36', the Undertaker battled it out with AJ Styles, and the former made his entry in his trademark style, giving fans some major nostalgia.The Undertaker and AJ Styles battled it out in a 'Boneyard Match' and it was the former who came out triumphant, cementing his almost perfect Wrestlemania record.Seth Rollins battled it out with Kevin Owens, and later on, the clash got converted into a 'No-disqualification match'.For the 'Universal Championship', Goldberg and Braun Strowman battled it out, and it was the latter who won the title in under three minutes.Earlier, the WWE had decided to go ahead with Wrestlemania behind closed doors."We believe that in this time, especially right now with all this uncertainty ... that there is a need for escapism and for people to be able to get away from all this and put it behind them," Levesque had told CNN."We feel an obligation in some way to try and continue to provide entertainment to people. It''s our company mission to put smiles on people''s faces, and we are continuing to try to do that," he added.The day two of the show will be held on Sunday (local time), and stars like Brock Lesnar, Edge and Randy Orton will be headlining the show.As WWE went ahead with the Wrestlemania, the company has received mixed reviews as many have criticised the decision as the USA continues to battle the coronavirus crisis. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Coronavirus: 2020 F1 Championship Should Be Cancelled, Says Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone says this season's Formula One championship should be cancelled because it appears unlikely that enough races can be completed for it to be valid due to the coronavirus pandemic crisis. The opening eight rounds of the 2020 F1 season have been either cancelled or postponed, with doubts over a number of the other 14 races as the coronavirus pandemic continues to overshadow the sporting calendar. A minimum of eight races are required for the championship to be valid, but former F1 chief executive Ecclestone believes that will not be possible."We should stop the championship this year and start again next year, hopefully, because I can't see it's going to be possible to get the right amount of races in that count for a championship," the 89-year-old Ecclestone told BBC Radio."There's got to be eight from memory, and I can't see them getting that in. It's a difficult situation," he saidMercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was this year aiming to match Michael Schumacher's record of seven drivers' titles, though there have been suggestions a truncated season would diminish the achievement.But Ecclestone, set to become a father for the fourth time, said: "I don't think it will make a lot of difference to Lewis. He would win whatever the race number, whether it be eight, 16 or 20."If it's a world championship and he wins, it would go on his record and say he has won a world championship. The terrible thing is he would win all eight races. It wouldn't be a super championship." Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Can Only Battle Coronavirus By Staying Indoors: Cheteshwar Pujara

"Most of us are following the government guidelines on lockdown but there are still some who are taking the virus casually. They don't realise that they could too be affected."Every single person is a soldier at the moment. If you stay indoors, you are fighting the battle for your own country. There has to be a collective effort else we can't win this," said India's Test batting mainstay.After helping Saurashtra win their maiden Ranji Trophy title last month, little did he know that he would be spending all his time at home.Pujara is enjoying the "forced" break and most of his time goes into entertaining his two-year-old daughter.The closest he has got to a "hit in the nets" is by playing with a plastic bat."That is also for entertaining my daughter. No serious stuff. All of that can wait at the moment," he said.But a gym at home means he is not compromising on his fitness."I usually take everything in a positive way. Sometimes you need to take a break as a sportsperson and there can't be a better time. We just won the Ranji and it is the right time to take three to four weeks off."Luckily I have a gym at home. Being a small town guy, I can't go out to the gym and train there (because he will be mobbed). With gym at home, I can still do my strength sessions, cycling and running. I also do yoga which helps a lot," said Pujara.He was supposed to play county cricket in the UK but that too has been postponed at least till May 28 and faces cancellation.Considering the current circumstances, Pujara might have to wait till the Australia tour starting November to play his first competitive game since the Ranji Trophy final.But he is prepared for any eventuality."I would still have some first-class games before the Australia tour. I am prepared for anything. This is the time when we can't just be thinking about sporting events. First, we have to win this battle against coronavirus," he said."A person's life is much more important than a sporting event. All the sporting events (including Olympics) have been postponed. One has to be prepared as we are going through rare times."We just need to make sure the virus is contained and things get back to normal. After that we can talk about the game."Pujara has fond memories of the previous Australia tour in 2018-19 when India won their maiden Test series Down Under.He was named the player of the series for scoring 521 runs at 74.42, including three hundreds.His long hours in the middle and pacers' stellar performances made all the difference."I would still say it was a collective effort. Yes, I did perform exceptionally well. I am happy about that, no doubt, but when we go back again you have to start from the scratch. It (past performance) will help me for sure but one has to prepare again. You can't take your past glories to the current series," he signed off. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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"Chalo Dinner Time": Anushka Sharma Hilariously Gatecrashes Virat Kohli-Kevin Pietersen Live Chat

Virat Kohli and Kevin Pietersen had a freewheeling chat on 'Instagram Live' where they spoke about a range of topics. From the ongoing coronavirus pandemic to Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) failure to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) title, the star duo's candid chat was a big hit on social media. However, Virat Kohli's wife, Anushka Sharma, hilariously brought it to a grinding halt with her comment during the live chat. The Bollywood star wrote, "Chalo chalo dinner time".Kevin Pietersen posted a screenshot of Anushka's comment with an even funnier caption."When the BOSS said time was up, time was up! @anushkasharma @virat.kohli Hope you all enjoyed that? Just two dudes hanging out...," wrote the England superstar. Pietersen and Kohli began the much-anticipated chat by discussing the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. "We managed to get away to a farm just before the lockdown. There is some space here. It is heart-breaking to see. People are having a tough time," Kohli said.“We have never been in one place for so long. It's bizarre. It's not a good thing to single out something like this as an opportunity to spend time together. But it is what it is. We are being cautious and staying positive. If not for this, I'd be hanging out with you at Chinnaswamy Stadium," Kohli added.Pietersen then asked Kohli where he got his nickname "Chiku" from and the Indian captain said," I got this nickname from a coach in the Ranji Trophy. I used to have big cheeks then. In 2007 I thought I was losing hair. I got my hair cropped and my cheeks and ears stood out. I got the name from a cartoon character. The rabbit in the comic book Champak."Interestingly, Kohli revealed that it was MS Dhoni who made his nickname famous by shouting it out at all times from behind the stumps.Kohli also went on to reveal that the lowest point in his career came in 2014 during the England tour.In the end, Kohli answered some questions from the fans on social media and picked Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi because of work ethic and drive. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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2011 World Cup: Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh Relive Moments From Famous Victory

Suresh Raina, the Indian middle-order batsman, was an integral part of India's triumph in the 2011 World Cup win. The left-handed batsman took to Twitter to share an image in which the whole team was celebrating with the trophy. Raina captioned the post saying, "Things end but memories last forever. Remembering the rush, excitement, the thrill of it all, of the fantastic moments leading up to us lifting the world cup. Irreplaceable.Unforgettable.Thankful to have been part of this iconic moment in the history of cricket. #worldcup2011". Things end but memories last forever. Remembering the rush, excitement, thrill of it all, of the fantastic moments leading up to us lifting the world cup. Irreplaceable. Unforgettable. Thankful to have been a part of this iconic moment in the history of cricket. #worldcup2011 pic.twitter.com/qIISLuzS0k — Suresh Raina???????? (@ImRaina) April 2, 2020 The left-handed batsman played a crucial role in the quarter-final of the 2011 World Cup against Australia. Raina alongside Yuvraj Singh helped India beat Australia in what was one of the most memorable partnerships of the tournament.India had lost half their side chasing 260 against Australia. However, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina kept their nerve and stitched a 74-run partnership for the sixth-wicket which turned out to be match-winning for India. Suresh Raina scored a valuable 34 off 28 balls which included two boundaries and a six to help India win the match. India's win knocked the defending champions out of the tournament in Ahmedabad.Yuvraj Singh also took to Twitter to share the memory and wrote, "Words will never be able to describe what a moment for every Indian it was, this is what we live for !! jai Hind". Words will never be able to describe what a moment for every Indian it was , this it what we live for !!jai Hind ???????? pic.twitter.com/rsldfWv79E — yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) April 2, 2020 In the final of the 2011 World Cup, Gautam Gambhir, and MS Dhoni scored 97 and 91 respectively to help India lift the World Cup for the first time since 1983. Yuvraj Singh was adjudged player of the tournament for his brilliant performances throughout the 2011 World Cup. Yuvraj scored 362 runs and took 15 wickets in the 2011 World Cup and helped India lift the trophy. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Coronavirus: F1 Team Mercedes To Manufacture Breathing Aid For Patients

Medical researchers and engineers have teamed up with Formula One outfit Mercedes to adapt a breathing aid for mass production that could keep coronavirus patients off much-needed ventilators. University College London said UK regulators had approved its adaptation of the continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP), which helps patients with breathing difficulties. A version of the equipment, which increases air and oxygen flow into the lungs, has already been used in hospitals in Italy and China to help COVID-19 patients with serious lung infections.Teams at UCL and Mercedes have reverse-engineered the device and say they can make them quickly "by the thousands" and provide hospitals across Britain, as pressure builds due to more confirmed cases.Reports from Italy indicated about 50 percent of patients given CPAP did not need mechanical ventilation, which requires sedation and a tube placed into the patient's windpipe, UCL said.Clinical trials with 100 of the machines are to be carried out at University College London Hospital, it added in a statement on Sunday."These devices will help save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the severely ill," said UCLH critical care consultant Mervyn Singer."While they will be tested at UCLH first, we hope they will make a real difference to hospitals across the UK by reducing demand on intensive care staff and beds, as well as helping patients recover without the need for more invasive ventilation."Britain's state-run National Health Service currently has some 8,000 ventilators and the government has ordered 8,000 more. But there is concern there will be a shortage as the virus peaks.Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put his government on a war footing, appealing to major manufacturers and industry to repurpose their production, including for medical devices.Tim Baker, from UCL's mechanical engineering department, said the process took days instead of years and improvements were made to the devices using computer simulations to help mass production.UK-based Formula One teams and their technology partners have been involved in a variety of schemes to meet medical needs in a partnership called "Project Pitlane".With the season suspended due to the outbreak, they say they are well-placed to help because of their engineers' expertise in rapid design, making prototypes, testing and assembly.Andy Cowell, managing director of Mercedes-AMG High-Performance Powertrains, said: "We have been proud to put our resources at the service of UCL to deliver the CPAP project to the highest standards and in the fastest possible timeframe." Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Coronavirus: Indian Sports Fraternity Salutes COVID-19 Fighters - Watch

#JantaCurfew pic.twitter.com/MMtjDpHVfe — Sjoerd Marijne (@SjoerdMarijne) March 22, 2020 Joining the #JantaCurfew is the Indian Women's Hockey Team's support staff! #IndiaKaGame @SjoerdMarijne @waynelombard pic.twitter.com/fOgJQw5yBT — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) March 22, 2020 Wearing the team's jersey, the players positioned themselves on different floors of the building and clapped in tandem. Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag took to Twitter to share his gratitude. "A big Salute to all the warriors who are working tirelessly. May this pass soon and may there be peace, peace and peace. Om Shanti Shantih," he tweeted. A big Salute to all the warriors who are working tirelessly . May this pass soon and may there be peace, peace and peace. Om Shanti Shantih — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) March 22, 2020 Wrestling superstar Bajrang Punia also posted a video, showing a lot of people beating the plates, in solidarity with the medicos and all those who provide essential services. "I thank all the health-care workers and all the people in the frontline fighting COVID-19. You are the real heroes I salute you," Bajrang tweeted. I thank all the health-care workers and all the people in the frontline fighting COVID-19. You are the real heroes I salute you pic.twitter.com/U9FxPpJCup — Bajrang Punia (@BajrangPunia) March 22, 2020 Former India captain and coach Anil Kumble took to Twitter to express his gratitude. "Thank you to all the heroes who are helping us in fighting COVID-19. Let us stay strong and continue our fight," he tweeted. Thank you to all the heroes who are helping us in fighting COVID-19. Let us stay strong and continue our fight. #SocialDistancing #JanataCurfew — Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) March 22, 2020 The Olympic-bound athletes such as weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and sprinter Hima Das also joined the people of the country in the appreciation act as they were also seen clapping from the SAI centre in Patiala. Thank you all the doctors, nurses, caregivers, armed forces, support staff, airport staff & everyone else out there working relentlessly for us in these difficult times. #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/Uh5je9dBtf — Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) March 22, 2020 Star woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat also posted a video of her mother beating a steel plate with a big spoon. In another tweet, she posted, "Salute to all those who are working tirelessly. What a feeling to see India on a united front against this battle.!! " pic.twitter.com/AwlM0NxnFc — Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) March 22, 2020 Shooter Heena Sidhu also shared a video, shot from the balcony of her house, along with a tweet that read, "Here is the video from my balcony! What atmosphere!! Here is the video from my balcony! What atmosphere!! Thankyou everyone for fighting back and our heartfelt appreciation to all those who are fighting this disease by putting their lives on the line. #thankyou #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/UxaHZd9QZZ — Heena SIDHU (@HeenaSidhu10) March 22, 2020 "Thankyou everyone for fighting back and our heartfelt appreciation to all those who are fighting this disease by putting their lives on the line." Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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WADA issues dope testing guidelines amid coronavirus pandemic - other sports

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued new guidelines on Friday to facilitate continued testing amid the constraints of the coronavirus pandemic.Noting that the spread of COVID-19 had evolved into “an even greater health and societal emergency” since its March 6 communique, WADA urged Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) to act in accordance with restrictions placed by local health authorities “to ensure proper protection of athletes and doping control personnel, while protecting the integrity of doping control programs, particularly in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.”WADA’s latest guidelines advise anti-doping organizations to make sure that sample collectors are free from any symptoms of illness.Collectors should also ask athletes if they have any symptoms or if they or anyone at the collection site are in the groups thought to be at heightened risk from COVID-19.If test collection personnel are found to have contracted the virus, athletes they tested should be informed and vice versa, WADA said.Protective wear such as masks should be used and work surfaces disinfected, and if local conditions limit what testing can occur then ADOs should “consider focusing their testing program on targeted athletes from high risk sports and disciplines,” WADA said.In locations where testing programs can’t continue, WADA said, it and other anti-doping organizations and sports federations will work together “once the situation begins to return to normal” to identify gaps in testing “particularly as it relates to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.”WADA said anti-doping organizations should continue to obtain information on whereabouts of athletes normally gathered to facilitate out-of-competition testing.Athletes are still responsible for obtaining therapeutic use exemptions and “should be reminded that they can still be tested at any place, any time,” WADA said.With some WADA accredited laboratories already closed and others likely to follow suit, WADA said testing organizations should contact the Montreal-based organization for information on what labs might be able to receive samples.“While there are no plans to change existing requirements under the World Anti-Doping Program, WADA fully acknowledges the complexities of this unprecedented situation and will ensure its compliance monitoring program provides a level of flexibility and understanding based on the circumstances,” WADA said. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Coronavirus: ATP, WTA Seasons Suspended Until June 7

The ATP and WTA tennis competitions have extended the suspension of their seasons until June 7 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the two tour organisers announced on Wednesday. "The professional tennis season is now suspended through 7 June 2020, including the ATP Challenger Tour and ITF (International Tennis Federation) World Tennis Tour," the ATP and WTA said in a joint statement. At this time, tournaments taking place from 8 June 2020 onwards are still planning to go ahead as per the published schedule."The announcement temporarily shuts down the men's and women's European clay court season a day after the French Open was pushed back to September.It also further pushes back the restart to the tennis season as both tours were already shut down, with the ATP last week originally halting proceedings until April 27 and the WTA announcing no play until May 2 on Monday."In these challenging times, it is more important than ever for our sport to pull together to provide as much certainty as possible to all those affected by these postponements," said ITF president David Haggerty."We recognise the huge impact this will have, but ultimately the health and safety of players, officials and spectators has to be our primary concern."Events affected by the shut down include the combined ATP/WTA tournaments in Madrid and Rome, the WTA events in Strasbourg and Rabat and ATP events in Munich, Estoril, Geneva and Lyon. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Tottenham Defender Jan Vertonghen's Family Robbed At Knifepoint

Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac last year were targeted by armed moped riders. © AFP Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen's family was held at knifepoint at their London home during a burglary when the Belgium star was away on Champions League duty with his club. The incident happened on March 10 when four men wearing balaclavas held Vertonghen's wife and two children at knifepoint at their home. They stole electrical items before fleeing but left the family unharmed, reports goal.com. The incident occurred when Vertonghen was away with Spurs for the 0-3 Champions League loss to RB Leipzig.Police later carried out a scene examination, including door-to-door checks, and found that Vertonghen's family was not the only one targeted during the burglary."We have been supporting Jan and his family through this terribly traumatic time and we encourage anyone who has any information to come forward to help the police with their investigation," a spokesman for Hotspur said.A statement issued by the Metropolitan Police read: "Police were called to a residential address in NW3, at 19.49hrs on Tuesday, March 10 to report of a burglary. Officers attended."Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac last year were targeted by armed moped riders while driving through north London. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Rohit Sharma Asks Fans To Be "Little Smart" To Fight Coronavirus Pandemic

Stay safe everyone. pic.twitter.com/2ABy1XUeTP — Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) March 16, 2020 "The only way we can come to normalcy is by all of us coming together. We can do this by being a little smart, a little proactive, knowing our surroundings and as and when we get any symptoms inform your nearest medical authorities."The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China, has claimed over 6,000 lives and has infected close to 160,000 people world over. In India, the infected cout has crossed 100 and the death toll is two for now.Various state governments in the country have ordered closure of schools, malls, and cinema halls in a bid to avoid large gatherings while also asking people to practice social distancing."It's because we all want our kids to go to school, we want to go to the malls and we all want to watch movies in the theatres," Rohit said.The 32-year-old also commended the efforts of doctors and the medical professionals who have risked their lives to treat those infected."I appreciate the efforts of all the doctors and the medical staff across the world who have put their lives on risk while taking care of the people who have tested positive with coronavirus.""Last, but not the least, my heart goes out for people who have lost their lives and their families. Take care, be safe," he added.On Saturday, India skipper Virat Kohli had called on people to "stay safe and vigilant" amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak."Let's stay strong and fight the #COVID19 outbreak by taking all precautionary measures. Stay safe, be vigilant and most importantly remember, prevention is better than cure. Please take care everyone," he tweeted.The virus outbreak has led to either cancellation or postponement of all sports events across the world. India's series against South Africa was called off as was Australia's ODI rubber against New Zealand. Both series were to be held without spectators before being scrapped.England's tour of Sri Lanka was also cut short before the beginning of the two-match Test series while the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was due to start on March 29, has been suspended till April 15. Read the full article

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