Wrestling with virus, Japan bars fans from sumo event
Japan Sumo Association keeps out fans from the traditional tournament till March 22
TOKYO: Sumo’s spring tournament began behind closed doors on Sunday, the latest big event in Japan to be hit by the coronavirus less than five months before the Tokyo Olympics.
The Japan Sumo Association said last week spectators would be barred the tournament in Osaka from Sunday until March 22, as the virus has infected at least 454 people across Japan and been linked to seven deaths.
On Sunday, public broadcaster NHK carried two hours of live programing from the tournament. “This tournament without spectators would be an extremely hard one for sumo wrestlers as they struggle to focus their minds,” Sumo Association chairman Hakkaku said in his welcoming address.
“Even so, all wrestlers I’m sure will perform their best,” he added.
Viewers could hear sounds usually drowned out by spectators, including that of the wrestlers slapping their bellies and wiping their feet in the ring.
Some sumo rituals were also amended, including the traditional ladle of water that a winning wrestler offers to the next in the ring. Sumo stars have already been taking precautions at fan events, refraining from shaking hands and wearing surgical masks, while a ceremonial visit to a local shrine was cancelled
SINDHU WON’T SHAKE HANDS
NEW DELHI: Top Indian shuttler P.V. Sindhu will not be shaking hands during next week’s All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham and use the traditional ‘Namaste’ greeting instead following the coronavirus outbreak, the 24-year-old has said.
More than 106,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus across the world and 3,600 have died from it, according to a Reuters tally of government announcements.
It has wreaked havoc on the sporting landscape as well forcing athletes into making lifestyle changes in the Olympic year.
“Only Namaste,” world number six Sindhu said when asked how she planned to greet players and officials during the March 11-15 tournament in Birmingham. “We need to avoid it (handshakes). It’s always good to be on the safer side, to take extra care of oneself,” said the Rio Olympics silver medallist. “Wear protective mask, use hand sanitisers all the time, do not move in groups and avoid crowded places. It’s good to be careful all the time.”
Seven Indian badminton players have pulled out of the Birmingham tournament over coronavirus fears.
BAHRAIN F1 TO RUN WITHOUT FANS
DUBAI: Bahrain’s Formula One race this month will be run without spectators over fears about the new coronavirus, the island kingdom announced, as Mideast stock markets fell sharply amid plummeting demand for crude oil and OPEC’s inability to agree on a production cut. The decision by Bahrain is just the latest disruption felt by West Asia over the virus and the COVID-19 illness it causes. The wider region now has 6,900 confirmed cases of the virus, the majority in hard-hit Iran.
ATP, WTA ANNOUNCE MEASURES
LOS ANGELES: The ATP and WTA announced measures aimed at combatting the spread of deadly coronavirus on Saturday, days before the start of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
“As the outbreak of COVID-19 continues to cause concern on a global scale, the ATP and WTA have jointly announced a series of precautionary health measures that will be implemented on-site at upcoming events including the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the Miami Open and WTA’s Volvo Car Open,” said a joint statement from the men’s and women’s tours.
GENOA WIN AT EMPTY SAN SIRO
MILAN: Relegation-battling Genoa moved out of the Serie A drop zone thanks to a surprise 2-1 win over AC Milan at an empty San Siro. The visitors raced into a two-goal lead before halftime after Goran Pandev and Francesco Cassata both turned in crosses from close range.
Milan rallied after the break as Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled one back, but they could not find an equaliser in an eerie atmosphere at one of Italian football’s most iconic stadiums and fell to their first home defeat since Nov. 3.
GREECE SHUTS SPORTS EVENTS
ATHENS: Greece on Sunday announced a two-week ban on sporting events with spectators and on school field trips, as its number of coronavirus cases rose by seven to 73.