PGA, Formula 1 halt China events
The PGA Tour is postponing two qualifying tournaments and the start to its PGA Tour SeriesChina circuit because of concerns over the coronavirus.
One qualifying tournament for players from mainland China already had been moved to Indonesia.
On Wednesday, tour officials say the qualifying tournaments would be postponed until late April or early May.
The season was supposed to start the last full week in March. Now the 10-tournament schedule will not start until late May or early June, depending on the circumstances. …
Formula One organizer postponed the Chinese Grand Prix that was due to be staged in Shanghai in April, the latest sporting event impacted by the fast-spreading viral infection in the country.
More than 1,100 people have died in China from the virus, which has been named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization.
One of 22 races on the F1 calendar for 2020 that opens in Melbourne next month, the Chinese Grand Prix was due to be staged on April 19.
The decision to postpone the race was taken after a request from the Shanghai promoter to “ensure the health and safety of the traveling staff, championship participants and fans,“F1 said in a statement.
It is the first time a race has been called off since political unrest led to the cancellation of the 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix.
“It’s tough,“Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo said shortly after the F1 announcement on China. “Obviously mixed feelings because personally I really enjoy the circuit, I had success there. I feel for the fans and everyone that’s going to miss out, but more importantly I feel for China, what they are going through at the moment with the virus.” …
Two Ohio State University football players were kicked off the team after being charged with rape and kidnapping.
Defensive backs Amir I. Riep and Jah L. Wint, both 21, were booked into jail after they were charged with sexually assaulting a woman on Feb. 4 at the players’ shared apartment.
“I am not making any statement on the criminal charges, but it is clear they did not live up to our standards and my expectations,” coach Ryan Day said in a statement. “The athletics department will make sure they both continue to have access to the health and well-being resources available to students and studentathletes.”