Timeline of sport’s response to coronavirus on Friday, March 13
Events across a range of sports have been postponed or cancelled.
Sport continued to be hit by the coronavirus outbreak on Friday with more events cancelled and further individuals forced to self-isolate as the virus spreads.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how the day unfolded.
1.28am – Chelsea confirm England international Callum Hudson-Odoi has tested positive for coronavirus with the full first-team, coaching staff and a “number” of the backroom team entering self-isolation as a result.
8.06am – Leeds Rhinos opt not to travel to Perpignan for their Betfred Super League clash against Catalans Dragons after a member of their squad shows symptoms of coronavirus, with the game being postponed.
8.36am – The English Football League confirms it will hold a meeting on Friday to discuss the ongoing situation.
9.10am – Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony tweets that one of his players is self-isolating and says he and manager Darren Ferguson do not want to travel to Bolton for Saturday’s Sky Bet League One match.
9.15am – FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organisation, release a joint-statement declaring that: “All sports bodies must be ready to follow national guidance, based on thorough risk assessments, to stage safe events or take other required actions that protect the health of fans, players, coaches and the broader communities.”
9.27am – Organisers confirm the start of the 2020 Indian Premier League is delayed until April 15, with the Twenty20 tournament originally due to have started on March 29.
9.31am – Everton announce a first-team player is in self-isolation and that all staff, including the rest of the playing squad, have been told to avoid all club sites.
9.46am– Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, the top two divisions in France, are suspended until further notice.
10.07am – UEFA announce all Champions League and Europa League fixtures scheduled for next week are postponed, as well as the quarter-final draws for both competitions.
10.10am – England’s upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka is postponed with the touring players returning home.
10.15am – Bournemouth announce five of their employees, including goalkeeper Artur Boruc, are self-isolating having displayed symptoms consistent with the virus.
11.00am – All remaining matches in the Elite Ice Hockey League season are cancelled.
11.06am – All professional football in England is postponed until April 3 at the earliest – with Premier League, EFL, Women’s Super League, Women’s Championship and international fixtures suspended.
11.39am – The Scottish Football Association and Scottish Professional Football League announces all domestic football – professional and grassroots – is suspended indefinitely.
11.39am – West Ham announce a number of employees are self-isolating as a precaution having been in direct contact with Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta – who tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday – during their Premier League fixture last weekend.
12.01pm – FAW announces that the Wales versus Austria friendly scheduled for March 27 has been cancelled.
12.38pm – Having already cancelled the Australian Grand Prix – scheduled for this weekend – F1 calls off the next two races in Bahrain and Vietnam, respectively.
12.57pm – The Irish FA suspends all football across Northern Ireland until April 4, at the earliest.
1.20pm – The Giro d’Italia, cycling’s first Grand Tour of the season which was due to start on May 9 in Budapest, is postponed
2.00pm – The Masters, due to take place at Augusta across April 9-12, is postponed.
2.06pm – Another postponement comes as the Wales v Scotland Guinness Six Nations fixture, scheduled for Cardiff on Saturday, is called off.
2.25pm – Organisers postpone Boston Marathon, due to take place on April 20, with plans to run on September 14.
2.40pm – West Ham announce that manager David Moyes is self-isolating after coming into direct contact with Arteta last weekend.
3.13pm – Germany becomes the latest European country to postpone their football programme as Bundesliga, 2.Bundesliga and international matches are stopped until at least April 2.
5.02pm – The London Marathon joins the Boston race in being postponed with organisers moving the event from April 26 to October 4.
