All national camps, except for those where athletes are preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, were on Tuesday postponed until further orders in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sports minister Kiren Rijiju said academic training at the National Centre of Excellence and Sports Authority of India Centres will also be suspended.

French Open postponed

The organisers of the French Open on Tuesday postponed the claycourt Grand Slam tournament to September 20-October 4 from

its May start amid the coronavirus outbreak, with the new dates colliding with numerous events on the scheduled global calendar. The French Open had been initially scheduled to be played from May 24-June 7 at Roland Garros, but instead will now start just a week after the final of the US Open. The Wimbledon officials however said they are continuing plans for the grasscourt major to start on June 29 as scheduled. Reuters

Neeraj return

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, is returning home from his training base in Turkey owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 22-year-old has been training in Turkey for the last one month.

Tiger’s appeal

Tiger Woods tweeted a simple message on Monday in his first public comments on the coronavirus pandemic. “There are a lot more important things in life than a golf tournament right now,” Woods tweeted. “We need to be safe, smart and do what is best for ourselves, our loved ones and our community.”

CAB closed

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) will remain closed till Saturday as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus outbreak. “We are taking precautionary measures to secure the safety and well being of our staff,” CAB president Avishek Dalmiya said.