The Latest: Athletics’first full-squad workout pushed back
The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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The Oakland Athletics’ first full-squad workout was pushed back from Sunday following the July 4 holiday given the club hadn’t received results from position player intake testing done Friday, according to general manager David Forst.
“We all know that being flexible and adjusting to the unknowns is going to be part of everything we do this season,” Forst said.
Manager Bob Melvin is eager to get everybody on the field together at the Coliseum while understanding he must be flexible during this fluid time.
'“It feels like we’re five days behind with position players,” said Melvin, who has slated the first live batting practice during a longer workout Tuesday.
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Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez says two players out of 60 tested turned up positive for the novel coronavirus.
Martinez says the two players took their tests Wednesday before reporting to Nationals Park and that some are still awaiting their results. Reliever Sean Doolittle minutes earlier lamented not having his COVID-19 test results back from Friday and implored baseball to “clean this up.”
Doolittle, who was part of Washington’s World Series-winning team last season, said he’s still debating whether to play this season, weighing safety concerns and physical and mental health. The 33-year-old said the Nationals still haven’t received the respirator masks they were told were coming and expressed concerns about the situation.
— Stephen Whyno reporting from Washington
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The Chicago White Sox say two players have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation.
The team said Sunday that the two unidentified players are asymptomatic, and contact tracing for both was conducted. They are being monitored by team medical staff and will receive follow-up testing in the coming days.
They will be allowed to return to baseball activities after they test negative twice and pass other appropriate COVID-19 protocols.
The White Sox say both players requested privacy, meaning the team isn’t able to comment further.
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The UK government says selected sports stars are to be exempt from quarantine requirements when competing in England.
However, those involved will instead live and work in “bubbled” environments behind closed doors, UK culture secretary Oliver Dowden announced on Sunday.
The new measures will allow Formula One, international soccer, golf and snooker events to take place. Competitors involved in these events will be granted quarantine exemptions.
International cricketers are also now formally exempt, although individual special arrangements have already been made for the touring West Indies and Pakistan teams this summer.
Other people essential to the staging of events such as officials, coaches, medics, mechanics and incoming members of the media will also be permitted to travel without quarantine.
In return, sporting authorities and event organizers must put in place stringent protocols to ensure that they have a minimal impact on public health during the coronavirus pandemic.
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