The Latest: Gladbach soccer players accept pay cuts

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak's effect on sports around the world (all times local):

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10:45 a.m.

Players from German soccer club Borussia Mönchengladbach have accepted pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic.

Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl says the players approached the club with an offer of voluntary pay cuts, and the coaching staff, directors and executives have joined in.

Eberl says “I am very proud of the boys. A clear signal: we are standing together for Borussia in good and bad times.”

Gladbach is fourth in the German league and was on course to qualify for a spot in next season’s Champions League. Gladbach CEO Stephan Schippers says the club and Bundesliga are in their toughest financial situation in more than 20 years because of lost revenue from tickets, TV and sponsorship.

Gladbach played a game last week in an empty stadium. The club estimated it lost about 2 million euros ($2.16 million) in revenue by playing without fans.

In Scotland, Hearts has asked all its players and other fulltime employees to accept a 50 percent pay cut, or contract termination.

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10:30 a.m.

The Olympic flame has been handed over, by proxy, to Tokyo organizers in Athens.

The coronavirus outbreak forced a bare-bones version of the usual elaborate ceremony in the stadium where the first modern Olympics were staged in 1896.

The 80,000-seat marble stadium was empty apart from a handful of officials and participants. The Japanese delegation was absent because of travel restrictions and Tokyo organizing committee head Yoshiro Mori delivered a speech by video from Japan. But his message was upbeat.

Mori says “I hereby pledge that on 24 July this flame will be lit at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo.”

Greek Olympic committee president Spyros Kapralos handed over the flame to a Japanese Unicef official in Athens and former Olympic swimmer Naoko Imoto. It was then headed for the airport to board the flight for Japan.

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