Digest

SOCCER

Ronaldo's Portugal squad helps out amateur clubs

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates have donated half of their bonus for qualifying for the Euro 2020 finals to help amateur soccer in the country that has been hit by the coronavirus shutdown.

The Portuguese soccer federation said on Monday the money would go towards a fund that it hopes will reach 4.7 million euros ($5.1 million) to help amateur clubs survive the crisis.

The federation last week decided to end the already-suspended amateur season with immediate effect, declaring the season null and void without champions, promotion or relegation.

No decision has been taken on resuming the professional game but the Portuguese league's president said in March he was determined the season should be completed.

Top doctor opposed to May restart for Serie A

A leading Italian doctor specializing in infectious diseases said on Monday he would be against Serie A restarting its season next month.

Soccer across the country, which has recorded more than 20,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, has been postponed since March 9 due to the outbreak.

According to local reports, the league could begin again at the end of next month, with players returning to training on May 4.

"If I had to give a technical view, sincerely it would not be a favorable one. That being said, it will be of course for the politicians to decide," said Giovanni Rezza, the head of infectious diseases at Italy's National Institute of Health.

"I've heard certain people propose more strict observations with players tested every few days. But sincerely it seems to me a slightly far-fetched theory. And we're almost in May already.

"It's obvious that politics will decide. But it's a sport that involves contact and that contact could imply a certain risk of transmission."

BASKETBALL

Minnesota star Towns loses mom to COVID-19

Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, the mother of Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, died on Monday due to complications from COVID-19 after more than a month of fighting the virus. She was 59.

The Timberwolves made the announcement via the Towns family, which requested privacy. Karl Towns Sr, the father of the two-time All-Star player, was also hospitalized with the virus but has since recovered.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Cruz-Towns was a fixture at Timberwolves games from the start of her son's NBA career. He was the first overall pick in the 2015 draft.

"Jackie was many things to many people－a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend," a statement from the Towns family said. "She was an incredible source of strength; a fiery, caring and extremely loving person."

Bryant remembered on farewell anniversary

The anniversary of Kobe Bryant's 60-point NBA finale was recalled by his widow, Vanessa, on Monday in an Instagram post remembering the late Los Angeles Lakers legend.

"My husband worked his ass off for 20 years," Vanessa Bryant wrote of her superstar husband, who died in a Jan 26 helicopter crash with daughter Gianna and seven others.

"Gave it his all. All he wanted was to spend time with our girls and me to make up for lost time. He wanted to be there for every single milestone and special moment in our girls' lives."

The post included a video featuring highlights from the Lakers' win over the Utah Jazz on April 13, 2016.

Bryant scored 60 points in that, his final game in a 20-year NBA career that included five championships.

The video includes a moment showing Bryant with his family at courtside, hugging Vanessa and kissing daughters Natalia and Gianna.

The couple's third daughter, Bianka, was born in December 2016 and their fourth, Capri, was born last June.

MOTOR SPORTS

Moss among Formula One's elite, insists Hill

Damon Hill insisted this week that Stirling Moss ranks among Formula One's greatest-ever drivers even though he never won the world championship title.

Moss died on Sunday aged 90 following a long illness and tributes have poured in from around the F1 world. The British racer was regarded as the finest driver of his era by no lesser an authority than Juan Manuel Fangio.

Fangio pipped Moss to the F1 crown three times between 1955 and 1957 and won five world titles.

Englishman Hill, who won the F1 crown in 1996, is also adamant Moss deserves to be placed in that hallowed company. "He's right up there with the great names. He's up there with (Jim) Clark and with Fangio and with (Jackie) Stewart and (Lewis) Hamilton and Niki Lauda and people like that," Hill said.

GOLF

McIlroy hopes Masters delay works in his favor

Rory McIlroy is hoping the rescheduling of the 2020 golf calendar can help him complete a career grand slam at the Masters in November.

All four of golf's majors have been affected by strict government restrictions to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The Open Championship has been canceled and the three American majors rescheduled for the second half of the year.

Rather than its usual position as the first major of the year, The Masters will round off a hectic four months that is also scheduled to include the PGA Championship, US Open and Ryder Cup.

"The Masters means so much. Obviously it's the last major for me to win but putting that aside, it is such a special place, so many great memories already," McIlroy said in an Instagram Live with Nike Golf. "It's going to be a different Masters this year but personally, maybe selfishly, that's what I need to get the (green) jacket."

Xinhua - Agencies