Digest

SOCCER

Wu gets virus all-clear after negative tests

China international Wu Lei confirmed on Sunday that he has recovered from COVID-19 after twice testing negative for the virus.

"Wu received two tests, on April 28 and May 7 respectively, and the results were both negative. Meanwhile, he has a positive result in IgG anti-body test," Wu's representatives said in a statement, adding that the tests were arranged by the forward's Spanish club, Espanyol.

The 28-year-old Wu will resume personal training next week as La Liga prepares for a reported restart in late June.

Wu, the only Chinese player plying his trade in any of Europe's five major leagues, tested positive for COVID-19 in late March in Spain, showing only mild symptoms. If La Liga does resume, Wu's Espanyol faces a battle to avoid relegation, with the Barcelona-based team bottom of the standings.

Brazil restart 'would send wrong message'

Former Real Madrid and Brazil boss Vanderlei Luxemburgo has called on Brazilian authorities to delay soccer's return as the South American country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.

Internacional and Gremio last week became the first Brazilian topflight clubs to resume training after soccer was halted in mid-March to contain the spread of COVID-19. Several other clubs, including Rio de Janeiro giants Flamengo and Vasco da Gama, have announced plans to follow suit.

But Luxemburgo, who began a fifth spell in charge of Palmeiras last December, said now was not the right time to think about sport.

"Football cannot send the wrong message," the 68-year-old told Brazilian cable television network SporTV on Saturday. "There are people trying to force football back because the stadiums are empty, there is no entertainment and football can prompt the start of other businesses.

"But people are dying. Every day the number of victims in Brazil is increasing. That's what people have to worry about," added Luxemburgo.

GOLF

High-tech badges to track spectators

The Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, will use high-tech radio frequency identification (RFID) chips in tournament badges to ensure social distancing is maintained at the July 16-19 PGA Tour event, Golf Digest reported on Saturday.

The tracking system was just one of several measures that will be put in place to deal with the coronavirus outbreak that has wreaked havoc on world sport and forced a reworking of the PGA Tour calendar.

Speaking on a "Virtual Sports Report" conducted via Zoom on Thursday by the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, Memorial Tournament director Dan Sullivan indicated a limited number of fans will be allowed on the course but movements would be restricted and monitored.

Other protocols, according to the Golf Digest report, include limiting ticket sales, curtailing capacity in the clubhouse and public gathering structures, elimination of all grandstands, supplying face coverings for staff and volunteers and taking the temperature of everyone who enters the grounds.

BASKETBALL

Ex-NBA player Brown arrested over shooting

Former NBA guard Shannon Brown was arrested on Saturday on an aggravated assault charge after police say he fired a rifle at two people at his home in Tyrone, Georgia.

According to multiple media reports, Brown was released on bond on Monday.

Tyrone Police Department spokesman Philip Nelson told local newspaper The Citizen that a couple looking for a home to buy entered the property of Brown's house, which was showing a "For Sale" sign.

The couple maintain that they were invited by an unknown person to enter the house, but then Brown chased them away with a rifle, shooting five or six times toward them as they exited.

Brown told police he thought the pair were breaking into his home. Police found one shell casing in the area.

Bulls leaning toward removing coach Boylen

The Chicago Bulls' new leaders have gotten enough negative reviews of coach Jim Boylen that they are leaning toward moving on without him, according to a report.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported on Saturday that Arturas Karnisovas, the new head of basketball operations, and new general manager Marc Eversley have talked to people throughout the organization, including players, and the "mixed feedback" is leading them to think the team should make a change.

The Reinsdorf family, which owns the Bulls, and senior adviser John Paxson have said they want Boylen to stay, as have some players, the Sun-Times reported, but Karnisovas and his team were given the authority to make such decisions. Karnisovas has been non-committal.

"My initial impression of Jim is he cares a great deal about this team and he's as anxious as everyone else to get back in the gym," Karnisovas said last week.

"I'm going to do my comprehensive evaluation of every department and ensure I give the process the time it deserves. We are limited right now with what we can do."

VOLLEYBALL

Infected Olympic star 'breathing very badly'

Olympic beach volleyball silver medalist Marcio Araujo said on Saturday that he is battling a severe case of COVID-19 from home after being turned away from overwhelmed hospitals in Brazil's northeastern city of Fortaleza.

Araujo posted a photo of himself on Instagram, wearing a face mask and holding a sign with the words "I will recover, God willing".

"Unfortunately I have been infected with the coronavirus," he said in a brief message accompanying the image.

The 46-year-old told of his ordeal in a conversation with Brazilian volleyball website, Web Volei.

"I'm not very well," he said. "I came home from the hospital because there are no intensive care beds. I'm breathing very badly, hoping to improve."

Agencies - Xinhua