Cancellations and postponements are the latest disruption in the United States due to the increased spread of Covid-19, with many athletes being asked to quarantine due to league protocols.
All four of Wednesday’s games before the league have already been postponed and the players’ union has opted to suspend operations. Ten of the 15 matches on Thursday have already been postponed.
Games are scheduled to resume on December 27.
On Sunday, the NHL and NHLPA announced that the regular season schedule would continue but that from Monday all games that involve cross-border travel between the United States and Canada will be postponed until Thursday.
With Monday night’s announcement, 49 games have been postponed, 44 of them since December 13.
Because of the turmoil and concerns about the pandemic, the statement said, “The NHL and the NHLPA are actively discussing whether players should participate in the Beijing 2022 Olympics.”
NFL postpones three games
The National Football League on Friday announced the postponement of three matches in Week 15 due to Covid-19 issues.
Saturday’s scheduled game between the Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Raiders has been rescheduled for Monday at 5 p.m. ET.
The decision came after 23 Cleveland Browns players made it to the NFL’s Covid-19/Reserve list in recent days, including quarterback Baker Mayfield. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski also tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week.
“While our team and the entire organization diligently prepare for tomorrow’s game as initially scheduled, both from a field standpoint and fan experience, we respect the NFL’s decision to postpone our game against the Raiders,” the team said in a statement from the team captain. Spokesperson Peter John Baptiste.
Sunday’s games between the Washington and Philadelphia Eagles soccer team and between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams have also been postponed to Tuesday. Tuesday’s games will kick off at 7 p.m. ET.
“Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, our focus has been on playing our games in a safe and responsible manner, consistent with the best available medical and public health advice, based on protocols developed and implemented jointly with the NFL Players Association,” Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a note to every team.
The NFL describes the Covid-19/Reserve List as being for players who have tested positive for Covid-19 or who have been quarantined after close contact with an infected person or people.
NFL teams are not allowed to comment on the medical condition of players other than to indicate the status of the roster. Clubs may not reveal whether a player is in quarantine or has contracted the virus.
The NBA postpones five games
The NBA has announced the postponement of five games due to Covid-19 issues within several teams in the league.
The Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers all include large portions of the nominees’ rosters and other team personnel in the league’s health and safety protocol.
Sunday’s games between the Nets and Denver Nuggets have been postponed as well as the Cavaliers’ game against the Atlanta Hawks and the 76ers versus the New Orleans Pelicans.
Monday’s game between the Magic and the Toronto Raptors, as well as Tuesday’s game between the Nets and Washington Wizards, has also been postponed.
No details were given about the rescheduling of the affected games.
NCAA teams postpone matches or find new opponents
The NCAA men’s basketball calendar has been turned upside down with more than a dozen games canceled or postponed in recent days.
Most notably, the schools announced Friday that matches between No. 2 Duke and Loyola and between No. 4 UCLA and North Carolina scheduled for Saturday have been canceled due to Covid-19 issues within the UCLA and Loyola programs.
Two of the men’s top 25 matches have been cancelled. No. 16 Seton Hall was due to play Iona, but officials said the match could not be played due to Seton Hall’s Covid-19 protocols.
CNN’s Kevin Dotson and Alaa Al-Asar contributed to this report.
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