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LONDON (AP) — The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak's effect on sports around the world (all times local):
5:45 p.m.
Sampdoria midfielder Fabio Depaoli has announced he's tested positive for COVID-19.
He’s the 10th Serie A player confirmed positive and the sixth at Sampdoria.
While Sampdoria said in a statement earlier Saturday that it would not announce any more updates about its players “to avoid news leaks and useless alarmism” since “all the lads are well,” Depaoli revealed his positive test on social media.
Depaoli writes in Italian on Instagram, “Unfortunately I’ve tested positive for COVID-19. But I want to reassure you that I’m OK! This invisible monster is hitting us indiscriminately, but by adopting the correct measures and following medical advice, we can win our biggest match and return stronger than before.”
The five other Sampdoria players who tested positive are: Manolo Gabbiadini, Omar Colley, Albin Ekdal, Antonino La Gumina and Morten Thorsby.
The other Serie A players who tested positive are Daniele Rugani at Juventus and Fiorentina teammates Dušan Vlahović , Germán Pezzella, Patrick Cutrone.
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5:35 p.m.
Spanish football club Alavés says two members of its coaching staff have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The club says both unnamed coaches are without symptoms and in good health.
The club added it will test the rest of the members of its team on Monday.
Spain has stopped all sports competitions for the next two weeks.
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5:10 p.m.
Lionel Messi has joined a call in Spain by sports figures, who are supporting a public awareness campaign by government authorities and healthcare workers asking the nation’s population to remain indoors to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
"It is the moment to act responsibly and to stay home,” Messi wrote on Instagram on Saturday.
The Barcelona star added: “We are worried by what is happening and we want to help by putting ourselves in the place of those who are having the most difficulties, either because they or their families or friends are directly affected, or because they are working on the frontline in hospitals.”
Spain is tightening controls on movement and closing shops as it struggles to stem a peak in virus infections that has surpassed 5,000 people.
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5 p.m.
The International Triathlon Union has suspended all of its competitions and activities from Monday to the end of April.
Major events postponed include the second world series event in Bermuda on April 18-19, and four World Cups in the United States, New Zealand, Brazil and Mexico.
“World Triathlon will continue working during this time to try to reallocate the events after the 30th of April when possible, and will work with all stakeholders to undertake further actions if needed regarding the Olympic and Paralympic qualification rankings,” the ITU said.
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3:50 pm.
The Italian soccer players’ association says it is “saddened and outraged” that clubs are still calling on their players to attend training sessions.
In a statement, the players’ association notes that “some clubs” are bringing in players to train in small groups, “or, even worse, for daily checks of their temperature.”
Italy is the European country hit worst by the virus, where the number of virus cases climbed to over nearly 20,000, with more than 1,000 deaths. The government in Rome has ordered an unprecedented lockdown, ordering businesses to close and restricting people’s movement.
The lockdown has suspended all sports in the country through at least April 3.
The players’ association says that forcing players to leave their homes “is a shamefully irresponsible act,” adding that if it’s being done just to receive a refusal by the players in order to cut salary payments “it means that we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel of dignity.”
The players’ association has been at odds with clubs over the virus for weeks, first arguing for the games to be stopped before the government-issued suspension on Monday.
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3 p.m.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says his country still intends to host the Olympic Games in Tokyo as planned.
Abe says there were no discussions about postponing or canceling the games during talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested this week that Japan should consider postponing the Olympics because of the spread of the coronavirus.
Abe says Japan is continuing to “coordinate well” with the International Olympic Committee, adding: "We have to overcome the spread of the infection and want to hold the Olympics and Paralympics as planned.”
The Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 24-Aug. 9, and the Paralympics Aug. 25-Sept. 6.
Abe says the virus outbreak has not reached a point in Japan that requires him to declare a national emergency like the United States and parts of Europe.
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1:40 p.m.
Super Rugby organizers have decided to suspend the competition indefinitely after the weekend's games because of the coronavirus pandemic.
SANZAAR, the southern hemisphere rugby body that runs Super Rugby, says Saturday the tournament will be off for the “foreseeable future.”
The decision was prompted by the New Zealand government's directive that people entering from trips overseas, including returning New Zealand citizens, would have to self-isolate for 14 days from Monday.
That would make Super Rugby untenable, with the tournament featuring teams from five nations, including five from New Zealand, and involving regular travel between countries.
Teams from Australia, Japan, South Africa and Argentina also compete in the competition, which runs from January through to June.
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12:45 p.m.
The Edinburgh Marathon has been postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The race was due to take place on May 24, but organizers have announced it will be postponed.
Race director Neil Kilgour said a new date for the marathon in the Scottish capital is expected to be announced on Monday,
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10:45 a.m.
Two more Fiorentina players have tested positive for COVID-19 as well as a club physiotherapist.
The top-tier Italian league soccer team tweets that defender and club captain Germán Pezzella, forward Patrick Cutrone and physiotherapist Stefano Dainelli “are in good health at their homes in Florence." They were tested after “showing some symptoms.”
The club had already announced on Friday that 20-year-old striker Dušan Vlahović tested positive.
With Cutrone and Pezzella added to the list with Vlahović, there are now nine Serie A players who have tested positive. The others are Daniele Rugani of Juventus plus five Sampdoria players: Manolo Gabbiadini, Omar Colley, Albin Ekdal, Antonino La Gumina and Morten Thorsby.
Serie A is suspended until at least April 3 as part of a nationwide lockdown in Italy intended to contain the virus.
Most people quickly recover from the global virus after experiencing only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
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