The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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The Milwaukee Bucks say they won’t allow fans at home games for the 2020-21 season until further notice in accordance with state and local health guidelines regarding COVID-19.
Bucks officials say they will work with state and local health officials as well as the NBA to evaluate a potential time that fans can return to games in some capacity later in the season.
The NBA season is set to start Dec. 22, but the Bucks’ schedule hasn’t been released.
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Gardner-Webb’s basketball game at Georgia scheduled for Sunday has been canceled. Georgia says the decision followed a positive COVID-19 test in the Gardner-Webb program.
Georgia says it hopes to find another team to play on Sunday.
The cancellation comes after No. 9 Duke’s scheduled season opener against Gardner-Webb on Wednesday was postponed, also due to coronavirus issues in the Gardner-Webb program. That game may be rescheduled.
Gardner-Webb says the decision followed a positive COVID-19 test and contact tracing within its program. The player who tested positive is asymptomatic.
Georgia is scheduled to open its season on Wednesday at home against Columbus State.
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Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has resumed leading his team, two weeks following a positive COVID-19 test and after isolating at home.
Izzo was cleared to attend practices over the weekend and returned to work in his on-campus office on Monday. The Hall of Fame coach will be on bench with the 13th-ranked Spartans in their season-opening game Wednesday night at home against Eastern Michigan.
”Our front-line workers during this time have been so essential, and I have a great appreciation for those people and what they have done to fight this disease during this time,” Izzo said. ”While some people who have tested positive have not been affected too much by it, I am here to tell you that this virus is no joke and everyone must take this seriously.”
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The Maryland football team will return to practice Monday with the expectation of playing this week after having its previous two games canceled because coach Michael Locksley and several players tested positive for COVID-19.
Maryland athletic director Damon Evans said, ”We are optimistic that we will be able to play this Saturday at Indiana. As we have done throughout, we will continue daily testing, monitor those results and base all decisions upon those results.”
Evans said Locksley is ”feeling good” and will participate in practice this week in virtual fashion before traveling with the team to Indiana on Friday and coaching the Terps on Saturday.
Maryland hasn’t played since beating Penn State on Nov. 7.
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Several members of the Baltimore Ravens organization have tested positive for COVID-19, leaving the team to conduct all activities virtually with a game against unbeaten Pittsburgh coming up Thursday night.
The Ravens said they were informed late Sunday night that ”multiple” people tested positive. The team has shut down its practice facility and started the process of contact tracing.
The names of those who tested positive for COVID-19 have not been released.
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Tennessee has paused activities in the men’s basketball program with head coach Rick Barnes among staff, players and other personnel that have tested positive for COVID-19.
Barnes, 66, has entered isolation protocol and the program is following SEC, local and university health guidelines.
A release from the school said the positives were detected Sunday during routine surveillance testing conducted three times a week per NCAA and SEC guidelines. The program will be retested Monday.
The No. 12 Volunteers were scheduled to open against Charlotte on Wednesday before facing VCU on Friday in the Volunteer Classic in Knoxville. The school will update the status of those games on Tuesday.
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Ninth-ranked Duke’s season opener against Gardner-Webb has been postponed due to novel coronavirus issues within the Runnin’ Bulldogs program.
The announcement came Monday, two days before the men’s basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Gardner-Webb says the decision followed a positive COVID-19 test and contact tracing within its program. The player who tested positive is asymptomatic.
The schools said they might look to make up the game at a later date.
Duke is scheduled to host Coppin State on Saturday, while Gardner-Webb has scheduled games at No. 21 Florida State on Friday and at Georgia on Sunday.
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Mississippi has canceled four basketball games and suspended team activities until Dec. 7 because of positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing.
The school in Oxford, Mississippi, announced Monday that the Justin Reed Ole Miss Classic set for this week is canceled, along with the Dec. 5 game against Memphis.
The Rebels were scheduled to host Central Arkansas on Wednesday, Jackson State on Thursday and Arkansas State on Friday.
Ole Miss says the athletes and staff affected are ”taking appropriate safety measures in accordance with university protocol.”
The Rebels are now scheduled to open the season Dec. 12 against UNC-Wilmington.
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Supporters will be allowed to return to English sports stadiums from next week after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the easing of coronavirus restrictions.
The changes take effect after England’s national lockdown ends on Dec. 2.
A maximum of 4,000 fans will initially be allowed into venues in the areas with the lowest COVID-19 infection rates and up to 2,000 in the areas placed in the next tier of restrictions.
The highest-risk areas still won’t be allowed fans.
Plans for the return of spectators in October were put on hold due to a spike in coronavirus cases.
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Borussia Dortmund says attacking midfielder Reinier has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The announcement comes a day before Dortmund is to play Belgian club Brugge in the Champions League.
Dortmund says Reinier is in isolation at home and is not showing symptoms. He is on loan at from Real Madrid.
Reinier most recently played for the Brazilian under-23 national team in two friendlies in Egypt during the last international break. He wasn’t in the Dortmund squad for the 5-2 Bundesliga victory over Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
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