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Nadal tests positive for Covid in latest blow for tennis legend | The Guardian Nigeria News

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Nadal tests positive for Covid in latest blow for tennis legend | The Guardian Nigeria News

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, who was expected to play in the Australian Open next month, said Monday he has tested positive for Covid-19 and was isolating.

The Spanish former world number one said he took the test when he returned to Spain from Abu Dhabi where he took part in an exhibition tournament last week.

“I am going through some unpleasant moments but I trust that I will improve little by little. I am now confined at home and have informed the people who had been in contact with me,” he wrote on Twitter.

“As a consequence of the situation, I have to have total flexibility with my calendar and I will analyse my options depending on my evolution,” he added.

“I will keep you informed of any decisions about my future tournaments.”

The 35-year-old had been due to fly to Melbourne later this month to compete in an ATP event ahead of the Australian Open which begins at Melbourne Park on January 17.

The 20-time major champion has struggled with a foot injury for the past six months -– forcing him to miss both Wimbledon and the US Open.

Nadal lost to another former world number one Andy Murray in an exhibition match on Friday in Abu Dhabi, his first match since August.

He then lost to Wimbledon semi-finalist Denis Shapovalov of Canada on Saturday.

It was the first time Nadal was seen in a match since a defeat to Lloyd Harris in Washington in early August at the Citi Open.

Despite missing almost half the season, he finished 2021 ranked No.6 in the world after picking up two titles in Barcelona and Rome and making the semi-finals at the French Open and the quarters at the Australian Open.

During the tournament on Friday in Abu Dhabi, Nadal was photographed talking to Spain’s former king Juan Carlos I withour wearing a face mask.

It was a rare public appearance for the 83-year-old since he went into exile in the United Arab Emirates in August 2020 following graft allegations.

Nadal said he was regularly tested in Abu Dhabi, and the results were always negative. His last test there was on Friday, and he received the results on Saturday.

Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis says he feared major injury after hearing ‘something pop’ in knee

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Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis says he feared major injury after hearing ‘something pop’ in knee

CHICAGO — Anthony Davis said he “heard something pop” when the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ Jaden McDaniels crashed into his left knee on Friday. And so when the Los Angeles Lakers star collapsed in the tunnel on the way to the locker room, he said it wasn’t just because of pain. It was mental anguish, too.

“I just reached a point where it was tough to walk,” Davis said Sunday, speaking to reporters for the first time since suffering a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. “I had to take a break. … I did hear something pop — and the first thing I thought of was [a major injury]. Which, I was emotional, I was just like everywhere. But like I said, thank God that it wasn’t that.”

Davis underwent an MRI on Saturday in Chicago that revealed the sprain. He will spend the next four weeks rehabbing his knee before being reevaluated, according to the team.

Despite the setback, Davis said he has a good outlook on things. Last season he missed 36 of the Lakers’ 72 regular-season games because of an Achilles injury and a calf strain. He sees this situation differently.

“Mentally I’m fine. I’m in a good space,” Davis said. “Last year was a more ‘me’ thing. This year was like a freakish play. So knowing that nothing I really could have done to avoid it, I guess, keeps me in a good place. The locker room keeps me in a good place. People around me outside of basketball keep me in a good place. Great conversation with my wife about it; she’s the one who keeps me in a good place, for real.”

The Lakers, 16-15 after Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bulls and in the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference, could really use Davis, of course.

However, the eight-time All-Star believes that — all things considered — L.A. is doing OK.

“I feel like when we’re healthy we’re a pretty good team,” Davis said. “We started playing well, start getting a rhythm with each other and then all the COVID stuff happened and then more injuries. So it’s not where we want to be, but we’re not in a terrible spot.

“We’re still in a good spot, for a team who feel like they can, could have done more, or win more games, games we should have won, and we’re still in a good spot. So hopefully we can stay afloat with all the stuff going on around the team and being able to still pursue our goal, which is to win a championship.”

L.A. played the Bulls minus six players — Dwight Howard, Talen Horton-Tucker, Austin Reaves, Avery Bradley, Kent Bazemore and Malik Monk — who are in the health and safety protocols. Coach Frank Vogel tested into the protocols, too, leading to assistant coach David Fizdale taking the reins.

However, there was a hint of a silver lining, with Trevor Ariza making his season debut after undergoing ankle surgery in the preseason. He had three points in 15 minutes. And Isaiah Thomas, fresh off a team-high 19 points in Minnesota, earned a spot in the starting lineup, scoring 13.

Jake Paul aims brutal dig at Tommy Fury with message on ring-walk outfit | Boxing | Sport

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Jake Paul aims brutal dig at Tommy Fury with message on ring-walk outfit | Boxing | Sport

Fury’s doctor Usman Sajjad took to social media earlier this month to clarify exactly why the boxer had to pull out.

“As the team doctor amidst the injury, I had no choice but to deem him as an unfit to box,” Sajjad wrote on Instagram.

“From the scan, the extent of the fracture is severe and we are looking at a lengthy recovery period.

“That’s a decision I will happily take responsibility for as it’s the safety of the athlete you have to consider.

“Boxing with a broken rib leaves a huge chance of suffering a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) which is a medical emergency.

Cross border NHL games postponed through holiday break

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Cross border NHL games postponed through holiday break

The NHL has postponed any cross-border games through the Dec. 23 start of the holiday break, amid the crush of COVID-19 cases in the league.

And the chance of the NHL’s presence at the Beijing Olympics appears to be dwindling.

The cross-border decision, made jointly by the NHL and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, was “due to the concern about cross-border travel and, given the fluid nature of federal travel restrictions,” the league said in release Sunday. It goes into effect Monday.

Read more:

NHL says it’ll toughen COVID-19 rules to tackle Omicron variant threat

Sunday’s statement also said that, given the disruption the pandemic has already created in the regular-season schedule, with 27 games postponed as of Saturday, and at least 12 more through Dec. 23, there is concern about the Olympics.

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“(With) the continued uncertainty caused by the ongoing COVID pandemic, the NHL and NHLPA are actively discussing the matter of NHL Player participation in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, and expect to be in a position to announce a final determination in the coming days,” the statement said.

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The Winnipeg Jets were the only Canadian team playing on Sunday — against visiting St. Louis — after three games involving Canadian teams had already been postponed in a schedule ravaged by the swift rise of cases.

Ottawa was scheduled to host Boston on Sunday, while the Toronto Maple Leafs were set to play in Seattle, and Vancouver was at home to Arizona.


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Additional games that have been postponed are a pair of matchups Monday that had Montreal on the road against the New York Islanders, and Edmonton hosting Anaheim.

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Ottawa’s home game against St. Louis, and Vancouver’s game at San Jose on Tuesday have been pushed back.

Wednesday’s Canadiens game at the New York Rangers, Winnipeg’s game at Dallas and the Edmonton Oilers’ road game at L.A. have been postponed.

Four games on Thursday have been scrubbed: Toronto’s home game against St. Louis, Ottawa’s game against visiting Carolina, Montreal’s trip to New Jersey, and the Canucks’ game against visiting Anaheim.

Read more:

NHL scraps weekend Canucks games as spread of Omicron shuts down B.C. events

The league and players’ association agreed to continue the regular-season schedule after the break.

“Although there has been a recent increase in positive COVID test results among players, coaches and hockey staff, there have been a low number of positive cases that have resulted in concerning symptoms or serious illness,” the statement said.

“Therefore . . . medical experts have determined that, with virtually all players and club hockey staff fully vaccinated, the need to temporarily shut down individual teams should continue to be made on a case-by-case basis.”




© 2021 The Canadian Press

Wolff: Abu Dhabi like Maradona’s Hand of God

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Wolff: Abu Dhabi like Maradona’s Hand of God

Toto Wolff said Abu Dhabi like Maradona's Hand of God

Toto Wolff is not taking Lewis Hamilton’s title defeat in last week’s Abu Dhabi GP well, likening the situation to Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal against England during the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter final.

The Austrian was talking in an interview with Bild, in the aftermath of Mercedes announcing their withdrawal of their appeal of the 2021 Formula 1 Championship outcome – where Max Verstappen won this year’s F1 Drivers’ Title from Lewis Hamilton – after going under media silence for three days from the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi race weekend.

Maradona Hand of God

Wolff believes that this F1 season’s outcome is so controversial that he compared it to Maradona’s Hand of God controversy, when the Argentinian legend scored a goal using his hand against England in the 1986 quarter final game.

When asked if he feels what happened under the Yas Marina Circuit floodlights was injustice, Wolff said: “It is definitely on a par with Diego Maradona’s hand of God or the 1966 Wembley goal,” also referring to the 1966 third English goal controversy in the England vs West Germany World Cup Final.

However, he was reluctant to say Hamilton was cheated out of his eighth F1 Crown: “No. An inconsistent decision by the race director took the title away from Lewis.”

How the decisions post Abu Dhabi were made

Wolff went on to describe the decision process, in which Hamilton played a major role, within Mercedes that in the end resulted in the World Champions withdrawing their appeal.

“Every step was a joint decision,” he said. “We decided together that we would protest and wanted to thoroughly consider a possible appeal.

“We decided together not to do so. Even if we would have won in any normal court, we didn’t want to win the title at the green table,” the Austrian revealed.

Asked if he believed they could have won, Wolff said: “No.

“Because the world governing body FIA would have been both defendant and judge.

“That releases a feeling of powerlessness. Just like on Sunday in the last round.

“That’s the last time I felt like that as a child,” the Mercedes boss admitted.

We are still disillusioned

Mercedes don’t seem to have digested what happened yet with Wolff telling Bild: “Lewis and I are still completely disillusioned.

“My heart and soul are still crying with every pore.

“When the principles of sport are disregarded and the stopwatch is no longer worth anything, you start to question whether all the work, blood, sweat and tears are worth it,” Wolff mused.

However, there was a positive in the interview, as Wolff seemed to be in agreement with Helmut Marko – Red Bull’s Consultant – demanding simpler rules with personal consequences.

“For once, we are in total agreement,” Wolff said.

“The rulebook has to be watertight so that something like this doesn’t happen again.

“And the right people have to be in charge,” he insisted.

Brooklyn Nets’ next 2 games postponed amid COVID-19 surge

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Brooklyn Nets’ next 2 games postponed amid COVID-19 surge
12:37 PM ET

  • ESPN

The NBA has postponed the Nets‘ next two games because of the COVID-19 surge that has decimated Brooklyn’s roster.

Brooklyn’s home games Sunday against the Denver Nuggets and Tuesday against the Washington Wizards have been postponed, the NBA announced Sunday.

The Nets currently have 10 players in the league’s health and safety protocols, including stars Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

The Cavaliers and Hawks had their Sunday game postponed as well after Cleveland had five players test positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. The Pelicans‘ game Sunday against the 76ers and the Magic‘s game Monday against the Raptors also were postponed.

In total, the NBA has postponed seven games this season. The Chicago Bulls had two games postponed last week but are scheduled to be back in action Sunday night at home against the Los Angeles Lakers.

De Jong still looking for answers after turbulent start at Barcelona — Sport — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

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De Jong still looking for answers after turbulent start at Barcelona — Sport — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

“The pic you’ve been waiting for,” read the post from Barcelona’s official Twitter account last month, above a photo of the team’s new coach Xavi Hernandez talking to a smiling Frenkie de Jong.

Xavi was barely into his second week as coach but the hope was that he would already have De Jong nestled under his wing, the advice flowing from one midfielder to another and the clock counting down until the flourishing of another Dutch master in Barcelona colours.

For three years now, including two in Spain and his final one at Ajax, the destiny of De Jong has, through no fault of his own, defined almost everything about him as a footballer.

His performances have been up and down, and mostly somewhere in between. He has been an obvious pick in Barca’s starting line-up but only occasionally a stand-out performer.

Against Elche at Camp Nou on Saturday, he was substituted in the second half and whistled by some of his own fans.

“Maybe you don’t see what he does but he’s very good,” said Xavi.

“I don’t think I have ever done really badly, but I know I can do better,” De Jong told AFP in an interview last year.

In some ways, the promise of what De Jong can be has been all-consuming.

Honed by Ajax and instrumental for the Dutch national team, De Jong owned the two fundamental characteristics to be considered a carrier of ‘Barca DNA’.

As a child, he even did multiple stadium tours of Camp Nou and wore a shirt with Lionel Messi’s name on the back.

Perhaps the only way the anticipation could grow further was through a transfer scramble, which was provided when Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City joined the race for De Jong’s signature in 2018.

It was a fight Barcelona could not afford to lose.

Excitement around De Jong had been building ever since he helped engineer Ajax’s dismantling of Real Madrid in the Champions League, while Barca’s own failures in the tournament meant the craving for young talent had morphed into something closer to desperation.

There was political pressure too.

The club’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu faced anger about repeated capitulations and an increasingly unrecognisable style of play, all on the back of Neymar’s humiliating departure to PSG.

– Poster boy –
The prospect of PSG, a state-funded club, with its perceived lack of identity or history, again beating Barcelona to a player like De Jong, a poster boy for almost everything Barca stood for, was unthinkable.

Barcelona paid 75 million euros for De Jong, with a further 11 million euros due in variables, and a club announcement explained in its third paragraph how “the president Josep Maria Bartomeu and CEO Oscar Grau were personally involved in closing the deal”.

“In some ways I’ve always been a Barcelona player,” said De Jong, with Camp Nou behind him.

Yet in the rush to be seen to buy young, bolster the team’s identity, beat PSG and boost the popularity of the president – what was Barcelona’s plan for De Jong?

How did they expect to improve or even accommodate this talented 21-year-old?

In the first game of the season, Barcelona’s then-coach Ernesto Valverde offered a show of faith by fielding him ahead of Sergio Busquets. But Barca struggled, Busquets was restored and De Jong shifted to the right of the midfield three.

In his two and a half years, De Jong has played right, left, defensive and attacking midfield, as well as right-wing and centre-back. He has played under four permanent coaches, seen Messi leave and Barcelona surrender its status as a serious European club.

His best position remains unclear and his future is now in question.

Barcelona’s financial meltdown means any significant sale is always tempting and De Jong has been linked to both Manchester clubs in recent weeks.

He would likely fetch more than 50 million euros in either January or the summer transfer window.

For now, the onus is on De Jong to take what could be his last chance under Xavi, to satisfy lofty expectations and make good on a signing that was arguably seen as an end in itself, with too little thought for what came next.

Tyson Fury accused BBC of ‘taking away rights’ with SPOTY nomination: ‘Not listened!’ | Boxing | Sport

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Tyson Fury accused BBC of ‘taking away rights’ with SPOTY nomination: ‘Not listened!’ | Boxing | Sport

Tyson Fury reacts to win over Deontay Wilder

The BBC’s annual programme anointing the Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) returns to screens this evening at 6:45pm on BBC One. After a stellar year of UK sport the year’s nominees include swimmer Adam Peaty, tennis player Emma Raducanu, footballer Raheem Sterling, Paralympic cyclist Dame Sarah Storey, diver Tom Daley, and boxer Fury. The bookies’ firm favourite to take the SPOTY crown is tennis ace Raducanu, whose US Open triumph made her the first British woman to win a Grand Slam since Virginia Wade in the Seventies.

The victory also saw Raducanu, who was just 18 at the time, become the first singles qualifier in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title. 

Fury joins the tennis star on the list, after a year in which he cemented himself as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time by defeating Deontay Wilder in the pair’s third bout.

The dramatic victory saw the Gypsy King retain his WBC title and lineal champion status.

Despite Fury’s boxing success, his inclusion on the BBC SPOTY shortlist raised eyebrows after the boxer protested at his inclusion last year and even threatened to sue the BBC if he was nominated.

Read More: Nico Rosberg explains ‘rumour’ he’s heard about Lewis Hamilton

Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury accused the BBC of taking away his rights (Image: Getty)

Raducanu

Raducanu is the bookies favourite for the award (Image: Getty)

Speaking on the Jonathan Ross Show in December last year Fury explained his desire to be removed as a nominee for the BBC’s award.

The boxer said: “I’ve asked to be taken off the list. They’ve not listened.

“I’ve sent them a legal letter to be taken off. They’re still not listening.

“So they’re trying to take away my rights as a person, not to do something that I don’t want to do. 

Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury knocked out Deontay Wilder for the second time (Image: Getty)

“My name shouldn’t be on there if I don’t want it on there. It’s a free country. They are doing something which I don’t want to participate in.”

When pressed by presenter Jonathan Ross as to why Fury was so ardently against his inclusion on the list, the boxer replied: “The reason is, I don’t want an award from someone to say I’m a sports personality. 

“I know what I am and who I am, and I know what I’ve achieved, I know what I’ve come back from. I don’t need a glass trophy.

“I’m the people’s champion. I don’t need this glamorous trophy to say who I am and what I’ve done.”

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fURY

Fury has been nominated for the award four times (Image: BBC)

He added: “If I don’t wish to be on that list, surely I shouldn’t be forced into doing something I don’t want to do.”

Fury has been involved in a long-term feud with the BBC which began after his historic victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

That year his SPOTY award nomination faced massive backlash after a petition to have him removed from the shortlist generated over 140,000 signatures.

The reaction came after Fury made a number of sexist and homophobic remarks. 

Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling is on the shortlist after a terrific year with England (Image: Getty)

After his rematch victory with Wilder last year, the boxer was nominated again yet Fury threatened the broadcaster with legal action if they did not remove him from the shortlist. 

The boxer told the Telegraph: “It means nothing to me and I don’t need it or want it. 

“In fact, they will be hearing from my solicitors if they do put me on the list. Give it to someone who needs it. I don’t.

“We know who the sports personality of the year is anyway ‒ it’s me. I am the sports personality. 

“Who does what I do, goes through a war in Las Vegas, entertains the fans and then sings to the audience?”

This year Fury has claimed he will refuse to give a speech if he wins the SPOTY award. 

In an interview with the Daily Mail the boxer admitted he was more interested in winning the American ESPY award, but also joked that his fourth nomination for the BBC prize is now a record.

Watch Sports Personality of the Year on BBC One at 6:45pm.

Recent Match Report – Australia vs England 2nd Test 2021/22

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Recent Match Report – Australia vs England 2nd Test 2021/22
Report

England are staring at an 11th defeat in 12 Tests Down Under

England 236 and 4 for 82 (Stokes 3*) need a further 386 runs to beat Australia 9 for 473 dec and 9 for 230 (Head 51, Labuschagne 51)

Australia maintained their vice-like grip on the second Test, ripping out four England wickets before the close of day four at Adelaide Oval. Half-centuries from Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had enabled the home side to declare their second innings 467 runs ahead, and with more than four sessions still to play – and although England fought to see out the night under lights, the dismissal of Joe Root from what became the final ball of the day was a hammer blow to their hopes of salvaging something from the game.

Already 1-0 up in the series and sitting on a 282-run lead overnight, the contest was set up for Australia from the outset. England managed to chip away and avoid being completely overrun, but by the time that Steven Smith called his men back to the dressing room just over an hour into the evening session, the scale of their task in attempting to avoid an 11th defeat from 12 in Australia was clear.

England’s brittle batting was soon back in the spotlight – and before the floodlights had even started to fire up. Jhye Richardson struck with his sixth ball, Haseeb Hameed propping forward only to see the ball prance and take him on the glove, as England’s opening stand – so far worth 0, 23, 7 and 4 in the series – failed again.
Rory Burns did succeed in carving out some time at the crease, as he and Dawid Malan battled through to tea and beyond during a 44-run partnership. But with the pink ball, glowing in the twilight, fizzing and spitting at the behest of Nathan Lyon, who bowled a relentlessly probing round-the-wicket line to the two left-handers, it seemed only a matter of time before further Australians dividends would be forthcoming.

Lyon deserved to make the breakthrough, only for Smith to put down a regulation slip catch with Malan on 19. The reprieve was brief, however, as Michael Neser found some nip back in to beat a tentative defensive push and pin Malan lbw to his very next ball – a dismissal upheld with three reds on review.

Burns used the DRS to overturn a caught-behind decision on 30, and had faced 95 balls when he finally succumbed to Richardson, who scrambled the seam to produce a thick edge that was taken low in the cordon. Root and Ben Stokes then battened down the hatches in an attempt to reach the close. They were just two balls away from achieving that goal when Root, having been hit painfully on the box a few overs earlier – the second low blow he had suffered in the day – edged Mitchell Starc behind to spark jubilation among the Australians.

It was not a good day for English dignity. In a hole and facing the prospect of Australia steadily driving home their advantage, the tourists initially took the field without their captain, Root requiring a scan after being hit in what the ECB euphemistically termed “the abdomen” while taking some throwdowns – this time not wearing a box. It all added to the sense that this Ashes tour is becoming yet another cock-up and balls story.

A lively start followed, belying the lack of tension in the game. Neser was nearly run out from the first ball of the afternoon, the nightwatchman only just making his ground to beat a direct hit from point after being sent back. He was then bowled in the second over, James Anderson finding some seam movement to beat Neser’s forward defensive and hit the top of middle stump.

Two balls later, Stuart Broad found Marcus Harris’ outside edge to dismiss the Australia opener for the fifth time in four Tests – Jos Buttler completing the dismissal with a flying one-handed catch. But the punchline was still to come, as Broad induced a first-ball nick behind from Smith, only for Buttler to send an easier chance clanging to the ground. Broad’s next delivery brought a confident no-look lbw appeal from the bowler, but Rod Tucker remained unmoved – and DRS backed up the decision on umpire’s call.

Smith was not able to cash in on his good fortune, gloving a short ball from Ollie Robinson down the leg side – Buttler lurching back into the sublime with a one-handed take – to give Australia’s stand-in captain his first single-figure score in an Ashes Test since the 2017-18 day-nighter at Adelaide.

England had taken 3 for 10 from 12 overs and given themselves something to smile about. But a further sign of their parlous position came when Robinson opted to switch to bowling offspin – apparently in a bid to lift the over rate. Root returned to the field shortly after and Australia began to ease back on to the front foot, Head’s counterattacking knock lifting them from 4 for 55 to 4 for 134 at the dinner break.

Head added 89 in good time alongside Labuschagne, as Australian thoughts began to turn once again to the possibility of a declaration. Head became a second wicket for Robinson – now back to bowling seam – shortly after bringing up a 49-ball fifty on his home ground, and England soon resorted to bowling Malan’s part-time legspin in tandem with Root, rather than put miles into the legs of their quicks. Malan claimed Labuschagne as his maiden Test victim, but four wickets falling to spin only seemed to underscore England’s errors in selection. And Australia will not worry themselves with that.

Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick

NHL scraps weekend Canucks games as spread of Omicron shuts down B.C. events

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NHL scraps weekend Canucks games as spread of Omicron shuts down B.C. events

The NHL has postponed the Vancouver Canucks home games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Rogers Arena, as the province grapples with the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant.

The Canucks were set to host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday at 4 p.m., then the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday, at 7 p.m., in front of full-capacity crowds.

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Earlier Saturday, the team confirmed that defenceman Tyler Myers had entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, joining Tucker Poolman, Luke Schenn, Brad Hunt, Juho Lammikko and assistant coach Jason King.


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COVID-19 restrictions impact B.C. businesses

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Maple Leafs John Tavares, Alex Kerfoot, Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds are also on the protocol list.

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The Canucks said the NHL made the decision due to the high number of players entering the COVID protocol, in consultation with the NHLPA and clubs’ medical groups.

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“The League is in the process of reviewing and revising its regular season schedule,” the Canucks said in a statement.

“Tickets for the Canucks games this weekend will be valid for the rescheduled dates. Ticket holders are asked to hold onto their tickets and the Canucks will provide more information as soon as it is available.”

 

Read more:

B.C. enacts social gathering and event capacity limits as Omicron variant spreads

The move came ahead of a looming 50 per cent capacity restriction for venues seating more than 1,000 people.

The restriction, set to take effect Monday, was implemented by provincial health officials in a bid to curb surging COVID-19 case numbers.

The new restrictions, announced Friday, also ordered the cancellation of all organized New Year’s Eve events.

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On Friday, Bryan Adams announced that his New Year’s Eve concert, scheduled to take place at Rogers Arena, had also been cancelled.

Jeff Guignard, executive director of the Alliance of Beverage Licensees of B.C., said the new restrictions would be tough on the hospitality industry, but “we know we have to do it.”

“It’s difficult and its putting a lot of stress on our industry,” he said.

“The good news is we’ve got some notice, it’s a couple weeks before New Year’s Eve, whereas last year we found out 30 hours before, so I appreciate Dr. Henry gave us a heads up.”


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B.C. Puts new COVID restrictions into place starting Monday

B.C. Puts new COVID restrictions into place starting Monday

 

Under the restrictions, formal events have been cancelled, but people will still be able to go out to restaurants — provided they remain seated at a table and do not dance or mingle.

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Guignard said restaurants and pubs are now scrambling to find ways to make sure guests could still enjoy a night out safely.

“I encourage people don’t cancel your reservations right now,” he said.

“Give us some time to plan and find an alternative for you that’s congruent with these laws that will make you have a fun night.”

Read more:

New B.C. restrictions not enough to curb Omicron without boosters sooner: expert




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