Will the NBA return soon? Will MLB hold its opening day? Probably not for awhile, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.
What’s the news:
- Fauci — a key member of the White House coronavirus task force — told The New York Times this week that he doesn’t expect sports to come back anytime soon. The country, he said, is not ready for it.
- Fauci said: “I would love to be able to have all sports back. But as a health official and a physician and a scientist, I have to say, right now, when you look at the country, we’re not ready for that yet.”
- He added: “Safety, for the players and for the fans, trumps everything. If you can’t guarantee safety, then unfortunately you’re going to have to bite the bullet and say, ‘We may have to go without this sport for this season.’”
- Fauci said: “I hope when we get to that point, when we’re going to try and get the sports figures tested, then we will have enough tests so that anybody who needs a test can get a test.”
When will sports return?
- The LPGA announced it will restart its 2020 LPGA tour in July, CNN reports. “However, a noncontact sport where athletes compete individually, social distancing guidelines and safety measures is much easier to implement than, say, basketball,” according to CNN.
- The NBA is weighing options about how to restart its season. Early ideas suggested the NBA could finish its season in Las Vegas or at Disney World in isolated locations, according to Sports Illustrated.
- MLB has considered playing its games in Arizona. There have also been suggestions of shifting the conferences to require less travel between clubs.