Welcome to the Evening Standard's LIVE coverage as the coronavirus crisis continues to heavily impact sport across the globe.
Latest coronavirus sports news...
- Arsenal confirm player wage cuts
- Government on impact of Liverpool vs Atletico on spread
- Growing number of EFL clubs want season ended
- Grainger: Mental wellbeing of athletes a big concern
- Fifa promises to fulfil £800m investment in women’s football
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Arsenal confirm player wage cuts
Arsenal first team players and coaching staff have agreed a deal to take a 12.5 per cent pay-cut to help the club manage the financial impacts of the coronavirus shutdown.
The Gunners become the first Premier League club to formally agree a cut with players, with the reduction in earnings also applying to manager Mikel Arteta and his 'core staff', coming into effect this month.
As part of the deal, players will be repaid 'agreed amounts' if the team achieve certain targets on the field – reportedly including Champions League qualification - which would bolster the club’s income.
Government on impact of Liverpool vs Atletico on spread
The Government’s deputy chief scientific adviser, professor Dame Angela McLean, admits it is an "interesting hypothesis" that Liverpool's Champions League match against Atletico Madrid may have spread coronavirus in the city.
Over 3,000 Atletico fans made the trip to Anfield in March despite Madrid already subject of a partial lockdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
McLean admits it will be interesting to look at the scientific evidence and the Champions League last-16 second leg tie at Anfield down the line, but insisted that, given the general policy at the time, going to a football match was not considered a "particularly large extra risk".
"However, when you get to the situation of our strange lives as we live them now where we spend all our time basically at home, of course you wouldn't add on an extra risk of lots and lots of people going off to the same place at the same time," she continued.
"I think it will be very interesting to see in the future when all the science is done what relationship there is between the virus that has circulated in Liverpool and the virus that has circulated in Spain. That's certainly an interesting hypothesis you raise there."
Additional reporting by the Press Association
