Sport: Washington Nationals sued by ex-employees over vaccine firing

By yardbarker
november 23, 2021

Vaccine mandates moving the needle, experts say

The efforts of early workplace vaccine mandates have been successful so far for companies and public offices large and small. But data and experts suggest that they are working.

The Washington Nationals are being sued by two former employees who were fired for refusing to comply with the team’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Washington Nationals sued by ex-employees over vaccine firing

Lawrence (Larry) Pardo and Brad Holman were pitching coaches in the Nats’ organization. The two refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons and were fired by the Nats as a result. The team instituted a mandate on Aug. 12 that went into effect on Sept. 10, leading to the firing of both men.

Now the two have filed a lawsuit against the club, TMZ Sports reports.

Pardo and Holman cited religious reasons for not getting the vaccine, which “were developed from or tested on aborted fetal cells.” The two are against abortion for religious reasons.

Data shows city worker Covid vaccine mandates are working

Covid-19 vaccination rates for municipal workers required to get shots are outpacing that of the general public in several major U.S. cities.NBC News compiled employee vaccination data from 20 cities that are mandating the shots and found that the rates for city employees — a group that includes health care workers, police officers, sanitation workers and firefighters — are about 15 percentage points higher than for the rest of the general populations of the cities or counties they work in.

They believe they were discriminated against on the basis of religion and are due damages.

As of September, the two also were filing a complaint with the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission.

In a statement sent to the Washington Post this morning, Brad Holman and Larry Pardo said they refuse to take the vaccine because "they are developed from and/or tested with aborted fetal cells." They filed a religious exemption with the Nationals that was denied.

— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) September 17, 2021

Holman, 53, and Pardo, 55, were both hired by the team in 2018. Holman was the team’s minor league pitching coordinator, while Pardo was the pitching coach for the club’s Florida Complex League team, according to The Washington Post.

Whistleblowers to play key role in enforcing vaccine mandate

WASHINGTON (AP) — To enforce President Joe Biden’s forthcoming COVID-19 mandate, the U.S. Labor Department is going to need a lot of help. Its Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesn’t have nearly enough workplace safety inspectors to do the job. So the government will rely upon a corps of informers to identify violations of the order: Employees who will presumably be concerned enough to turn in their own employers if their co-workers go unvaccinated or fail to undergo weekly tests to show they’re virus-free.

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Related slideshow: COVID-19 and sports: Latest updates across all leagues (Provided by Yardbarker)

1/19 SLIDES © Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

COVID-19 and sports: Latest updates across all leagues

It's been more than a year since sports in the United States came to a screeching halt amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the NBA, MLB and NHL seasons suddenly were put on hiatus.The NHL, NBA and MLB resumed and completed their seasons, but outbreaks complicated baseball's return. The NBA's 2020-21 was completed, but the league was forced to postponement many games.The NFL was able to complete its 2020-21 season — despite COVID-19 outbreaks causing schedule reshuffling throughout the campaign. Over in the college ranks, the NCAA was able complete its college football season. On January 11, the Alabama Crimson Tide won the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. However, college basketball programs continue to experience issues.With news breaking so often, we’ve gathered the latest stories fans need to know.
2/19 SLIDES © Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

NBA

Here is what has happened over the last couple of weeks in the NBA:NOVEMBER 22Professional athletes who have not yet received one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines won’t be allowed to travel to Canada beginning on Jan. 15, minister of public safety Marco Mendicino announced on Friday. Currently, NBA players who aren’t fully vaccinated are permitted to enter the country and play against the Raptors in Toronto under a national interest exemption. However, Mendicino said that exemption will be scrapped in January due to the widespread availability of the COVID-19 vaccines. Players who remain unvaccinated will be ineligible to play in games in Toronto as of Jan. 15. Read more here.NOVEMBER 18Cavaliers forward Kevin Love entered the league's health and safety protocols back on Nov. 1. He recently spoke about his experience with COVID-19. "I went through it, man," Love explained, per Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. "The first four or five days were pretty tough." Read more here.NOVEMBER 16Bucks wing Khris Middleton has cleared COVID protocols. Read more here.NOVEMBER 12Per ESPN and The Associated Press, a league memo shared by those outlets Friday informed teams that personnel should receive COVID vaccine booster shots "as soon as possible, particularly in light of the current coronavirus situation and increasing cases." Read more here.NOVEMBER 11Bulls center Nikola Vucevic has become the latest player to enter the NBA’s health and safety protocols as he tested positive for COVID-19. Based on the league’s protocols, Vucevic is expected to be sidelined for at least 10 days. Read more here.NOVEMBER 8Sixers center Joel Embiid, who was scheduled to be rested for Monday’s game vs. New York, has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. Embiid is the fourth Sixers player to enter the league’s protocols so far this season, joining Tobias Harris, Isaiah Joe and Matisse Thybulle. If he has tested positive for COVID-19, the All-NBA center will miss at least a handful of games. Read more here.NOVEMBER 4Sixers shooting guard Isaiah Joe has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who says Philadelphia is now testing the entire team for COVID-19 as a precaution ahead of Thursday’s game vs. Detroit. Read more here.NOVEMBER 3Spurs center Jakob Poeltl is the latest NBA player to enter the league’s health and safety protocols and is expected to miss several games. Read more here.NOVEMBER 2Sixers forward Tobias Harris was placed in the health and safety protocols and is expected to miss several games. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Sixers were expecting to know more on Harris' status in the next 12 to 24 hours, while Tim Bontemps noted that the 29-year-old could miss 10 days if he tested positive. Read more here.OCTOBER 29It was announced back on Oct. 8 that Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown tested positive for COVID-19, and the 25-year-old has produced mixed results in his first four appearances of the NBA season. According to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, Brown admitted Friday he thinks he still isn't fully recovered from his coronavirus bout. "I've noticed in the last couple of days -- what, four games for me now? -- my body hasn't recovered the same in a sense. I'm talking to our medical staff about that," Brown explained. "Like, I feel great. And then it feels like instead of playing one game, it kind of feels like I played three. I'm used to my body responding and recovering a lot faster. I know I just turned 25, but this can't be what it looks like on the other side." Brown added he's no longer dealing with breathing issues he encountered earlier this month but still has some joint pain he links with the virus. Read more here.According to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, Nets owner Joe Tsai told the Worldwide Leader Friday he hopes Kyrie Irving chooses to receive one of the safe and available vaccines "as soon as possible" but added he doesn't know when or if the enigmatic 29-year-old will return to team activities. Read more here.OCTOBER 24The Brooklyn Nets held their home opener against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday but not without experiencing some unexpected commotion first. Before the afternoon tip-off at Barclays Center, a large group of people gathered outside of the arena to protest New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who is ineligible to play in home games due to the mandates, became a rallying cry for the group. They could be heard chanting, “Let Kyrie play.” Read more here.OCTOBER 14Brooklyn Nets star point guard Kyrie Irving confirmed and explained his decision to remained unvaccinated against COVID-19 during an Instagram Live video on Wednesday night. The seven-time All-Star insisted that he is not retiring from the NBA and that his decision not to get vaccinated was "about my life and what I am choosing to do." Irving said that his decision is "not a political thing," "not about the NBA" and "not about any organization." Read more here.OCTOBER 13Kyrie Irving's refusal to get vaccinated will cost him more than just this season's paycheck. Per Alec Sturm of Nets Daily (h/t Bleacher Report), NBA insider Shams Charania explained on "The Glue Guys" podcast the Nets won't be offering Irving a contract extension during this standoff. Charania says it was to be a $186 million extension offer. Read more here.OCTOBER 12The Nets decided that they’re not comfortable with guard Kyrie Irving only playing in half the team’s games due to his vaccination status. Brooklyn issued a press release Tuesday announcing that Irving won’t play or practice with the team until he can be a “full participant,” with general manager Sean Marks explaining the organization’s stance. Irving is the only player on the Nets who remains unvaccinated against COVID-19. A New York City executive order requires individuals who work in the city to have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine in order to enter indoor venues such as Barclays Center. Taking into account the Nets’ 41 home games and their two games at Madison Square Garden, Irving would be ineligible to play in 43 of 82 regular-season contests this season as long as he remains unvaccinated and the city’s executive order remains unchanged. Although Irving would have been eligible to play in Brooklyn’s other 39 games, it would have been a very stop-and-start process, especially since the Nets have seven home stands this season of three games or more. The team decided it would be untenable to have the point guard only available on the road, a decision that involved stars Kevin Durant and James Harden in addition to Marks and team owner Joe Tsai, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Read more here.Celtics center Al Horford has tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19, the team announced Tuesday in a press release. Per the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, Horford is now isolating from players and team personnel. Read more here.OCTOBER 11It appears Ben Simmons is rejoining the Sixers. He has arrived in Philadelphia and took a COVID-19 test, as required by NBA protocols, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. The organization wants Simmons back on the court once he clears protocols, but that remains to be seen, Wojnarowski adds in another tweet. Read more here.OCTOBER 8Per CBS Sports' Jack Maloney and Conor Roche of Boston.com, the Celtics confirmed that All-Star Jaylen Brown is quarantining after he tested positive for COVID-19. While the club added that Brown is asymptomatic, it's unknown if he's considered fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Read more here.OCTOBER 7According to Christopher Weber of the Associated Press, the Los Angeles City Council voted on Wednesday to approve one of the country’s strictest vaccine mandates. The ordinance will bar unvaccinated individuals from many indoor venues – including sports arenas – unless they receive medical or religious exemptions. According to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, L.A.’s vaccine mandate – which goes into effect in November – will include the same non-resident performer exemption that is included in New York’s and San Francisco’s executive orders. That means, for NBA purposes, the mandate will apply to players on the Lakers and Clippers but not to visiting players. Fortunately for the two Los Angeles teams, no players currently on their rosters appears likely to be impacted. Both the Lakers and Clippers indicated during training camp last week that their rosters will be fully vaccinated for the start of the 2021-22 season. Read more here.OCTOBER 6The National Basketball Players Association didn’t sign off on allowing teams to dock players 1/91.6th of their salaries for 2021-22 if they’re unable to play in a game due to a local vaccine mandate, NBPA executive director Michele Roberts tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Roberts tells Bondy that while the NBPA approved that per-game penalty (1/91.6th of a player’s salary) for certain health and safety protocol violations, the union doesn’t believe it should apply to players who miss games solely for being unvaccinated. As Roberts explains, the NBPA’s position is that a player shouldn’t be punished for being unvaccinated, since the NBA has no vaccine mandate of its own for its players. The league’s stance, per Roberts, is that the Collective Bargaining Agreement allows teams to assess those penalties without NBPA approval. Roberts reiterated that the vast majority of NBA players are fully vaccinated. She told Kavitha Davidson of The Athletic (Twitter link) that there’s now a 96% vaccination rate among NBA players, noting that vaccinated players have played a role in helping convince some of the holdouts. Read more here.The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that NBA players were informed about the harsh penalties unvaccinated players will face in Canada if they do not follow stringent rules. Unvaccinated players are allowed to leave the team hotel only to go to team activities. If they are caught leaving the hotel for other reasons, they could face up to six months in prison and/or $750K in fines. Read more here.OCTOBER 5Golden State Warriors swingman Andrew Wiggins explained his decision to get the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, telling reporters he felt forced to do so in order to continue his NBA career. Wiggins' decision to get vaccinated came after the NBA denied his application for religious exemption. His vaccination status came into question after the San Francisco Department of Public Health revealed anyone age 12 or over must be vaccinated to attend indoor events. Wiggins also explained why he was hesitant to get vaccinated, adding he holds nothing against the Warriors for how things played out. Read more here.OCTOBER 4The NBA and NBPA have agreed that unvaccinated players who can’t play in games due to local governmental vaccine mandates will be docked 1/91.6th of their salaries for each game missed, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Bobby Marks and Adrian Wojnarowski. Read more here.SEPTEMBER 30ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday the NBA has now reached a 95% coronavirus vaccination threshold among players. Read more here.SEPTEMBER 29NBA players may not be able to play in certain games this season if they choose not to get the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the league, players who are unable to play due to vaccination status will not receive their game checks. Many have been wondering what will happen in New York City and San Francisco, where unvaccinated individuals currently are not allowed inside sports arenas, indoor restaurants and other venues. NBA spokesman Mike Bass said Wednesday that if unvaccinated players cannot play in games in those cities, they will not be paid. Read more here.SEPTEMBER 28Visiting players who haven’t been vaccinated will be able to receive National Interest Exemptions to play in Toronto, according to The Athletic. They must test negative after arriving in Canada and won’t be able to leave the team hotel, other than to go to Scotiabank Arena. Raptors players are almost fully vaccinated and the team expects to reach that status by opening night. Read more here.Jonathan Isaac is among the approximately 10 percent of NBA players who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. The Magic big man answered questions on Monday about why he has declined the vaccine. Read more here.
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MLB

Here is the latest MLB news from the past couple of weeks:NOVEMBER 22Former MLB All-Star closer Doug Jones has died at the age of 64, reportedly due to complications from COVID-19. One of Jones’ former teammates, Greg Swindell, shared the sad news about Jones over Twitter Monday. Swindell said Jones died due to complications from COVID. Read more here.NOVEMBER 4Alex Anthopoulos couldn’t celebrate the Braves’ World Series triumph with the rest of the organization on Tuesday night, as the president of baseball operations had to watch from home after testing positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. The diagnosis left Anthopoulos “surprised,” as he told Scott Miller of The New York Times. Read more here.OCTOBER 30Major League Baseball announced that it has approved a roster substitution for the Houston Astros, with Jason Castro being removed from the World Series roster due to COVID-19 protocols. Read more here.OCTOBER 21The Red Sox have reinstated right-hander Phillips Valdez from the COVID-19-related injured list. Read more here.OCTOBER 6Major League Baseball is preparing a policy that will require all minor league players to be vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the start of next season, Yahoo Sports’ Hannah Keyser reports. The news comes just a few weeks after the league’s requirement that all players participating in the Arizona Fall League be vaccinated. Because minor leaguers aren’t part of the players union until they have actually played in the big leagues, MLB can issue mandates covering all of minor league baseball even though some players within the farm system have already made appearances in the show and/or are on 40-man rosters. Read more here.SEPTEMBER 20Major League Baseball is requiring players to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to participate in the Arizona Fall League, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. It marks the first instance of an MLB vaccination mandate directly affecting players. Read more here.SEPTEMBER 17A large COVID-19 outbreak hit the Boston Red Sox clubhouse during the team's final playoff push, and one player was understandably upset after 12 players and two staffers tested positive for the virus. In an interview with The Boston Globe's Alex Speier, reliever Adam Ottavino shared how uncomfortable he was being around the team during the start of the outbreak. Read more here.
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NHL

Here is what the NHL has been doing over the past couple of weeks to prepare for he league's resumption:NOVEMBER 22Hurricanes young defenseman Ehtan Bear has tested positive for coronavirus and entered the league’s COVID protocol. Read more here.NOVEMBER 19The New York Islanders are supposed to open their brand new arena Saturday night, but they may be without their captain for the festivities. The team announced Friday that Anders Lee and Ross Johnston have been placed in the COVID protocol. Read more here.The Montreal Canadiens won’t have their general manager traveling with them for the next little while, as Marc Bergevin has a confirmed positive case of COVID-19. The team announced that he is being monitored by the Canadiens’ medical staff and following league protocols. Read more here.The Ottawa Senators haven't played since last Sunday because of a COVID-19 outbreak that forced the postponements of their subsequent three games. One of those contests was rescheduled ahead of the weekend. Per the NHL's official website, Ottawa's matchup at the New Jersey Devils originally set to take place this past Tuesday will now occur on Dec. 6 at Prudential Center. Read more here.NOVEMBER 17During Tuesday night’s game against the Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin exited partway through and didn’t return. The team announced that he was pulled because of COVID testing and is now in the protocol. The Red Wings did not confirm whether Larkin tested positive, but Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports that a positive test result from the morning was received by the team during the game. Read more here.Another Vegas Golden Knight is now unavailable to the team, as Michael Amadio has been placed in the COVID protocol. Amadio joins William Carrier and Jonathan Marchessault in the protocol. Read more here.NOVEMBER 16Things are going from bad to worse for the Vegas Golden Knights. The team placed Jonathan Marchessault in the COVID protocol, making him unavailable for the time being. He joins William Carrier, who was put in the protocol Monday. Read more here.Washington Capitals veteran Lars Eller has been placed in the COVID protocol. Read more here.NOVEMBER 15The Arizona Coyotes placed Johan Larssonin the COVID protocol. Larsson joins Andrew Ladd in the protocol, who was placed there over the weekend. Read more here.The NHL is expected to postpone the Ottawa Senators' next three games as the team deals with a massive COVID-19 outbreak, multiple outlets reported on Monday. The team was originally supposed to fly to New Jersey Monday to prepare for a Tuesday night game against the Devils. The Senators canceled practices last week as a precaution and have reportedly spread players out in the dressing room to keep contact to a minimum. Players are also being tested multiple times a day in conjunction with league safety protocols, which skaters say has become a distraction. Read more here.Golden Knights forward William Carrier was placed in the protocol. Read more here.NOVEMBER 14Per the team’s communications department, the Ottawa Senators placed forward Drake Batherson in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol on Sunday. Batherson becomes the fifth Sens forward and 10th Sens player overall now listed as non-roster due to COVID-19. It’s a tough loss for an already depleted Senators team. Batherson leads Ottawa in scoring with 16 points in just 14 games. Read more here.NOVEMBER 13The Coyotes are the latest team to lose a player to the NHL’s COVID protocol as Arizona announced that winger Andrew Ladd has been added to the protocol. Read more here.Less than 12 hours after being removed from the COVID protocol, Ottawa Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev was added back to it just before Saturday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Read more here.NOVEMBER 12The San Jose Sharks removed seven players from the COVID protocol. Kevin Labanc, Erik Karlsson, Timo Meier, Jacob Middleton, Matthew Nieto, Radim Simek and Marc-Edouard Vlasic have all been removed from the protocol and added back to the active roster. Head coach Bob Boughner, head trainer Ray Tufts and equipment manager Mike Aldrich have also all been removed from the protocol. Read more here.NOVEMBER 11The Senators announced that Alex Formenton and Matt Murrayhave been placed in the COVID protocol. Formenton and Murray join a growing list of players in the protocol for Ottawa, which also includes Connor Brown, Victor Mete, Austin Watson, Nick Holden, Dylan Gambrell, Josh Brown, as well as assistant coach Jack Capuano. Read more here.The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting some reinforcements back from the COVID protocol, as both Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel have been activated. Read more here.NOVEMBER 10The Ottawa Senators placed a sixth player in the COVID protocol, adding Josh Brown to it Wednesday morning. He joins Victor Mete, Austin Watson, Nick Holden, Connor Brown and Dylan Gambrell as players unavailable to the Senators currently, along with assistant coach Jack Capuano, who is also in the protocol. Read more here. San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner told the press Wednesday he felt mostly fine during his time in the NHL's COVID protocol. It marked Boughner's first media appearance since he and seven players were placed in COVID protocol. Read more here.The Seattle Kraken are getting a reinforcement, as Jared McCann has been activated from the COVID protocol and was back at practice Wednesday. Read more here.Captain Sidney Crosby and defenseman Brian Dumoulin entered the league's COVID-19 protocol back on Nov. 3, but general manager Ron Hextall said they should be out of the COVID protocol on Saturday. Read more here.NOVEMBER 9The Senators placed Victor Mete in the COVID protocol. Mete joins Austin Watson, Nick Holden, Connor Brown, Dylan Gambrell and assistant coach Jack Capuano in the protocol. Read more here.NOVEMBER 8The Ottawa Senators canceled practice Monday for precautionary reasons, suggesting that there was more bad COVID news coming down the pipe. The team has now announced that Connor Brown and Dylan Gambrell have both been placed in the COVID protocol and are unavailable. The two Senators forwards join teammates Austin Watson, Nick Holden and coach Jack Capuano in the protocol, though the team has not confirmed any additional positive results. Read more here.NOVEMBER 4The Pittsburgh Penguins confirmed that head coach Mike Sullivan tested positive for COVID-19. Read more here.NOVEMBER 3The Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks added several players to the COVID protocol. For Pittsburgh, it’s a worst-case scenario, as Sidney Crosby and Brian Dumoulinentered the protocol. Both are confirmed positives, and while Dumoulin is asymptomatic, Crosby is experiencing mild symptoms. That means the captain is out for at least 10 days. In Chicago, things aren’t much better. Though Henrik Borgstrom was removed from the protocol, Tyler Johnson and Isaak Phillips were added, meaning they’re unavailable for Wednesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Blackhawks have not said whether either one is a confirmed positive case. Read more here.NOVEMBER 2The St. Louis Blues have placed Kyle Clifford in the COVID protocol, joining Ryan O’Reilly and Ville Husso with the non-roster designation. Clifford is the Blues’ fourth player to be added to the protocol this season, as Brandon Saad previously spent time on the list. Read more here.The San Jose Sharks are dealing with one of the worst COVID testing situations in the league, with six players in the protocol as of Monday, along with head coach Bob Boughner. Just before the rest of the group took the ice Tuesday morning, it was announced that Timo Meier has also been put in the protocol, though Jonathan Dahlen has been removed from it. That means their number remains at six players, with Meier joining Erik Karlsson, Jacob Middleton, Matthew Nieto, Radim Simek and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Head trainer Ray Tufts has also been put in the protocol, meaning Will Leonard from the San Jose Barracuda will have to help the NHL club for the time being. Read more here.NOVEMBER 1The Chicago Blackhawks could soon have their best player back in the lineup, as Patrick Kane is out of the COVID protocol. Kane was seen on the ice at Monday morning’s skate. Assistant coaches Tomas Mitell and Matt Meacham are also out of the protocol. Read more here.The Pittsburgh Penguins received some good news Monday as Kris Letang has exited the COVID protocol and will rejoin the club on Wednesday. It’s not all roses, though, as both Chad Ruhwedel and Marcus Pettersson have confirmed positive cases and have now entered the protocol. While Ruhwedel is asymptomatic, Pettersson is experiencing symptoms meaning he will miss at least 10 days. Read more here.The San Jose Sharks are still reeling from a COVID-19 scare that sidelined multiple players and head coach Bob Boughner over the weekend. Team Teal placed multiple players in COVID protocol, and captain Logan Couture was scratched from the lineup due to being "under the weather" just a couple hours before Saturday's game against the Winnipeg Jets. Couture and forward Andrew Cogliano, who was placed in the protocol, returned to practice on Monday morning, while Erik Karlsson, Radim Simek, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Jacob Middleton, Jonathan Dahlen and Matt Nieto remained absent. Kevin Labanc, who played in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win, was also absent from practice on Monday and added to the COVID list. With so many players sidelined on Saturday, San Jose subsequently recalled five players from the AHL club, the Barracuda. The Barracuda's game Sunday against the Stockton Heat was postponed because forward Noah Gregor, goalie Zachary Sawchenko and goaltending coach Dany Sabourin were placed in the AHL COVID protocol. There is no word yet on when the make-up game will take place. Read more here.It’s been a tumultuous start to the season for Max Domi, and he now finds himself on the sidelines once again. The Columbus Blue Jackets forward has been placed in the COVID protocol and is out indefinitely. According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Domi tested positive on Sunday and will be out at least 10 days. Read more here.OCTOBER 31St. Louis Blues goaltender Ville Husso has been added to the COVID protocol. Read more here.The Los Angeles Kings placed forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Gabriel Vilardi in COVID-19 protocol, per the team’s public relations department. Read more here.OCTOBER 26The Chicago Blackhawks have been dealing with several COVID-related absences lately, and you can add a new pair of names to that list. Jonathan Toews and Henrik Borgstrom have been added to the protocol. Read more here.Tuesday, the St. Louis Blues announced that Ryan O’Reilly has joined Brandon Saad in the COVID protocol. Read more here.OCTOBER 18On Monday, the league confirmed that it has suspended Sharks star Evander Kane 21 games without pay for violating its coronavirus-related health and safety protocols. He will be eligible to return on Nov. 30 against the New Jersey Devils. Read more here.
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NFL

Here are updates from around the NFL:NOVEMBER 19The Browns activated Pro Bowl RB Nick Chubb and fellow back Demetric Felton off the COVID list. Read more here.Giants CB Logan Ryan tested positive for COVID-19, though he is asymptomatic and vaccinated. Read more here. ESPN's Todd Archer reported Cowboys WR Amari Cooper tested positive for the coronavirus as an unvaccinated player. Per NFL rules, Cooper must isolate away from team activities for a minimum of 10 days, which makes him ineligible to return in time to participate in the Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Read more here.ESPN's Jenna Laine reported Antonio Brown's former chef says the wideout obtained the alleged fake vaccination card from a Buccaneers teammate. Read more here.NOVEMBER 18The Browns activated RB John Kelly off the COVID list. Kelly joined fellow backs Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton on the COVID-19/reserve list and missed last week's loss to New England. Read more here.The Bills placed rookie tackle Spencer Brown on the COVID list. Read more here.Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (h/t Pro Football Talk) delivered a bombshell on Thursday by reporting that Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Antonio Brown allegedly utilized a fake COVID-19 vaccination card to get around the NFL's health and safety protocols earlier this year. However, NFL insider Josina Anderson reports the Buccaneers are not yet buying that story. Read more here.The NFL has responded to the Antonio Brown allegation. "All vaccination cards were reviewed by Buccaneers personnel, and no irregularities were observed," the league said in a statement. Read more here.NOVEMBER 17Minnesota activated Harrison Smith from its reserve/COVID-19 list. Smith missed two games after contracting the coronavirus, ending a four-season stretch without a multigame absence. The five-time Pro Bowl safety will be back in uniform for the Vikings’ pivotal divisional matchup in Week 11. Read more here.The National Football League will buckle down on its COVID-19 safety protocols for its packed holiday schedule. The "heightened protocols" include mandatory masking regardless of vaccination status along with testing all players and staff twice after the holiday, reports NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Read more here.Ben Roethlisberger has received a fair amount of praise from the public for his choice to report he had COVID-like symptoms prior to testing positive for the virus. But he got his biggest pat on the back yet on Wednesday, as NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills commended the quarterback for being transparent about his health. Read more here.According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Chargers head coach Brandon Staley confirmed Wednesday that Joey Bosa landed on the list as a high-risk close contact of an infected person. Per NFL rules, this means Bosa is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 but that he could potentially return to team activities in five days and in time to face the Steelers as long as he repeatedly tests negative for the coronavirus. Read more here.According to Shelley Smith of ESPN, Staley added during his comments Wednesday that Bosa "has been diligent about wearing a mask when required" and that anytime he didn't, such as for indoor postgame press conferences, were merely a "mistake." Read more here.As noted by the New York Daily News, Jets QB Joe Flacco sported a mask while speaking with reporters Wednesday and later said he is not vaccinated against COVID-19. Read more here.NOVEMBER 16Per Grant Gordon of the NFL's website, the Chargers placed star pass-rusher Joey Bosa and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Read more here.Furthermore, the Los Angeles Times’ Jeff Miller reported that Bosa is unvaccinated against COVID-19, while Tillery is. Read more here.NOVEMBER 15Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick tested positive for COVID-19, reports Adam Schefter via Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN.com. Fitzpatrick will join Ben Roethlisberger on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, leaving the Steelers potentially shorthanded for this week’s game against the Chargers. Read more here.NOVEMBER 14The Pittsburgh Steelers placed Ben Roethlisberger on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday. Roethlisberger, 39, said on the Dan Patrick Show earlier in November that he's vaccinated against the virus. League protocols say a vaccinated player must have two negative tests 24 hours apart to be removed from the list. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Roethlisberger landed on the list after self-reporting his symptoms to the Steelers. Read more here.Per a team announcement, the Bills have placed DT Star Lotulelei on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Read more here.NOVEMBER 12For the third time this season, the Cleveland Browns will be without Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb on the field. It was reported on Tuesday that both Chubb and fellow running back Demetric Felton tested positive for COVID-19, putting their availability for Week 10 against the New England Patriots in doubt. Even though Chubb is vaccinated against the virus, he was facing an uphill climb, as he would've needed to produce two negative tests 24 hours apart to play. The Tuesday news came just one day after another running back — John Kelly — was placed on the COVID-19/reserve list. Read more here.The Broncos released a statement Friday regarding COVID: "Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases locally, the Denver Broncos are strongly encouraging fans to follow the latest guidance from the City of Denver and State of Colorado by wearing masks throughout all indoor areas at Empower Field at Mile High beginning with Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles," the Broncos announced. Regardless of vaccination status, masks will be strongly encouraged for all indoor areas at Empower Field at Mile High. These include, but are not limited to, the Broncos Team Store, restrooms, elevators, all concourses, Guest Services locations and club and suite levels. The recommendation comes as a response to increased COVID-19 cases in the state and the rising capacity of COVID-19 patients within local healthcare systems." The Broncos added they will shift policies down the road if deemed necessary by local health officials, the local government and/or the NFL. This indicates mask mandates could become part of Denver home games sooner than later. Shortly after this announcement, the Broncos confirmed guard Austin Schlottmann was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Schlottmann joined quarterback Drew Lock, cornerback Michael Ojemudia and linebacker Justin Strnad on that list. Later, it was also reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is in COVID protocols and not expected to coach in Sunday's game. Read more here.NOVEMBER 11The Cardinals activated WR A.J. Green off the COVID list. Green missed last week as well after testing positive for COVID-19. Read more here.NOVEMBER 10Minnesota Vikings offensive guard Dakota Dozier was hospitalized due to complications from COVID-19, coach Mike Zimmer said Wednesday via ESPN's Courtney Cronin. According to Zimmer, Dozier is in stable condition. He is also vaccinated against COVID-19. "It's serious stuff, so, I don't know," Zimmer said. "Like, 29 guys are getting tested because of close contact, including myself. Just do what we do." Minnesota currently has five players on the COVID/Reserve list, including safety Harrison Smith, who tested positive and was placed on the list just 90 minutes before last Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens. Read more here.Cleveland encountered more bad news on the coronavirus front Wednesday when backup center Nick Harris was added to the reserve/COVID-19 list. The Browns also have practice squad receiver Lawrence Cager and defensive back Bryan Mills on the list and, thus, are now in the NFL's enhanced COVID-19 protocols. According to Camryn Justice of News 5 Cleveland, the Browns are holding all meetings virtually, mandating that personnel wear masks at all times inside the team's facility, and have closed their cafeteria. All players, including those who are vaccinated, are subject to daily COVID-19 testing until further notice. Read more here.NOVEMBER 9Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb and rookie back Demetric Felton tested positive for COVID-19, just five days ahead of their Week 10 showdown with the New England Patriots. Both players are vaccinated, so they still have a chance to suit up on Sunday. The Chubb and Felton news comes on the heels of fellow running back John Kelly's COVID-19 positive test. Read more here.Aaron Rodgers came out swinging at what he called the “woke mob” after he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, but the Green Bay Packers star is now expressing regret over the way he handled the situation. Rodgers began his regular appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Tuesday by essentially apologizing for the “misleading” comments he made about his vaccination status over the summer. Rodgers was then asked if he chose to address his misleading comments because of the backlash he has faced over the past week. He said he respects that the topic of the pandemic is a “charging” one for a lot of people and that he understands public health is a serious issue. Rodgers is obviously trying to get the focus back to football. He could be cleared from COVID-19 in time to face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Read more here.The NFL sent a memo to teams Tuesday reminding them of mask rules for unvaccinated players and personnel. "Clubs are reminded that any individual who is not fully vaccinated is required to wear a mask at all times when inside the club facility," the league said. "This includes while giving media interviews or participating in media briefings conducted indoors either at the club facility or at the stadium on game day. Individuals who are not fully vaccinated may conduct media interviews outdoors or in the practice bubble without wearing a mask, provided that physical distancing is maintained at all times." Read more here.Per Paulina Dedaj of Fox News, Aaron Rodgers returned to "The Pat McAfee Show" Tuesday to discuss the ongoing controversy. In the new interview, he took responsibility for making "misleading" comments about his vax status. Read more here.According to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, the league has fined Green Bay a mere $300,000 for violating its COVID-19 protocols. In said reports, it’s also being noted that Aaron Rodgers as and teammate Allen Lazard were each fined just $14,650 for violating the protocols. Read more here.NOVEMBER 5Saquon Barkley was back at the Giants practice facility on Friday morning after it was revealed that his previous positive COVID-19 test result was a false positive. Read more here.NOVEMBER 4A reported 13 Giants team personnel initially tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, but retesting showed that running backs coach Burton Burns was the only confirmed coronavirus case from that group. However, it was later learned that running back Saquon Barkley, safety Xavier McKinney and right guard Matt Skura tested positive on Wednesday. The Giants offered an update on the situation early Thursday afternoon. "As a precautionary measure, we canceled in-facility meetings for players this morning and closed our office to non-football staff," the club explained without mentioning any specific athletes. "Football meetings are being conducted virtually. Players, unless their test results are still being assessed under COVID protocols, will return this afternoon for practice. Bio-Reference Laboratories (BRL) is experiencing an unusually high number of false positives using the Rapid Mesa Test at our facility. With the exception of one individual, all of the positive Mesa test results over the last two days have come back negative through PCR testing. The laboratory is working with experts to determine the source of the problem. The NFL and BRL are monitoring this situation closely. We are temporarily halting the use of the Rapid Mesa Test and administering PCR tests only." SNY's Ralph Vacchiano later reported Skura has been confirmed as a "false positive" result, but that isn't yet the case for the other two. Read more here.Green Bay All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams is off the reserve/COVID-19 list, along with defensive coordinator Joe Barry, after both missed the win in Arizona. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Adams is back in the building but hasn't yet been cleared to play against the Chiefs. LaFleur is, however, "hopeful" his WR1 will be on the field Sunday. Read more here.Bears coach Matt Nagy cleared the NFL's COVID-19 protocols and was back at the team's facility on Thursday. Thus, he can take part in the three practices leading up to the "Monday Night Football" game at the 4-3 Pittsburgh Steelers. Read more here.An NFL source has now told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is "furious" his unvaccinated status was leaked after the signal-caller purposely misled media members earlier this summer and, per several outlets, has visibly violated coronavirus-related health and safety protocols for unvaccinated players throughout the season. Read more here.According to Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer, the NFL has opened an investigation into the Aaron Rodgers situation. However, any punishment levied in the quarterback’s direction would be a fine, not a suspension. Read more here.NOVEMBER 3Aaron Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 and will not play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Jordan Love will start in his place. The Packers were without top wide receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard last week after both landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Read more here.Rodgers has not gotten the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. Unvaccinated players are automatically out for 10 days if they test positive. Vaccinated players are eligible to return if they have two negative tests 24 hours apart and are not experiencing symptoms. What’s interesting about that is that Rodgers said over the summer that he got the COVID-19 vaccine. He told reporters during the preseason that he is vaccinated but would not pressure teammates or anyone else to get the vaccine. Read more here.Furthermore, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Rodgers petitioned the NFL during the offseason to count him as vaccinated after he underwent an “alternate treatment.” While the report does not provide any information about the treatment Rodgers received, the reigning MVP felt it was sufficient enough for him to not be subject to the same COVID-19 protocols as unvaccinated players. Read more here.By all accounts, Aaron Rodgers has violated league COVID-19 protocols on multiple occasions throughout the past several months and could literally and figuratively have to pay for his decisions. According to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, the NFL will review whether the Packers and Rodgers violated the league's protocols. Read more here.NOVEMBER 2On Tuesday, the Broncos placed Noah Fant on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and ESPN's Field Yates reported that the tight end tested positive for the coronavirus. Read more here.OCTOBER 26As Rob Demovsky of ESPN explained, the Packers placed wide receiver Allen Lazard on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday. Read more here.OCTOBER 25Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry has tested positive for COVID-19, NFL Network first reported Monday morning. Read more here.As Jelani Scott noted for the NFL's website, the Packers placed star wide receiver Davante Adams on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday. Read more here.OCTOBER 22The Bears placed tight end Jimmy Graham on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Read more here.However, per Howard Balzer of All Cardinals, top-tier pass-rusher and Arizona's two-time First-Team All-Pro Chandler Jones cleared the NFL's COVID-19 protocols after he also missed the Browns contest because of testing positive for the coronavirus. Read more here.OCTOBER 21The Eagles have activated tight end Dallas Goedert from the COVID list. Read more here.OCTOBER 19According to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN, Bears star pass-rusher and two-time Pro Bowl selection Robert Quinn was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday. ESPN's Field Yates reports Quinn tested positive for the coronavirus. Read more here.OCTOBER 16If NFL teams avoided signing Cam Newton as a backup due to the possibility that his vaccination status could cost him time, that snag has been rectified. According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, teams that have been in contact with Newton have been told that the quarterback is now vaccinated against COVID-19. Read more here.OCTOBER 14Per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN, the Bears placed running back Damien Williams on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday after he tested positive for the virus. Read more here.Starting Nov. 15, things will change for fans attending Seahawks games at Lumen Field in Seattle. At that time, fans will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or obtain a negative test within 72 hours prior to kickoff. Read more here.
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Golf

The latest from the world of golf since competition resumed:AUGUST 17Jon Rahm heads into the FedEx Cup playoffs ranked No. 1 in the power rankings after he had to miss the Olympics due to testing positive for COVID-19. Read more here.AUGUST 4American golf star Bryson DeChambeau missed out on competing at the Summer Olympics after he tested positive for COVID-19. The 27-year-old is set to play in this week's WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and told reporters Wednesday he doesn't regret remaining unvaccinated against COVID-19. DeChambeau added he lost "eight to 10 pounds" during his quarantine and needs to regain some clubhead speed before he can reclaim his best form on the course. Read more here.With COVID-19 cases surging throughout the United States due to different variants, the PGA Tour is going back to its previous guidelines of mandating that all individuals wear masks indoors at events regardless of their vaccination statuses. Read more here.JUNE 5Jon Rahm was on his way to what looked like a clear victory at the Memorial before being forced to withdraw Saturday under crushing circumstances. Rahm had a six-stroke lead, and after he finished his round, he spoke with officials before becoming visibly emotional. As it turned out, Rahm had tested positive for COVID-19, and was being informed of that fact. Under PGA Tour protocols, the positive test meant Rahm had to withdraw from the tournament despite his huge lead. Read more here.
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NASCAR

What's the latest from the world of NASCAR:APRIL 25NASCAR will not require drivers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, president Steve Phelps said Sunday, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "It is important, in my opinion, that people get vaccinated," Phelps said before the race at Talladega Superspeedway. Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin are among the few NASCAR drivers who have made it known that they received the COVID-19 vaccine. Read more here.MARCH 11More and more states, cities, and communities are opening outdoor and indoor events to paying spectators despite continued COVID-19 concerns. During a Thursday appearance on ESPN's "First Take," National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci explained that the existence of at least three coronavirus vaccines should permit growing numbers of fans to safely attend sporting events over the next several months. Read more here.
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NCAA athletics

Here is the fallout from the most recent news from the NCAA:NOVEMBER 16Illinois coach Bret Bielema confirmed Tuesday that he tested positive for COVID-19 and, thus, won't be available through at least Saturday. Bielema will work with the team virtually, and assistant George McDonald will handle Illinois head-coaching duties at Iowa. Bielema added that he expects to be back at work in-person next week, ahead of a matchup against the Northwestern Wildcats on the final Saturday of November. Read more here.NOVEMBER 9The Rutgers women's basketball team will be without their Hall of Fame coach for the entire 2021-2022 season. Per Shannon Ryan of The Athletic, C. Vivian Stringer is taking a leave of absence this season due to COVID-19 concerns. Stringer has not coached with the team since April. Top assistant Tim Eatman will continue his role as the Scarlet Knights' acting head coach. Read more here.OCTOBER 22It was reported by The Athletic that third-year Clemson wideout Joseph Ngata has been placed in COVID-19 protocols. Ngata is Clemson's leading receiver this season. Read more here.OCTOBER 20Former Washington State football coach Nick Rolovich is taking his former employer to court, claiming he and four assistant coaches were illegally released for not complying with the school's and state's COVID-19 vaccination mandate. According to multiple outlets, Rolovich sought a religious exemption from meeting WSU's vaccine mandate. The school will not confirm nor deny Rolovich's ask for exemption because he is "a devout Catholic," only that he and four assistants didn't meet Washington state's requirement for staff to have at least one vaccination shot by Monday. Read more here.OCTOBER 18Washington State coach Nick Rolovich is out of a job after failing to comply with the state’s vaccine mandate. Rolovich was fired for cause on Monday along with other unvaccinated Washington State assistant coaches, The Oregonian’s John Canzano was first to report. The state’s vaccine mandate for all state employees came into effect Monday, two months after it was announced in August. Read more here.OCTOBER 8Back in August, the LSU Tigers became the first SEC team to require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or of a negative virus test to attend home football games. That will no longer be the case. LSU announced that it is lifting its COVID-19 entrance protocols. Read more here.Five members of the UConn Huskies football program have tested positive for COVID-19, per Dave Wilson of ESPN. UConn confirmed Friday that interim head coach Lou Spanos, offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Frank Giufre, tight ends coach Corey Edsall, left tackle Ryan Van Demark and offensive lineman Will Meyer have all tested positive for the coronavirus. Read more here.SEPTEMBER 7According to The Associated Press (h/t ESPN), Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball coach John Calipari revealed Tuesday that he tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of this summer's NBA Draft despite being fully vaccinated against the virus. During a virtual news conference, Calipari explained he experienced only mild coronavirus symptoms and urged individuals who haven't yet received one of the safe and available vaccines to get the shots. Read more here.
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Tennis

Here is what has happened most recently in the world of tennis:SEPTEMBER 1While speaking with reporters Wednesday, former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka explained she believes it's "bizarre" ATP and WTA players aren't facing a vaccination mandate. "I don't see the point of stalling it, because we all want to be safe, we all want to continue doing our jobs, and I know there is a lot of discussions about it," Azarenka said about governing bodies forcing players to be vaccinated against the coronavirus to be eligible to participate in tournaments, per Aishwarya Kumar of ESPN. Read more here.AUGUST 27The United States Tennis Association announced Friday that fans 12 years of age or older must show proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to attend the U.S. Open. Read more here.AUGUST 12While the main draw for the U.S. Open is scheduled to begin Aug. 30 in New York, the event's qualifying rounds are held the week before and are typically open to the public. However, the United States Tennis Association confirmed Thursday that spectators will not be allowed to attend qualifying matches because of fears and issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.
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Pro wrestling

Pro wrestling news over the past few weeks:JANUARY 11WWE champion Drew McIntyre tested positive for COVID-19 and is now in quarantine. As Joseph Currier of the Wrestling Observer noted, this is the first time that WWE confirmed the identity of a roster member who returned a positive coronavirus test since the start of the pandemic. According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com, multiple wrestling brands that have national television deals are currently dealing with COVID-19 issues. Read more here.SEPTEMER 24Back in March, Roman Reigns decided to opt out of WrestleMania 36 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During an appearance on "WWE After the Bell" with "SmackDown" announcer Corey Graves, Reigns explained his choice, saying that it was entirely based on keeping his family safe. Read more here.SEPTEMBER 2Legendary wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shared on Instagram that he, his wife, and his two baby daughters all tested positive for the coronavirus. The Rock says they got the virus from close family friends. He said overcoming the virus was harder than recovering from injuries he’s dealt with in the past. Read more here.
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UFC

Here's the latest from the MMA world:OCTOBER 28UFC president Dana White announced on Thursday that ring announcer Bruce Buffer tested positive for COVID-19. That means the 64-year-old will not be cleared to travel to Abu Dhabi for UFC 267. Longtime ring announcer Joe Martinez will take Buffer’s place. Buffer’s absence will result in the end of an incredible streak. He has been the cage announcer for every numbered/pay-per-view UFC card since UFC 11 in 1996. Buffer has been in the Octagon before fights for 255 consecutive events. Read more here.APRIL 5While speaking on Ariel Helwani's MMA Show, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (22-1-0) revealed that he was hospitalized with pneumonia while battling COVID-19 after he tested positive for the virus on March 19. He had been scheduled to defend his title versus Brian Ortega on March 27 but had the fight scrapped due to his positive result. Read more here.
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Boxing

What's new in boxing:SEPTEMBER 8Oscar De La Hoya posted a video on social media Wednesday after being released from the hospital. De La Hoya said in the video that he was hospitalized for three days after contracting COVID-19. He says that COVID hit him “really hard” despite him being in great physical shape. Read more here.SEPTEMBER 3Oscar De La Hoya tested positive for COVID-19, TMZ reports. Evander Holyfield has agreed to take De La Hoya’s place and fight Vitor Belfort on Sept. 11. The fight will need approval from the California State Athletic Commission. TMZ reports that the fight will be moved to Florida if California will not sanction it. Read more here.De La Hoya shared a video from a hospital bed on Friday. The 48-year-old confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated. De La Hoya said in a follow-up tweet that he has been receiving treatment and is confident he will make a full recovery. He is still aiming to fight before the end of the year. Read more here.JULY 8The third match between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder that was scheduled for July 24 has been postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak among Fury’s camp. Fury tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing symptoms. The 6-foot-9 heavyweight champion received one COVID-19 vaccine dose but did not get the second shot, according to boxing reporter Dan Rafael. Read more here.
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Summer Olympics

The latest from the IOC:JULY 28Sam Kendricks was expected to earn a medal for Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, but that won’t be happening. Kendricks tested positive for COVID-19 and was not be able to compete in the Summer Games. Read more here.JULY 23Many people in Japan are unhappy that their nation is hosting the Olympics with the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing, and that resulted in protests taking place outside the Opening Ceremony on Friday. The Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games was held at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Friday evening. Outside the stadium, hundreds of people gathered for a march during which they chanted things like, “Go to hell, Olympics!” Read more here.
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MLS, NWSL

MLS and NWSL most recent developments:SEPTEMBER 7United States men's national team midfielder Weston McKennie was suspended for this past Sunday's 1-1 draw against Canada in a World Cup qualifier due to violations of the program's COVID-19 policies and dismissed entirely from the team on Monday ahead of Wednesday's qualifier at Honduras. There's now more information on the exact nature of McKennie's supposed wrongdoings. According to Jeff Carlisle of ESPN, McKennie spent a night outside of the team's coronavirus bubble during the current international break. Additionally, both Carlisle and TUDN's "Hablamos Soccer" podcast report the 23-year-old brought an unauthorized individual inside the U.S. bubble and into his hotel room on a different night. As a result, manager Gregg Berhalter released McKennie back to Serie A club Juventus. Read more here.JULY 20For the second straight year, there will be no U.S. Open Cup due to COVID-19. The U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed on Tuesday that this year's edition of the competition won't take place "after not finding available match dates shared across the various participating leagues." According to Brian Straus of Sports Illustrated, a proposal to hold an altered U.S. Open Cup format with 24 clubs in May and June was abandoned, and the federation explained Tuesday it's now planning for next year instead of for the fall months. U.S. Soccer said Tuesday its board of directors will address the automatic berth for the 2022 Champions League in the coming weeks. Read more here.
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International soccer

Most recent news from international soccer circles:SEPTEMBER 17Multiple English Premier League clubs refused to release players to South American countries for September World Cup qualifiers because those nations were on the United Kingdom's COVID-19 red list, meaning the footballers would've had to complete quarantines that would've made them unavailable for multiple club matches. According to The Associated Press (h/t ESPN), United States men's national team star and Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic is one of a handful of Americans who might miss an upcoming qualifier at Panama on Oct. 10 because of red-list travel issues. Read more here.SEPTEMBER 5Sunday's World Cup qualifying match between Brazil and Argentina was suspended moments after kickoff because Brazilian health officials objected to the participation of four Argentinian players who allegedly broke quarantine rules, according to Reuters (h/t ESPN). Brazilian rules state visitors who have been in England in the 14 days before entering the country must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The four players allegedly put false information on their immigration forms, stating they had not been in the UK. Read more here.AUGUST 25The Premier League declared Tuesday that its teams will not release players for September World Cup qualifiers held in countries on England's "red list" because footballers would miss multiple club contests due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions upon their returns to England. According to Sky Sports, the British government currently has "no plans" to change its policies even after FIFA president Gianni Infantino requested exemptions for players in a message written to United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Since Tuesday's news, the English Football League and Spain's La Liga have both backed the Premier League's stance. Read more here.AUGUST 24The English top-flight confirmed Tuesday that none of its clubs will release players scheduled to participate in upcoming international fixtures held in red-list countries. Read more here.AUGUST 23Liverpool will not allow Mohamed Salah to play in Egypt's upcoming World Cup qualifying matches because of COVID-19 restrictions, the country's football association said Monday. Egypt is on England's red list, which means Salah would be required to quarantine upon his return to the country and miss two Premier League games. Read more here.The English Premier League hasn't yet had to postpone a match because of COVID-19 this season, but the top-flight nevertheless continues to encounter coronavirus-related issues this summer. On Monday, the league confirmed that it recorded 16 new positive COVID-19 tests from Aug. 16-22. Read more here.AUGUST 20Chelsea winger and United States men's national team star Christian Pulisic tested positive for COVID-19, Blues manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed Friday. The 22-year-old has been absent from training this week as Chelsea prepares for a Premier League clash against Arsenal on Sunday. Pulisic will miss that match. Read more here.AUGUST 19Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and forward Alexandre Lacazette were both unavailable for last Friday's Premier League opener at Brentford due to what were, at the time, unspecified illnesses. Ahead of this Sunday's league clash with Chelsea, Arsenal confirmed Thursday that both players tested positive for COVID-19. "Auba is now negative on COVID-19 testing, is well and following all protocols for return to play," Arsenal explained. "He will return to training and be assessed prior to Sunday’s match." Lacazette, meanwhile, is still recovering and won't be available for selection through the weekend. Additionally, Alex Runarsson and Willian also tested positive for the coronavirus. Runarsson has been ruled out for Sunday's match, while a final decision on Willian's status hasn't yet been made. Read more here.
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WNBA

WNBA's latest developments:JUNE 28The WNBA announced Monday that an astonishing 99% of its players are considered fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. "All 12 teams have met the threshold for being considered a fully-vaccinated team," the Association added in its brief statement. No players have tested positive for the virus since the regular season started on May 14. Read more here.APRIL 13The 25th WNBA season will have a much more normal feel to it than its 24th. On Tuesday, the WNBA announced the upcoming regular season will begin May 14 and feature the league's 12 teams playing at their home venues. The league will temporarily pause from July 15 through Aug. 11 due to the Summer Olympics, and teams will play a total of 32 games through the final day of the regular season scheduled for Sept. 19. The 2020 campaign was shifted to the bubble site at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fan attendance for upcoming games will be determined and announced by individual clubs, and all teams will follow local health and safety recommendations. Read more here.
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International baseball

What has happened in international baseball:JULY 8During a recent game against the Rakuten Eagles, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks employed 20 dancing robots to liven things up. The two kinds of robots, SoftBank’s humanoid robot ‘Pepper’ and others on four legs, engaged in a choreographed dance to the team’s fight song. Read more here.
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eSports

esports carries on:MAY 19Esports’ popularity has experienced an uptick on both sides of the remote, as CNBC’s Bob Woods reported on May 19 that streaming website Twitch experienced a “23% surge in viewership in March,” coinciding with the time frame when much of the country started to stay home.MAY 4While the pandemic is having a negative effect on the sports world, it’s been business as usual for esports and gaming. Participants can easily play while maintaining social distancing guidelines since gaming takes place online. In fact, esports has been flourishing. Texas A&M head esports coach Travis Yang told KSAT.com that there has been a “noticeable increase” in gamers and tournaments as people were forced to stay at home.
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One-off events

Most recent developments among other sports:AUGUST 21After hoping to allow a decreased percentage of spectators to the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced on Friday afternoon that no fans will be welcomed to the event postponed from May 2 to Sept. 5 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.AUGUST 4Indianapolis Motor Speedway has once again reversed course and declared that the Indianapolis 500 held on Aug. 23 will occur without fans in the stands due to the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.JULY 1The 2020 Mexico City Marathon announced that the race scheduled for Aug. 30 is canceled. According to Mexico News Daily, the event drew roughly 30,000 runners last year. Read more here.JUNE 26The Indianapolis 500, set for Aug. 23, became the latest American sporting event to welcome fans amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles confirmed the news, stating, "We will be limiting attendance to approximately 50 percent of venue capacity." Per Shanna McCarriston of CBS Sports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway carries a capacity of around 235,000. The official announcement also explained that individuals who do not wish to attend, such as those considered high-risk, will receive credits. Safety items such as masks and hand sanitizer will be distributed to all race attendees. Read more here.JUNE 24The world's largest marathon in New York City has officially been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Jackie Salo of the New York Post. The five-borough race, which hosts more than 50,000 runners from across the globe, would've celebrated its 50th anniversary on Nov. 1. It is now set to take place on Nov. 7, 2021. Read more here.JUNE 23The Haspa Marathon Hamburg, which was postponed from April, is set to occur on Sept. 13. The race is expecting 10,000 to 14,000 runners. However, Americans might not be among thm. Action Network's Darren Rovell reported that runners from "higher-risk COVID areas" will not be allowed to participate. A higher-risk area could include the United States. Read more here.JUNE 13Approximately 20,000 rugby fans in New Zealand packed the stands to watch the Otago Highlanders take on the Waikato Chiefs in the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition. New Zealand lifted nearly all of its coronavirus restrictions earlier in the week, as no new cases have been reported for more than 20 days and the death toll is at just 22 in the country since the pandemic started. Read more here.MAY 28The Boston Marathon, originally scheduled for April 20 but postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic, was canceled and converted into a virtual experience. It's the first time in 124 years the Marathon won't run. Read more here.

Omicron isn't a surprise to advocates who have fought for global vaccine equity .
People in richer countries, even if fully vaccinated, won't be safe until those in poorer nations have the benefit of vaccines, experts have argued.For a year since COVID-19 vaccines first became available, a small but vocal group has warned about the need to protect the most vulnerable around the world.