Digest

SOCCER

Suarez 'hurt' by criticism of Barca pay-cut process

Uruguay star Luis Suarez complained on Thursday that he has been "hurt" by criticism of him and fellow millionaire Barcelona players for the time it took to agree to pay cuts to help out other club employees.

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi announced on Monday that Barca's players had agreed to a 70 percent pay cut and to make contributions to ensure the club's non-playing staff could be paid in full during the state of alarm in Spain caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Players across Europe's top leagues have come under fire as some clubs have made cuts to their non-playing staff or their salaries while many wealthy players have yet to see their wages affected.

"It hurts because we were the first to want to reach an agreement," said Suarez.

"We know the situation the club is in, the situation the world is in right now and it was a minimal detail (holding up the agreement).

Infantino says crisis is a game-changer

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino admitted on Thursday that "nobody knows" when soccer can resume around the world, and that when it does return it will be "different".

Infantino said that because of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, for once soccer "is not the most important thing".

"We all wish that we could have football tomorrow but unfortunately it's not possible and nobody in the world today knows when we will be able to play like before," Infantino told South American soccer chiefs via video link.

"Our world and our sport is going to be different when we return to normality. We have to make sure that football survives and that it can prosper once again."

Like most other sports, soccer has been largely halted by the pandemic, which to date has infected over a million people and killed more than 53,000. In his message, Infantino said that "these are times of respect for those who suffer and for those who are helping".

"For the first time, football is not the most important thing! Health comes first and must continue until this disease is defeated."

BASKETBALL

Teenager LaMelo in talks to buy Aussie club

LaMelo Ball's bid to be a club owner before making his NBA debut isn't a done deal, yet.

Australia's National Basketball League issued a statement on Friday in response to reports that Ball had bought the Illawarra Hawks, the club south of Sydney where he played 12 games last season.

The 18-year-old American is expected to be a first-round pick in the NBA draft. His business manager, Jermaine Jackson, on Thursday said: "We own the team. It's a done deal." However, the NBL said discussions were underway but not completed "on a number of options for what we hope will be a fruitful outcome" for Illawarra and the league.

"Melo loves the Illawarra fans. He loves that community. They opened their arms to him. They made us feel like we are at home," Jackson told ESPN. "When we started hearing about the issues they were going through, we talked about it and decided, 'Let's own the team.'"

NBA considering Vegas as venue for playoffs

NBA officials are studying the possibility of staging the entire playoffs in Las Vegas but nothing is close to being settled, Sports Illustrated reported on Thursday.

According to a story on the magazine website, unnamed sources said the league is exploring what it would take to stage games and house players in Vegas hotels and that while nothing is near being completed, there is also nothing off the table.

The report also cited several league and club sources saying there is no chance of staging a typical NBA playoffs involving travel between cities due to different impacts of the deadly disease in different areas as well as potential travel issues.

Quarantines for teams in one location and playing in an empty arena are seen as the only answer, with Las Vegas being the only city the league is seriously considering, an NBA source told Sports Illustrated.

A CNBC report last week said the NBA has considered many scenarios but was not near finalizing any one-site plan, including a tournament idea that would send 16 teams in a reduced best-of-five first round, then two knockout stages to decide which teams would play a best-of-seven Finals.

MOTOR SPORTS

McLaren star's charity shave is shear class

McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris fulfilled a fundraising pledge by shaving his head live on his Twitch streaming channel on Thursday, even if he stopped short of becoming "Baldo Norris".

"It doesn't suit me, it just doesn't," the previously curly haired 20-year-old complained after inspecting the self-inflicted buzz cut.

An appreciative audience of more than 36,000 watched him wield the electric clippers.

Norris, who has 1.3 million followers on Instagram and is a regular on e-sports platforms in the absence of real racing, made the pledge in raising more than $12,000 in online racing for the fight against the coronavirus.

The Briton, who is self-isolating, had earlier referred to himself on Twitter as "Baldo Norris" in the buildup to the shearing.

"To be honest, if I had hair as bad as that I'd probably shave it off as well," joked compatriot and Williams rival George Russell.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

NFL weighing up two options for April draft

As the NFL maintains its plan to hold the draft April 23-25, the originally scheduled dates, the league reportedly issued a memo on Thursday outlining two options it is considering as to how teams would participate in the event.

According to a report by NFL.com, a memo sent to all clubs said the league is considering either allowing each team to work out of its own facility (subject to medical approval) or to work remotely, but only at a private residence and while adhering to limits on the number of team personnel gathering in one spot.

The NFL last week shut down all club facilities for at least two weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While the league has scrapped plans to hold the draft along the Las Vegas Strip because of the COVID-19 outbreak, it has remained steadfast in holding the draft on its scheduled dates. Multiple reports have suggested the draft could resemble the way it was conducted in the mid-1980s, with teams calling in their picks rather than the televised spectacle it has become.

Agencies - Xinhua