TMZ Sports - Page 50

Charles Barkley says he's in the middle of a self-quarantine after getting tested for the coronavirus ... this after admitting he hasn't been feeling well.

Sir Chuck called into TNT's "NBA On TNT" broadcast Thursday night and said he's in self-quarantine for 48 hours as he awaits test results on the coronavirus.

The NBA Hall of Famer said he's been feeling under the weather after traveling from New York City to Atlanta, and that's why he went for a coronavirus test.

Remember ... Charles was one of the first celebs publicly advocating for the cancelation of March Madness earlier this week due to the deadly pandemic. The powers that be eventually scrapped the big dance altogether after conferences started canceling their own tournaments.

The MLS is following the NBA's lead ... suspending its season over coronavirus concerns.

The soccer league made the decision Thursday, saying the season will be put on hold for 30 days -- this despite no MLS players coming out as COVID-19 positive yet.

"Our clubs were united today in the decision to temporarily suspend our season," MLS commissioner Don Garber said.

It's unclear when and how the league will make up the missed games ... but it appears this is the solution for most major sports across the U.S. when it comes to handling fears over the virus.

In addition to the MLS and the NBA ... the ATP Tour announced a six-week suspension of the men’s professional tennis tour as well.

NHL officials have said they're still looking into all options for their season ... but a suspension of play appears to be definitely on the table for the hockey league.

The PGA Tour, meanwhile, is still going forward with THE PLAYERS Championship in Florida this weekend ... and the MLB is still playing its spring training games in front of fans in both Florida and Arizona. Although both leagues say they're still in heavy talks with health officials over their next moves.

So far, only two major pro athletes in the U.S. have been revealed as coronavirus positive -- Utah Jazz stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.

Cavs star Kevin Love is stepping up to help the hundreds of arena staffers out of work during the NBA suspension ... donating a HUGE amount of money to support the hard workers in Cleveland.

Love shared his feelings about the league shutting down on Thursday ... saying his concern isn't about basketball, but the people who help make the game day experience possible.

"Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations," Love said in a statement. "And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming."

Of course, the Association decided to suspend the 2019-20 season Wednesday ... after Utah Jazz stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell tested positive for coronavirus.

"Through the game of basketball, we've been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work."

Love -- who is outspoken about mental health awareness -- says his foundation will write up a check for $100k to "support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the cancellation of the NBA season."

Along with the contribution ... the Cavs released a statement saying the team is currently working on finding a way to financially help the employees during the time off.

So much for your bracket ... March Madness is CANCELED.

The NCAA made the announcement moments ago -- saying they're pulling the plug on the biggest college basketball tournament of the year ... just days before it was set to tip off.

"This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities," the NCAA said in a statement.

Both the men's and women's tournaments are affected -- as well as every other Winter and Spring NCAA championship including the College Baseball World Series.

Not too shocking considering every other major sports organization is either canceling or postponing events ... from the NBA to the MLB, even NASCAR and pro tennis.

The announcement comes in the wake of influential stars like Charles Barkley putting pressure on the powers that be to cancel the tourney. Chuck said it's just too great of a health risk to the players ... even if they play in empty arenas.

27-year-old Utah Jazz superstar Rudy Gobert says he's "embarrassed" for acting so recklessly about coronavirus ... and he's apologizing "to the people that I may have endangered."

The NBA center is at the center of the health crisis after he tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Just days before his diagnosis, Gobert was clowning around about the issue with reporters, and jokingly rubbed his hands all over microphones and recorders.

Now, no one's laughing ... especially with Gobert's teammate, Donovan Mitchell, testing positive as well.

In fact, Jazz players griped about Gobert's behavior to ESPN -- accusing him of being careless.

Now, Gobert's breaking his silence after the positive test ... and it's clear he's remorseful for the whole ordeal.

"The first and most important thing is I would like to publicly apologize to the people that I may have endangered," Gobert said.

"At the time, I had no idea I was even infected. I was careless and make no excuse. I hope my story serves as a warning and causes everyone to take this seriously."

"I will do whatever I can to support using my experience as a way to educate others and prevent the spread of this virus."

Gobert thanked everyone who has reached out to him since the news broke ... and reaffirmed he will be okay.

"I have gone through so many emotions since learning of my diagnosis…mostly fear, anxiety, and embarrassment."

NBA star Donovan Mitchell has tested positive for COVID-19 -- AKA coronavirus -- just hours after his Utah Jazz teammate, Rudy Gobert, was diagnosed.

The 23-year-old All-Star has not publicly commented, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski says players seem to be pointing the finger at Gobert not taking proper precautions.

"Jazz players privately say that Rudy Gobert had been careless in the locker room touching other players and their belongings," Woj says ... "Now a Jazz teammate has tested positive."

Media members are upset with Gobert also after he jokingly rubbed his hands all over mics and recorders while talking with reporters earlier this week (before he was formally diagnosed).

Of course, due to Gobert's health status ... Wednesday night's Jazz vs. Thunder game was postponed just minutes before tipoff and both teams were quarantined while the players were in the locker room.

The NBA has already suspended the season -- and there are rumblings play could resume in August ... but for now, league execs are trying to figure things out.

The coronavirus outbreak is wreaking havoc in the sports world -- several major events have been canceled or postponed ... including La Liga soccer games, ATP tennis tournaments and more.

As we previously reported, Charles Barkley is calling for the NCAA to cancel the March Madness tournament ... but so far, it's still scheduled to move forward.

President Donald Trump has suggested Olympic officials postpone the 2020 Games in Tokyo over coronavirus fears ... saying it's better to delay than perform without crowds.

Trump -- along with Ireland's prime minister, Leo Varadkar -- were taking questions from the media about the global COVID-19 pandemic ... when POTUS was asked directly if Japan should cancel the Games.

"Maybe they postpone it for a year," Trump said ... "Maybe that's not possible. I guess it's never happened with the Olympics."

The Games are currently scheduled to kick off in late July.

Trump says "it's a shame" the outbreak could impact the Olympics because from what he's seen, Japan was doing an amazing job setting up the country for the massive event.

But, POTUS explained ... he thinks it's better to push the games for a year so the world can get a grip on the pandemic.

Plus, Trump says he likes that idea "better than having empty stadiums all over the place ... better than doing it with no crowd."

Trump insisted the United States is handling the crisis well -- and says things will eventually get better and the virus will "go away."

International soccer star Daniele Rugani -- who plays alongside Cristiano Ronaldo for Juventus -- has tested positive for coronavirus ... the team announced Wednesday.

The team says the 25-year-old Italian is currently asymptomatic ... but he's been quarantined along with all the people he has had contact with in recent weeks.

Rugani is a rising star in the sport ... and has played for Juventus since 2013.

The coronavirus has spread like wildfire throughout Italy ... with reportedly more than 600 deaths and 10,000 known cases.

Juventus has been one of the many football clubs playing without fans in the past weeks ... and most recently played Inter Milan on March 8th. Rugani posted a celebratory pic after his squad won the match.

As we previously reported ... the coronavirus has caused all major American sports leagues to limit the media's access to players -- banning them from locker-rooms and clubhouses.

The NCAA tournament and several Golden State Warriors games will be played without fans in the stands.

Cycling star Fernando Gaviria is giving hope to those infected by the coronavirus ... he posted a video Thursday insisting he's "fine" despite his diagnosis last month.

The 25-year-old Colombian revealed he was one of several who had contracted COVID-19 during February's 2020 UAE Tour race in the United Arab Emirates.

Gaviria confirmed he has been in the hospital and quarantined while battling the virus ... but said in Spanish on Thursday he's all good.

"Hello everyone, there are many rumors circulating in regard to my state of health, but I'm fine," Gaviria said. "I've been here, undergoing regular tests, which have returned positive for the coronavirus, but I'm feeling fine."

Gaviria added, "Thank you to my team and to everyone at the hospital who looked after me to perfection. I'm here to avoid infecting other people, and to avoid this continuing to spread in the way it currently is."

"This is to assure everyone that everything is going well, and let's hope it's all resolved soon."

Gaviria is one of many professional athletes who have revealed a positive diagnosis this week ... with the most notable one, NBA star Rudy Gobert, getting the confirmation Wednesday.

"I think we're gonna have to shut down March Madness until we know more."

That's Charles Barkley saying -- in no uncertain terms -- the powers that be need to CANCEL the most famous basketball tournament in the world over the threat of coronavirus.

Sir Chuck called in to ESPN's "Get Up!" and made his case for cancellation -- despite the fact Barkley works for the companies who broadcast the tournament.

"I'm gonna say this and I'm probably gonna get in trouble because I work for Turner and March Madness and CBS ... Turner Sports and CBS need to close down March Madness, man."

Barkley explained ... "Even if there's no fans in the stadium, you can't have these players breathing on each other for 2 weeks, even if they stay at a hotel, they're going to be at different cities around the country."

"I hate to say it and I probably shouldn't say it because I work for CBS, but I think we're gonna have to shut down March Madness until we know more."

Barkley says he knows the players DO want to push forward and play, but Charles says it's bigger than that.

"I know these kids want to play. Think about it, these kids are sweating, breathing, leaning on each other ... that's crazy! Even if you lose, you go back home, you don't know if you've got the virus for a week or two."

So far, the NCAA has NOT canceled the tournament -- they've banned fans from attending games. But, the situation is fluid and can change at any moment ... especially after the NBA made the decision to suspend the regular season for the time being.

Fred Hoiberg does NOT have coronavirus ... Nebraska announced all he's got is a bad cold -- which is great news, considering the head coach looked awful on the team's bench Wednesday.

The scene was scary as hell at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis ... Hoiberg was clearly ill on the sideline of the Huskers' game against Indiana.

He was rubbing his forehead and looked to be in a pretty good amount of pain ... and with the hysteria caused by NBA star Rudy Gobert's positive coronavirus test earlier in the evening, Hoiberg was rushed to the hospital.

But, he and the Huskers got great news late Wednesday night ... with officials saying he tested negative for COVID-19.

"Hoiberg was diagnosed with influenza A (common cold)," the Huskers said in a statement. "He has since been released and has returned to the team hotel."

It's a huge sigh of relief for Nebraska ... its players were actually quarantined at the arena over fears Hoiberg had the dangerous virus.

Of course, it's unclear if there will be a season to return to for Hoiberg and the Huskers when they feel better ... the NBA has suspended its season and there's talk the NCAA could follow suit.

For now, NCAA president Mark Emmert says the plan is for March Madness to be played in fan-less arenas.

The NBA has just announced it's putting its season on hold ... this just minutes after one of its star players tested positive for coronavirus.

The league said in a statement Wednesday ... Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert had contracted COVID-19 -- and in response, it's pausing its season following the conclusion of Wednesday's slate of games.

"The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic," the league said.

The league had reportedly considered making the move earlier Wednesday ... debating whether to suspend the season or play its games without fans. Ultimately, no decision had been made prior to the tip-off of Wednesday's games.

The Golden State Warriors were set to play their game against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday in a fan-less arena. However, that game will now take place at a later date.

As for how the league is handling the Jazz and Thunder after it was announced Gobert had the virus ... ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski says players from both sides are being quarantined at Oklahoma City's arena.

ESPN had a camera on Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban when he found out about the cancellation -- and it's obvious he was completely shocked by the news.

The OKC Thunder vs. Utah Jazz game has been officially postponed after the match-up was allegedly delayed over Rudy Gobert's illness ... and the scene is straight-up bizarre.

The players were seconds from tip-off at Chesapeake Energy Arena in OKC on Wednesday ... when the refs quickly sent everyone back to their locker-rooms.

The fans were left waiting for an explanation for the delay -- the Thunder broadcast claimed it was due to Gobert's health status and the officials were waiting for the go-ahead to play.

But, that didn't happen ... as the PA announcer officially told the fans to head home "due to unforeseen circumstances" ... adding "we are all safe."

The fans were audibly upset ... booing at the announcement.

The NBA has been working like crazy to keep its players safe during the Coronavirus scare ... even banning the media from the locker-rooms and creating barriers for practice interviews.

It's worth noting -- Gobert (who was listed as questionable due to illness for Wednesday's game) completely disregarded the league's set-up and touched every reporter's recorders at practice just 2 days ago.

Jeremy Lin is sick and tired of the racism and xenophobia directed at Asian people over the coronavirus pandemic ... and now he's taking action to combat the hate.

The ex-NBA star -- who currently plays for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association -- just donated $150,000 "towards fighting this virus."

Lin also spelled out on social media why he's upset over "news headlines of racism, xenophobia, attacks on Asians and decaying trust towards people" ... adding, "All heartbreaking and the opposite of God's kingdom."

"But for every fear-inducing headline, I see hope. I see doctors and nurses fighting the front lines in China, Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy and more. I see people helping people in countries regardless of race or background. Talk less out of hate, more out of empathy."

Lin pointed out several inspiring examples of bravery and hope:

-- "Lets talk about the man who made 16,000 meals for frontline workers."

-- "Lets appreciate the doctor who postponed his wedding and then tragically lost his life fighting the virus. He's a hero."

-- "Lets be inspired and demand justice for Meera Solanki who defended her Asian friend against an aggressive man in Birmingham only to be knocked unconscious."

-- "Lets follow suit and take action like Inner Mongolia who sent 2500 tons of potatoes to Wuhan."

On top of his $150k donation, Lin's basketball foundation in China has also donated roughly $150k to get medical equipment to Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the crisis.

Lin ended with some good advice ... "Let's all do our part to quarantine, wash our hands vigorously, wear a protective mask to avoid germs spreading and do our part to share facts and preventative measures. Stay together, fight on!"