Virus wreaking havoc on sports

The NBA became the first major American sports league to suspend play because of the coronavirus pandemic, raising questions Wednesday night about the future of college basketball's March Madness, other pro sports and high school athletics as well.

It looked as if the NBA might be moving toward playing in empty arenas before it announced that a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus and it had decided to pause its season after Wednesday's games.

A person with knowledge of the situation said the Jazz player who tested positive was center Rudy Gobert. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the league nor the team confirmed the presumptive positive test.

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

The test result, the NBA said, was reported shortly before the Utah at Oklahoma City game was called off. New Orleans at Sacramento also was postponed after the announcement.

The G League also suspended its season.

Jay County High School announced this morning that the Patriot Track Invitational it was scheduled to host Saturday at Anderson University is canceled.

“Per the recommendations of the NCAA, Anderson University has canceled the 2020 edition of the Patriot Track Invitational due to health concerns associated with the coronavirus,” JCHS girls track coach Brian McEvoy said in a statement.

The IHSAA’s winter sports season is ongoing, though Jay County’s teams are no longer in competition. As of press time the gymnastics state tournament Saturday at Ball State’s Worthen Arena and boys basketball regional tournaments around the state were set to continue as scheduled, although the IHSAA planned a press conference for noon today to “speak to plans” for the remainder of the hoops tournament.

Monday marked the first official day of practice for softball teams in Indiana, with girls tennis, boys golf and baseball opening their practices on Monday. Softball contests start March 23, with girls tennis, boys golf and baseball begin a week later.

As of this morning, there was no indication those season will be affected.

NCAA President Mark Emmert said earlier Wednesday that only essential staff and limited family will be allowed to attend the upcoming NCAA basketball tournaments, draining the signature school spirit from one of the biggest events on the sports calendar.

But the organization could reassess its plans in the wake of the move by the NBA.

Upcoming NHL games scheduled for Columbus, Ohio, and San Jose, California, and college basketball tournaments for the Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Pac-12, Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, Atlantic 10 and American athletic conferences will be played without fans.

The National Hockey League said it's aware of the NBA's decision and is continuing to consult with medical experts and evaluate options. It expects to have another update Thursday.

Also Wednesday, the Mariners said they will move their home games in March out of Seattle, the U.S. city hardest-hit by the outbreak; the team and Major League Baseball have not decided whether the games will be played at the opponent's ballpark or a neutral site.

The Athletics announced they are working on alternate plans for their season-opening series at the Coliseum after the City of Oakland imposed a ban on gatherings of 1,000 or more people through the end of March. The team hasn't said whether it was considering a different location for the games or playing in an empty ballpark.

And the Italian soccer club Juventus said defender Daniele Rugani has COVID-19 — the first player in the country's top division to test positive. The team said Rugani and "those who have had contact with him" have been isolated.

The pinnacle of the college basketball season, the NCAA Tournament is a month-long festival of pep bands and face-painting and a cash cow that, along with football, helps fund non-revenue sports at schools throughout the country. The decision to play in fanless arenas will cost millions in ticket sales but preserve billions in TV rights fees.

The 68-team men's tournament is scheduled to begin Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio, where Gov. Mike DeWine has announced plans to ban "mass gatherings" to combat the spread of COVID-19, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on Wednesday.

"It will have a different feel but it will still be highly competitive, and the kids will still play like there's no tomorrow," said Bill Self, the coach of the top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks. "They'll make the most of it. We'll make the most of it."

Elsewhere, the Ivy League canceled all spring sports, as many American schools told students not to return from spring break and prepare for classes to be taught online. The conference had already canceled its men's and women's basketball tournaments.

Other college basketball leagues went ahead with their postseason tournaments Wednesday with fans in attendance, although the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, Big East, SEC, A-10 and ACC announced there would be no fans starting Thursday. The group that owns the Capitals said their games will go on — with fans — despite a D.C. Department of Health recommendation that "non-essential mass gatherings" be postponed or canceled because of the coronavirus.

Also bucking the trend toward caution: The major auto racing circuits also said they plan to race as scheduled this weekend, including a season-opening IndyCar event that is the centerpiece of a three-day street festival expected to draw about 130,000 people to St. Petersburg, Florida. There will be additional hand-washing and sanitizing stations.

NASCAR will race at Atlanta Motor Speedway as scheduled. Reporters will observe a six-foot buffer when interviewing drivers.

More than 1,000 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the United States, with 32 deaths; those rates are expected to continue to rise.

Most people quickly recover from the virus after experiencing only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.