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COVID-19: Seaports In Lagos To Remain Operational As City Goes On Lock Down All seaports in Lagos are to remain operational even as the metropolis is set to undergo a total lock down following the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari. As part of the Federal Government’s drive to curb the spread of COVID-19, President Buhari had on Sunday instructed that Lagos, Ogun and Abuja be locked down totally for an initial period of fourteen days. The President, however, noted  in his national broadcast that all seaports in Lagos shall remain operational in accordance with stipulated guidelines. He added that vehicles and drivers conveying essential cargoes from the ports to other parts of the country will be screened thoroughly before departure by the Ports Health Authority. READ ALSO:  Nominate Doctors, Nurses To Fight COVID-19, Buhari Urges Governors The President ordered that all vehicles conveying food and other essential humanitarian items into the cities on lock dow...

Paulinho among footballers stranded by China’s coronavirus lock-out Oscar and Hulk jetted in just in time but fellow Brazilian Paulinho reportedly heads a long list of foreign stars locked out of China as the country attempts to stop imported coronavirus cases. There are no suggestions that former Barcelona midfielder Paulinho has the deadly disease, but China closed its borders at the weekend to returning foreigners, even those with work and residence permits. Former West Ham United striker Marko Arnautovic is also among the more than 30 overseas players and coaches still abroad, reports say, dealing another blow to hopes that the Chinese Super League (CSL) season could begin any time soon.  Arnautovic’s Shanghai SIPG had more luck with Oscar, Hulk and new signing Ricardo Lopes, hastily chartering a small aircraft to fly them back from Brazil. They landed in Shanghai on Friday night along with their families, according to local media, having departed Sao Paulo and making a b...

Juventus shares surge after players’ take pay cut Shares in Italian football giants Juventus surged Monday after the club’s decision to cut their players’ salaries in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The Serie A champions announced on Saturday that they had cut their players’ and coach Maurizio Sarri’s salaries from March until June after all Italian sport was suspended. The club’s shares rose by 7.94 percent on the Milan Stock Exchange early Monday in a market that has taken a major hit from the coronavirus crisis. Juventus’ highly-paid stars include five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who joined from Arsenal on a free transfer last year.  READ ALSO: Fauci says coronavirus could claim up to 200,000 US lives “The economic and financial effects of the understanding reached are positive for about 90 million euros ($100.5 million) for the 2019/2020 financial year,” the club had said in a statement. Juventus, who led second...

Saunders’ boxing licence suspended after domestic violence ‘advice’ video Boxing chiefs suspended WBO super-middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders’ licence on Monday after he offered men advice on how to hit their female partners during the coronavirus lockdown. The British fighter released a video on social media using a punchbag to describe how to “hit her on the chin”. He apologised, saying he would “never condone domestic violence” and has now said he will donate £25,000 ($31,000) to domestic abuse charities. But the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) has announced the two-weight world champion’s licence has been suspended, pending a hearing. A brief statement from the governing body said:  “The British Boxing Board of Control, having considered comments made by Billy Joe Saunders on social media, have suspended his boxer’s licence pending a hearing under the board’s misconduct regulation, at a time and venue to be confirmed as soon as possible.” Saunders, 30, told...

Postponed Tokyo Olympics to open July 23 next year The Tokyo Olympics will begin on July 23 next year, organisers said on Monday, after the coronavirus forced the historic decision to postpone the Games until 2021. The announcement comes less than a week after organisers were forced to delay the Games under heavy pressure from athletes and sports federations as the global outbreak worsened. “The Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021.  The Paralympics will be held from August 24 to September 5,” Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference. Only hours earlier, Mori had said he expected a decision from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during the course of the week. But on Monday evening, he said an emergency teleconference had been held with the IOC and the date finalised. “We agreed that the timing of the event will be in summer as originally planned, considering the coronavirus… and a certain amount of time needed ...

Guardiola watching his weight without football Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola joked he will come back “fatter” from a long layoff from football as he urged supporters to follow the advice of scientists and medical professionals on Monday. Guardiola, who donated one million euros ($1.08 million) to help buy medical supplies for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in his native Spain last week, posted a video message as part of the English champions’ “Cityzens At Home” campaign to keep fans entertained. Football in England has been suspended until at least April 30 as part of tight restrictions on personal freedoms to try and halt the spread of COVID-19.  READ ALSO: Food security: Association urges support for farmers to reduce COVID-19 effect “We miss football. We miss the life that we had a few days ago but now is the time to listen, to follow our scientists, doctors and nurses,” said Guardiola. “You are my football family and we are going to do everything ...

Villa’s Grealish apologises, fined for breaking isolation rules Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish posted a public apology on Monday for breaking UK government guidelines on social distancing as police opened an investigation into an incident in which a Range Rover crashed into parked cars. Villa expressed their disappointment with Grealish and said the 24-year-old will be fined with the proceeds going to a children’s hospital in Birmingham. West Midlands Police said they were called on Sunday to an address in Solihull, near Birmingham, where the two parked cars suffered minor damage. The force said the driver had left his details with a member of the public before leaving on foot.  “I just want to do a quick video message to say how deeply embarrassed I am about what has happened this weekend,” Grealish said in a video posted on Twitter. “I obviously just got a call off a friend asking to go round to his and stupidly agreed to do so. I don’t want anyone to make the same mistake...