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06/05 18:25 CDT The Latest: Angels to pay minor leaguers at to end of June
The Latest: Angels to pay minor leaguers at to end of June
By The Associated Press
The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the
world:
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The Los Angeles Angels are the latest team to confirm it will pay minor
leaguers through at least the end of June.
The Angels' $400 weekly stipends could go longer, possibly depending on whether
minor league baseball is able to play a season.
At least 18 other teams have already agreed to keep paying their minor leaguers
through June.
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Ohio State says football players will be permitted to begin voluntary workouts
in school facilities on Monday.
Other athletes will follow later this month, with basketball players among
those who can start voluntary training on June 15. To be cleared to begin
working out, Ohio State athletes will tested for COVID-19 and quarantined until
test results are available.
The NCAA gave schools the go-ahead last month to allow athletes to return to
campus and begin voluntary use of team facilities for conditioning and training
workouts on June 1.
The Big Ten, unlike some conferences, has set no standard start date. Maryland,
Penn State and Michigan State have previously announced voluntary workouts for
athletes will be permitted starting June 15.
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Italian top flight soccer clubs are asking for no title winner or relegations
if the season is stopped again.
One of the ideas the Italian federation is planning in case of another stop is
the use of an algorithm to decide the final classification.
The Lega Serie A held a meeting with the clubs on Friday and Italian media
reported 16 of the 20 teams voted in favor of not relegating anyone and not
assigning the league title unless it is mathematically certain.
A final decision is expected to be made during the next FIGC council meeting on
Monday.
The Lega Serie A says: "The assembly has given indications to the
representatives of the Lega Serie A to vote in favor of solutions which still
safeguard the sporting merit if it is not possible to finish the Serie A
season."
An algorithm could be used to assign European places.
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South Carolina coach Will Muschamp and football players have joined others in a
protest march from the Governor's Mansion on Friday.
The march of several hundred people went the nearly 2 miles from the governor's
residence to the State House.
South Carolina quarterback Jay Ulrich carried a sign, "Matter is the minimum.
Black lives are worthy. Black lives are beloved. Black lives are needed."
It is the seventh straight day of rallies in South Carolina following the death
of George Floyd, killed on Memorial Day when a Minneapolis police officer kept
his knee on Floyd's neck until he couldn't breathe.
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The University of Maryland will begin allowing its football players to begin
voluntary, individual workouts under the supervision of the sports medial staff
on June 15.
Football players will be permitted to return to campus on June 8 for medical
screenings. The athletes will be tested for symptoms of COVID-19 on a daily
basis.
Athletic director Damon Evans says he's "optimistic" about the return of fall
sports. He called the voluntary workouts on campus "our cautious and considered
road map to the resumption of athletic competition."
Maryland is scheduled to open the season on Sept. 5 at home against Towson.
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The Italian soccer federation says teams will be allowed up to five
substitutions in matches.
Italian competitions will adopt the temporary law change when they resume next
week.
There can still be only three pauses to send on substitutes. If matches go into
extra time and teams haven't used all five of their substitutes they can make a
fourth interruption at the end of regular time or between the two halves of
extra time
Serie A is set to resume on June 20 with the Italian Cup being completed in the
previous week.
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Borussia Dortmund players Jadon Sancho and Manuel Akanji have been fined by the
German soccer league for breaking coronavirus-related restrictions to get
haircuts.
The league says Sancho and Akanji "apparently violated general hygiene and
infection protection standards" to have a barber visit them at home. There were
no facemasks visible in photos posted on social media.
There were similar photos of Dortmund teammates Dan-Axel Zagadou and Raphel
Guerreiro with Dsseldorf-based barber Winnie Nana Karkari but they were not
mentioned in the league's statement. The Bild tabloid reported that Karkari
also visited Dortmund players Axel Witsel and Thorgan Hazard last Thursday.
The league says "it goes without question that professional soccer players also
need their hair cut" but "this must be done in accordance with the
medical-organizational concept at the moment."
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The Asian qualifying tournament for the World Cup is set to resume in October
after the coronavirus pandemic forced games in March and June to be postponed.
The Asian Football Confederation says it agreed with FIFA to schedule two dates
in October and two in November to complete the current groups.
The AFC says the planned schedule must comply with "government travel and
medical restrictions" in the 40 countries taking part.
Twelve teams will advance to a further group stage next year.
Four Asian teams will advance directly to the World Cup in Qatar. A fifth team
will enter an intercontinental playoff round.
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Liverpool could win the Premier League title at home after all.
Police originally indicated they wanted Liverpool's second game after the
restart against Crystal Palace to be staged at a neutral venue because of
concerns that supporters could congregate outside Anfield.
But the league now says the game on June 24 is scheduled to be at Liverpool's
home stadium.
The Merseyside derby against Everton could still be played away from Goodison
Park on June 21. The league says the venue is still to be confirmed.
Liverpool leads Manchester City by two points and is two wins from ending its
30-year title drought. But Liverpool could clinch the trophy in its first game
back against Everton if City loses to Arsenal on June 17.
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Chelsea has been declared Women's Super League champion after the season was
stopped because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The English Football Association's board decided to determine the final
standings on a points-per-game basis. Manchester City was a point ahead of
Chelsea but had played an extra game when the season was suspended in March.
Chelsea had seven games remaining.
City will still qualify for the Champions League with Chelsea. Liverpool has
been relegated.
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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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