The Latest: French Open ticket buyers to get refunds

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:

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The French Tennis Federation says it will refund tickets purchased for the French Open because of uncertainty related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The clay-court tournament at Roland Garros was initially slated to be held May 24-June 7 but has been rescheduled for Sept. 20-Oct. 4.

The FFT says it “has taken the decision to cancel and refund all tickets purchased for the original dates of Roland Garros.”

The FFT is also working closely with French authorities “to establish the necessary measures which will ensure the health and security of all guests attending the tournament.”

Refunds will be received by end of May and a new ticketing procedure will be opened if the tournament goes ahead.

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Formula One says Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Barcelona midfielder Arthur will compete alongside drivers in this weekend’s virtual Spanish Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Alex Albon, Antonio Giovinazzi, George Russell and Nicholas Latifi will be the F1 drivers in Sunday’s event.

Aguero will race for Red Bull alongside Albon. Courtois will run for Alfa Romeo in his second virtual race. Arthur will be with Haas.

Golfer Ian Poulter will make his third appearance with Renault.

The virtual Spanish GP will take place during the same weekend the real race was scheduled to run at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit. The race will consist of a qualifying session and a 33-lap race.

The F1 season hasn’t started yet because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Gibraltar soccer federation says it has declared the league season null and void with no champion.

The top two teams in the league were Europa and St. Joseph’s when the coronavirus pandemic caused the season to be suspended. The federation says they were so close in the standings it could not declare a champion “in the interests of sporting integrity.”

The federation said last week that on government advice the season could not be completed by a UEFA-set deadline for Gibraltar of July 20.

Europa will enter next season’s Champions League qualifying rounds. St. Joseph’s and third-place Lincoln Red Imps will enter the Europa League.

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The president of French soccer club Lyon says he hopes the resumption of the German league can prompt a reversal of the decision to end the season in his own country.

The top two leagues in Germany have been given the go-ahead to play in empty stadiums following a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and state governors.

The 10 remaining league matches in France were canceled last week. Paris Saint-Germain was declared champion and Lyon finished outside the European places in seventh.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas says on sports daily L’Equipe’s website “it might not be too late to imagine … something coherent on a political level.”

He adds that “by adapting our methods we could probably have finished the league.”

Aulas argued for a playoff system to end the league by late August and reserved the possibility to claim damages he estimated at tens of millions of euros (dollars).

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The Kontinental Hockey League says it will not name a champion after it stopped the season part-way through the playoffs because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Russia-based league shut down in March but didn’t immediately decide how the final standings would be determined. The league is widely considered to be the strongest outside the NHL.

The KHL says the eight teams still in the playoffs at the time the season ended will be ruled as jointly finishing in the top eight positions.

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Soccer clubs from Germany’s top two divisions will discuss setting a date to resume the suspended season amid the coronavirus pandemic. It could be as soon as next week.

The German Football League’s board reportedly favors a start date of May 15 but some clubs want it later.

Werder Bremen sporting director Frank Baumann backs a May 23 start to “reduce the injury risk” with more training and because some clubs were cleared to return to training earlier than others. Mainz wants two weeks to prepare.

The league was given the go-ahead Wednesday to play in empty stadiums following a meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and state governors.

More teams are returning to full-team training instead of working in small groups.

Borussia Mönchengladbach is resuming full training despite what it called “very weak positive” coronavirus tests for one player and one staff member. The club says the player has since tested negative twice and the staff member is isolating at home after one negative test.

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Brescia captain Daniele Gastaldello says his entire squad opposes resuming the Serie A soccer season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Gastaldello tells Italian daily La Repubblica “we don’t feel safe. They’re asking us to resume training and to get back out onto the field right away … It’s putting all of the players’ safety on the line.”

He says “I’m speaking for me and for my teammates” and adds it’s not worth it “if the price of resuming is us getting seriously injured.”

Most clubs in the Italian league are resuming training on an individual basis this week but last-place Brescia is one of the holdouts.

Brescia is one of areas hit hardest by the virus but Gastaldello says he was never tested.

He says “we’ll know if we’ve had it only once they test us before training.”

Brescia president Massimo Cellino has also been a vociferous opponent to resuming the season but says it’s not because he wants his club to avoid relegation.

The Italian government has not yet approved the resumption of the season.

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