The Latest: European club rugby champs suspended

The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak's effect on sports around the world (all times local):

7:10 p.m.

The European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup rugby quarterfinals scheduled for April 3-5 were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

All eight matches and thus the European club season were suspended by governing body European Professional Club Rugby.

The English Premiership was also suspended for five weeks, following government advice against mass gatherings.

The same advice prompted the English Rugby Football Union to suspend all activities until April 14.

The activities were at professional and community level, “including club training, league and cup matches plus rugby education courses,” the RFU said.

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2:35 p.m.

The Baseball Hall of Fame has canceled Hall of Fame Classic weekend because of the spread of the new coronavirus.

The Hall of Fame said advance purchases for the May 22-24 event in Cooperstown, New York, will be refunded.

The Hall of Fame is closed to the public indefinitely.

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2:30 p.m.

Major League Baseball has pushed back opening day until mid-May at the earliest on Monday because of the new coronavirus after the federal government recommended restricting events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement following a conference call with executives of the 30 teams.

“The clubs remain committed to playing as many games as possible when the season begins,” the commissioner's office said in a statement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Sunday that gatherings of 50 people or more be canceled or postponed across the country for the next eight weeks.

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1:50 p.m.

The DeVos family that owns the...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/The-Latest-Olympic-flame-handover-ceremony-to-be-15133746.php