The Latest: Swedish soccer clubs received financial help

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

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Soccer clubs in the top two divisions in Sweden have been given advance payment of sponsorship money to help them survive following a decision to delay the start of the league.

The season was scheduled to start on the first weekend of April but has been postponed until late in May or the beginning of June, at the earliest, because of the coronavirus outbreak.

It has left some clubs in a fragile situation. Stockholm-based AIK, for example, has said it needs to raise 5 million kronor ($500,000) by May 31 to “make it through this situation.”

Swedish Elite Football, the body which oversees the top divisions in the country, has decided to pay part of April’s sponsorship money in advance to ease some of the burden in what it says is an “extraordinary and difficult situation.”

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Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo says he, manager Dave Martinez and 13 players on the team's 40-man roster are still in West Palm Beach, Florida, where the team's spring training facility is.

Members of the medical and strength and conditioning staffs also remained in Florida, where camps were shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Three players are in the Washington area. Other are wherever their homes are.

Rizzo said on a conference call with reporters Friday that none of the team's players has shown any symptoms of the illness and so none has been tested so far.

The GM said the World Series champions are formulating contingency plans based on when Major League Baseball might decide to start the regular season, which already has been delayed from next week until at least May.

"We're going to be fully ready when we're asked to be ready," Rizzo said. “Obviously, the ramping up of pitchers and...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/The-Latest-Southgate-s-message-Be-responsible-15145091.php