LRC extends closure for indefinite period

LAHORE: The Lahore Race Club (LRC) has decided to extend the postponement of the Winter Meeting Races for an indefinite period in view of the grave situation following the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, a club press release notified on Saturday.

A decision to this effect was taken by LRC chairman Syed Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmud after telephonic consultations stewards Abdul Qadir Mamdot, Azmat Ali Ranjha and Mahmood Khan on Saturday.

Previously, the LRC had suspended all equine sports activities for two weeks on March 14 after the government called for a lockdown.

All stakeholders including the horse owners, trainers and sports enthusiasts had endorsed this decision and extolled the services of the teams of doctors and all the paramedical staff, social welfare organisations, the armed forces and the government departments who rose to the occasion in combating with the threat of the killer virus now raging all over the world without impunity.

They prayed to the Almighty Allah to save humanity from this menace which has overshadowed life itself and brought everything to a grinding halt. It has taken a huge toll and still continues to wreak havoc in most countries of the world.

Meanwhile, the premises of the LRC have been sealed and entry of all unauthorized persons has been banned to ensure safety of the club’s personnel and workers looking after the estate and the animals.

The public is requested to not visit the LRC and wait for announcements from the management regarding the opening of the club.—Aftab Gilani

Prijovic arrested for violating virus curfew

BELGRADE: Serbia striker Aleksandar Prijovic was arrested on Friday for violating the Balkan nation’s coronavirus curfew, police said on Saturday.

“Prijovic was arrested along with several other people and they’ve been summoned to the prosecutor’s office,” national police director Vladimir Rebic told Serbia’s state-run RTS television broadcaster.

“They violated the curfew as they were having drinks in the restaurant lobby of a Belgrade hotel after the 5pm deadline and there were more than five people present in total.

“The hotel is also responsible because the measures also prohibit serving food and drinks... except if home delivery is feasible.”

The Serbian government has imposed a daily 5:00pm to 5:00am curfew during weekdays and a more stringent weekend ban starting at 1:00pm on Saturdays till 5:00am on Mondays in order to curb the spread of the virus.

The government has also told residents to avoid picnics, leisure activities and all forms of public gatherings in a bid to limit the outbreak.

Serbia has so far registered 1,476 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 39 deaths.

Prijovic, who plays his club football for Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad, became the second Serbian player to breach the country’s coronavirus measures after Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic was caught dodging quarantine.—Reuters

Langer backs cricket behind closed doors

LONDON: Australia head coach Justin Langer believes resuming cricket behind closed doors when it is safe to do so will have ‘great value’ for the public, deprived of action by the coronavirus shutdown.

Like almost the entire sporting schedule around the world, cricket has been halted by the pandemic, with no return date set in stone.

One of the options being mooted is to have the sport resume after restrictions have been lifted, but in empty stadiums.

“When you started off playing cricket, when you were under age, there’s no crowds there,” he told BBC Radio. “You played it because you loved playing the game, you loved playing with your mates and you loved playing the game.

“For the love of the game, and for still being able to entertain people through TV sets or radio, then there’s value in [playing behind closed doors].

“Yes it’s different, but we’ll never, ever, ever take for granted how lucky we are ever again,” the former Test opener added.

World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan said this week that he was open to England fielding two teams on the same day at separate venues if the coronavirus led to a compressed home international season.—AFP

CONCACAF Nations League finals postponed

MIAMI: The CONCACAF Nations League finals scheduled to be staged in Texas in June have been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, the region’s governing body said on Friday.

CONCACAF, the ruling body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, said the four-team finals would take place at a date to be determined.

The finals had been scheduled for June 4 and June 7 in Houston and Dallas.

“As we continue to assess our competitions scheduled to be played in the coming months, the welfare of everyone involved in football across our region remains our first priority,” CONCACAF said in a statement.—AFP

PCB, PHF offices to remain close until 14th

LAHORE: The offices of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) will remain close till April 14 due to the lockdown in the country in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic.

Earlier, the cricket board offices were to open on April 6 but as the federal government has extended the date of the lock down till April 6 to avoid the spread of the fatal virus, the PCB also decided to keep its offices close till April 14.

Similarly, the PHF will also keep its offices close in Lahore till April 14.—Sports Reporter

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020