Coronavirus Continues To Impact International Play

As the novel coronavirus COVID-19 hits the US, its impact also continues to be felt abroad. The coronavirus first gestated in China, and thus the CBA was the first big league hit with COVID-19. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst took a look at the experiences of select CBA players, including former Magic forward Andrew Nicholson, now with the Loong Lions.

“It’s been frustrating,” Nicholson said, “but no one could have expected this, no one can control it.”

Since our last check-in, several other international leagues have suspended play. Beyond just the EuroLeague, the three other big European basketball competitions (the EuroCup, FIBA Champions League and FIBA Europe Cup) have indefinitely postponed game operations, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Forward Trey Thompkins, a member of one of the top EuroLeague clubs, Real Madrid, recently tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Real Madrid quarantined its basketball and football teams. Thompkins tweeted about his diagnosis. “I’m feeling great and just waiting for the virus to pass at this point,” he said in part.

Givony also notes that the competitions or entire leagues in Italy, France, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, and Greece will be postponed. The Adriatic League — boasting teams from Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Macedonia — has also paused operations indefinitely, per Givony.

The suspension of play approach is not universal, Givony indicates. Contests in Israel and Turkey will continue as scheduled, but Turkish games will be fan-free and Israeli games will be limited to just housing 100 people in their arenas.

Among the European teams Givony tallies, only the VTB League — which comprises squads from Poland, Estonia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus — will continue with normal attendance along with its normal schedule.

The Belgian EuroMillions Basketball League has suspended all games until April, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Carchia also notes that league competitions in the Netherlands, Romania and Slovakia have been suspended today (Twitter link).

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