Knicks owner hit as Jazz duo recover

NEW YORK • James Dolan, the owner of the New York Knicks, has tested positive for the coronavirus, the National Basketball Association (NBA) team announced on Saturday night.

The 64-year-old, who also owns the New York Rangers ice hockey team, is said to be "experiencing little to no symptoms". He is the first NBA owner to have caught Covid-19, which has caused over 2,000 deaths in the United States as of yesterday.

Separately, American health officials revealed over the weekend that Utah Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell had recovered from the disease and "no longer pose a risk" to others.

NYTIMES

Boxer sorry for misogynistic post

LONDON • British world champion boxer Billy Joe Saunders was forced to apologise on Saturday night, after a leaked WhatsApp video emerged of him handing out advice to men on how to attack women if domestic arguments occur during tense coronavirus lockdowns.

The undefeated World Boxing Organisation super middleweight title holder gave pointers on how to react if "your old woman is... spitting a bit of venom in your face" by describing how to "hit her on the chin" and "finish her off".

The 30-year-old Saunders, who has a record of 29 wins, 14 by knockout, was contrite on Twitter, saying he "would never condone domestic violence".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Italy may extend sports suspension to end-April

ROME • Italy's sports minister yesterday said he will propose extending the ban on all sporting competitions, currently till April 3, to the whole of next month in an effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Calling any resumption of sporting activities as "unrealistic", Mr Vincenzo Spadafora told local daily La Repubblica the suspension would also include training, which has so far not been banned.

Italy has seen more fatalities caused by Covid-19 than any other country, with over 10,000 deaths as of yesterday, and with over 90,000 cases, it is the second-most affected nation in the world after the United States.

REUTERS