Jerez races will flag off MotoGP season

PARIS • The MotoGP season will finally start on July 19 in Spain following months of uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with back-to-back races to be held at the Jerez circuit, the organisers said yesterday.

There will be a minimum of 13 races in the season, all in Europe from next month to November, with "possibly four more" outside the continent later in the year.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Alli banned one game for racial virus jibe

LONDON • Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has been given a one-match ban by the English Football Association, after joking about the coronavirus in a video that was posted on his private Snapchat account in February.

The 24-year-old England international was sanctioned after he made fun of an Asian man and he will miss Spurs' Premier League game at home to Manchester United on June 19, their first since the top flight was suspended in March owing to the pandemic.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

ICC holds off decision on T20 World Cup

NEW DELHI • The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday deferred its decision on the fate of this year's Twenty20 World Cup to next month, saying that it would further explore contingency plans while also still preparing to deliver the tournament in Australia.

Cricket Australia boss Kevin Roberts has downplayed the prospect of the tournament going ahead this year, saying the planned October-November date was under "very high risk" due to the pandemic.

REUTERS

'New man' Koepka aims to regain perch

LOS ANGELES • Brooks Koepka has said he feels "like a new person", after using the PGA Tour's three-month break owing to the pandemic to get his left knee healthy and he now has his sights set on taking the world No. 1 spot back from Rory McIlroy.

The American struggled in the first five events he played this year, failing to win any of them, before the pandemic struck, but the four-time Major champion feels that the hiatus has been "definitely beneficial for me".

REUTERS