NZ Breakers and Tall Blacks star Corey Webster has been derailed by the coronavirus for a second time, with the Italian basketball league closed down by the epidemic.
The three-point specialist scored seven points in 20 minutes for his Virtus Roma team in a loss to Dinamo Sassari on Sunday, but may not see the court again for the forseeable future, after the Lega Basket Serie A postponed all games until further notice.
This is the second time in less than a month that Webster has found his career stalled by the worldwide health crisis. He left the Breakers mid-season to take up a lucrative contract in the Chinese basketball league, but returned home soon after coronavirus broke out in the Wuhan province.
This is the second time in less than a month that Webster has found his career stalled by the worldwide health crisis. He left the Breakers mid-season to take up a lucrative contract in the Chinese basketball league, but returned home soon after coronavirus broke out in the Wuhan province.
Unable to join the Breakers' late run at the playoffs, he opted for a stint in Italy - one of Europe's top basketball leagues - right about the time that country became the epicentre of the illness on the continent.
Meanwhile, the Black Sticks men and women will not travel to Europe for the latest round of Pro League games in Netherlands and Germany.
Hockey NZ chief executive Ian Francis says medical advisors, High Performance Sport NZ and team members had been consulted during the decision process.
"Our teams' medical directors have determined that the risk is too great for our players and management to travel safely at this stage," says Francis.
Hockey Australia had already cancelled its visit to Europe.
Other sporting events affected by the coronavirus epidemic on Tuesday, include:
- A player from the AFL's Fremantle Dockers has been sent in for a precuationary coronavirus test. The unnamed player came down with flu-like symptoms, after he had contact with a friend who had been in China earlier this year.
- WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) has requested its performers to decline handshakes with fans at autograph and meet & greet sessions.
- Major American sporting leagues the NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS are closing locker room access to the media as a precautionary measure.
- NZ Football is still taking a 'wait-and-see' attitude to All White friendlies against Oman and Bahrain this month.
- Saturday's Ireland v France Six Nations rugby clash, scheduled for Paris, has been postponed, after the French government banned gatherings of more than 1000 people.
- The Olympic flame lighting ceremony at ancient Olympia on March 19 will take place without spectators, only 100 accredited guests from the International Olympic Committee and Tokyo 2020 organising committee.
- The Olympiakos-Wolverhampton Europa League football flash on Thursday will be played in Athens without fans.
- FIFA 2022 World Cup Asian qualifiers scheduled for March 23-31 and June 1-9 have been postponed.
More to come
