Inter have confirmed that five members of staff have tested positive for coronavirus.

Managing directors Alessandro Antonello and Giuseppe Marotta, sporting director Piero Ausilio and lawyer Angelo Capellini have all returned positive tests.

An unspecified member of the Serie A leaders' technical staff has also tested positive for COVID-19.

A statement on Inter's official website read: "All coaches and the entire team will follow the procedures set out in the health protocol."

Inter will be desperate to ensure that this outbreak does not spread to their first-team squad or coaches.

The Italians extended their lead at the summit of table to four points with a 3-0 win over city rivals Milan last time out.

With no European commitments over the remainder of the season, Antonio Conte's men are strong favourites to end an 11-year wait for the title.

They last lifted the Scudetto during Jose Mourinho's spell at the club in 2010, which also brought European Cup success.

Juventus, who have won the last nine Serie A titles, sit eight points back in third place with a game in hand.

Inter are next in action on Sunday, when they face Genoa at the San Siro.

The Six Nations clash between France and Scotland is set to go ahead as scheduled on Sunday after a second successive days of no new positive COVID-19 tests within Les Bleus' squad.

There were major doubts over whether the round three encounter at Stade de France could be staged following a COVID-19 outbreak in the France camp.

Captain Charles Ollivon, scrum-half Antoine Dupont and Brice Dulin were among a host of players to test positive, while head coach Fabien Galthie also contracted the virus following the win over Ireland.

The French Rugby Federation on Wednesday revealed that there have been no more positive tests and the squad were able to resume high-intensity training.

Leaders France have therefore been given the green light to try and make it three wins out of three in Paris this weekend.

A Six Nations statement said: "Further to a meeting of the Six Nations Testing Oversight Group (TOG) this morning to review the latest tests results of the French Squad, the Six Nations confirm the plans to stage the France v Scotland match as originally scheduled this coming Sunday.

"We continue to monitor the situation very closely and are in regular contact with both unions."

Les Bleus are level on nine points with Wales, who face defending champions England at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.

Ireland take on Italy in the first game of the weekend at the Stadio Olimpico in what will be a battle of sides who have lost both matches.

Paul George admits he is not a fan of the NBA All-Star Game going ahead this year, despite being selected to represent the Western Conference. 

George is averaging 24.6 points and shooting an impressive 48.6 per cent from three-point range this season for the Los Angeles Clippers, a team that boasts a 23-10 record after Tuesday's win over the Washington Wizards.

His efforts have been rewarded with a place among the list of reserves for the West for the game in Atlanta on March 7. 

It will be a seventh All-Star appearance for George, yet he feels that – amid the coronavirus pandemic – the league should have considered skipping the contest in 2021, insisting: "It's not something that needs to be had". 

"I'm not a fan of it, and that's just for personal reasons," George said. 

"I'm just not a fan of it with everything going on, I think it's just smart [not to happen]. I get that we have an amazing league, I'm not discrediting that. But I think, in the middle of a pandemic, it's not something that needs to be had. 

"I got fined for spending time with a team-mate, for having a team-mate over, then we're having this All-Star Game.  

"I've got personal reasons why I disagree with the game, but I've been selected, and I'll be there to play for the fans."

George missed out on selection for last year's All-Star lineups, while his first season with the Clippers finished in disappointing fashion, the team letting slip a 3-1 series lead to lose to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals. 

For the 30-year-old, however, such setbacks just fuel his desire to become even better.  

"It's just more so, me just staying grounded, me staying committed just to the process. With all the noise, everything going on, you find motivation through it," he said, referencing the reaction to the Clippers' postseason collapse in the Orlando bubble. 

"You dig deep and you would be amazed on what comes out of it. It was honestly just using everything as motivation and fuel and all of that towards this year.

"It's a good milestone to start how my season is going, but definitely not where I want it to end. Got a lot more work to do."

France captain Charles Ollivon is among five further France players to have tested positive for coronavirus as Sunday's clash with Scotland comes under increasing doubt.

The latest round of testing took the total number of positives up to 14 as Ollivon was joined by Brice Dulin, Cyril Baille, Romain Taofifenua and Peato Mauvaka.

It was only on Sunday that Julien Marchand and Arthur Vincent were found to have contracted the virus, with the first reported case coming last Tuesday.

Prop Mohamed Haouas, wing Gabin Villiere and scrum-half Antoine Dupont are in the same boat, along with head coach Fabien Galthie, assistant Karim Ghezal, forwards coach William Servat and an unnamed member of the support staff.

Les Bleus, who top the table after wins over Italy and Ireland, revealed five more players had been called up on Monday for a game in Paris that may well have to be postponed.

Uncapped trio Gaetan Barlot, Thierry Paiva and Cyril Cazeaux have been drafted in, with Baptiste Pesenti and Thomas Ramos also getting the call.

A statement from the French Rugby Federation said the intention is to return to group training on Wednesday, though further testing would take place every day.

Julien Marchand and Arthur Vincent have become the latest France players to test positive for coronavirus.

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) announced Toulouse hooker Marchand and Montpellier centre Vincent had been omitted from the 31-man squad to face Scotland next weekend.

It takes the overall number of COVID-19 cases from the Six Nations leaders' camp to nine, with prop Mohamed Haouas, wing Gabin Villiere and scrum-half Antoine Dupont also sidelined.

Head coach Fabien Galthie, assistant Karim Ghezal, forwards coach William Servat and another unnamed member of support staff have also tested positive.

As a result, there are six new additions to the squad as Les Bleus aim to make it three wins out of three.

Racing 92 hooker Teddy Baubigny fills the void left by Marchand, with Demba Bamba offering cover at prop.

Maxime Lucu comes in as another option at scrum-half, while centres Yoram Moefana and Jonathan Danty, along with Baubigny's club-mate Donovan Taofifenua, bolster the depleted backs.

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the Bundesliga champions are ready to extend Niklas Sule's contract amid reported interest from Chelsea.

Sule has been linked with Premier League giants Chelsea, who are led by German head coach Thomas Tuchel, after Bayern announced the signing of RB Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano.

Germany international defender Sule, 25, is contracted to Bundesliga and Champions League holders Bayern until 2022.

Asked about Sule's future in Munich after Bayern's shock 2-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, Rummenigge told ZDF: "Basically he is a German national player - and the philosophy of our club is that we always want the good German national players at Bayern.

"He now has another year of contract and it will be now we have discussions. And then we will see what results they lead to. Now we have to wait. We will certainly look at the whole thing seriously and calmly until the summer and then we will have to make decisions.

"If we can find a solution, we are basically ready to extend the contract. But that will only be possible under certain conditions."

Sule, who arrived from Hoffenheim in 2017, has started 11 of his 15 Bundesliga appearances this season – scoring once.

Across all competitions, Sule has featured in 25 matches for Hansi Flick's Bayern in 2020-21.

Rummenigge, though, warned of the financial impact caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"I will say this in no uncertain terms - no longer have the financial resources that we once had before coronavirus," he said. "Corona has also caused financial damage at Bayern."

Rummenigge is set to relinquish his role at the conclusion of his contract in December.

As the clock ticks on his exit, Rummenigge said: "I'm interested that we become German champions and ideally play for the title in the Champions League again this year.

"But again: It's not because of me. I don't need a good exit, I've been able to win an incredible number of titles as a player and in my current position. We have now, for example, won our sixth title in one season in Qatar [Club World Cup], that is the setting of a world record Barcelona are allowed to put on their shirts.

"We definitely have a good team, we just have to play a little more committed than this week."

Bayern are five points clear atop the table, though that advantage could be reduced to two points if Leipzig beat Hertha Berlin on Sunday.

"We want to be German champions," Rummenigge added. "We have now given five points this week. That is not necessarily what we had in mind. But I guess there are many fans in Germany who think that's a good thing because the top has moved closer together again."

France prop Mohamed Haouas and wing Gabin Villiere have followed scrum-half Antoine Dupont and coach Fabien Galthie in testing positive for coronavirus.

The Six Nations leaders, who have won two games from two in this year's tournament, are struggling to contain a COVID-19 outbreak in their camp.

Dupont, Galthie, forwards coach William Servat and another staff member returned positive tests earlier this week.

Following another round of testing, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) announced on its website on Saturday that Haouas and Villiere have also contracted the disease.

France's health minister Olivier Veran said on Thursday that anyone testing positive would now need to self-isolate for 10 days, instead of the previous seven.

All members of Les Blues' squad will be tested again on Sunday, the same day that a new 31-man training squad is to be named for next week's clash with Scotland in Paris.

Haouas, Villiere and Dupont started France's victories over Italy and Ireland, with the latter named player of the round in the opening set of fixtures.

Antoine Dupont has become the latest member of France's Six Nations set-up to test positive for COVID-19.

Head coach Fabien Galthie, assistant William Servat and another unspecified member of the backroom team have returned positive results since last weekend's 15-13 victory over Ireland in Dublin.

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) announced on Wednesday that no players had tested positive for coronavirus and they had been permitted to return home ahead of further testing on Friday.

Although 11 players returned negative results in the latest batch of testing, Dupont was found to be positive.

"The player who tested positive for COVID-19 is Antoine Dupont," read an FFR statement. "To date, he is asymptomatic. In accordance with protocol he will remain in isolation for the next few days."

The France squad are due to return to the National Rugby Centre in Marcoussis on Sunday to begin preparing for Scotland's visit to Paris the following weekend.

A third member of the France backroom team has tested positive for coronavirus, but the players have been cleared to continue their isolation at home after returning negative results.

The French Rugby Federation confirmed on Tuesday that head coach Fabien Galthie and an unnamed member of staff were positive for COVID-19 and would self-isolate for seven days.

Following another round of testing later that day, assistant coach William Servat returned a positive result.

However, with all players testing negative for the second time in succession, they were permitted to return home on Wednesday.

Further coronavirus tests will be carried out at their homes on Friday and on Sunday, when the players return to the National Rugby Centre in Marcoussis.

France, who won their opening two Six Nations games against Italy and Ireland, are scheduled to face Scotland in Paris on February 28.

The squad for that game is due to be announced on Wednesday.

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum admitted he is still battling with the after-effects of coronavirus despite returning to NBA action three weeks ago.

Speaking ahead of Boston's 112-99 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, where Tatum contributed 21 points, six rebounds and eight assists, the All-Star revealed he was still experiencing respiratory issues during games.

Tatum tested positive for COVID-19 in early January, alongside some team-mates, forcing three Boston games to be postponed.

"I think it messes with your breathing a little bit," Tatum told reporters.

"I have experienced some games where, I don't want to say struggling to breathe, but you get fatigued a lot quicker than normal. Just running up and down the court a few times, it's easier to get out of breath or tired a lot faster; I've noticed that since I've had COVID.

"It's just something I'm working on. It's gotten better since the first game I played, but I still deal with it from time to time."

The Celtics have a 7-10 record since then, slipping to third in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference, behind the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.

After a period of quarantine, Tatum returned to the court with 24 points against the Chicago Bulls on January 25.

Tatum has not missed any of Boston's 12 matches since returning, top scoring for the Celtics on seven occasions, insisting the issues have not affected his performances or output.

"It's gotten better obviously from the first game I came back and played, but I guess it's just a long process," he said.

"I've talked to other guys that have had it and they say they experienced the same thing and it kind of just gets better over time. But as much as we play, I guess it takes a little bit longer.

"You've got to take it on the chin when things aren't going great and you're not playing how you should be."

Australian Open fans are set to return to Melbourne Park from Thursday after the Victorian government confirmed the lifting of restrictions following a five-day lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

While the number of supporters set to attend remains unknown, fans will be back in their seats for the beginning of the Australian Open semi-finals, with record-chasing Serena Williams set to face three-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka in Melbourne.

Defending men's champion Novak Djokovic will play the tournament’s surprise package, Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev - who is the first player to reach a semi-final on their grand slam debut.

Djokovic was on court when the lockdown came into effect last Friday, with the five-day "circuit-breaker" designed to control an outbreak of the UK coronavirus strain.

Part of the third round, the fourth round and quarter-finals of singles action were played behind closed doors after a series of outbreaks in Victoria.

The state has recorded 12 more active cases since the lockdown was implemented but, with none discovered in the past 24 hours, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews announced restrictions will be eased.

"I'm very, very pleased to announce that the restrictions will come off, almost all of them, at midnight tonight," Andrews told reporters on Wednesday.

"From 11:59pm [Wednesday local time], the restrictions will be dropped [but] masks will be required indoors and outdoors when you can't socially distance."

The stage-four restrictions meant residents could not leave their homes for any other reason than work, shopping for groceries, exercise or the giving or receiving of medial care.

This year's delayed Australian Open has had crowds capped at 30,000 per day with original COVID-19 restrictions, but new limits are yet to be determined for the rest of the tournament.

"There will be meetings this afternoon [to determine] what is a safe number," Andrews said.

"They already were reduced, they may have to be reduced further, but that matter will be resolved in the next few hours."

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is concerned the March international break could result in another wave of coronavirus positives for Premier League clubs.

City can go 10 points clear at the Premier League summit with victory over Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday - a rearranged fixture after the initially scheduled December encounter was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak among Guardiola's squad.

Aston Villa also withdrew from action during the post-Christmas period and Newcastle United were affected similarly earlier in the season.

The Premier League responded by upping testing at clubs to twice a week and, in the most recent period returned, there were two positives from 2,970 players and club staff tested.

This represents a significant drop from 36 positives out of 2,593 tests between January 4-10 but Guardiola is wary of some of this good work being undone when his players and others begin travelling the globe again over the coming weeks.

City's Champions League last-16 trip to Borussia Monchengladbach has been switched to Budapest, with European games featuring Premier League counterparts Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea also switched from their original venues due to local COVID-19 protocols.

Asked whether the subsequent international matches next month will place members of his squad at risk, Guardiola replied: "Hopefully not but the only way to be protected from this virus is to stay at home and don’t move and social distance and no contact and don’t travel.

"Now the people are going to travel, the players are going to the national teams and it’s difficult after to control it, so I think something is going to rise unfortunately.

"I would love to say or to guess it's not going to happen but from experience it happened in two or three waves already worldwide, so if you move you take a risk to be contaminated, to get the virus again."

Earlier this month, FIFA granted clubs the right to refuse to release players called up to their national teams if there is a mandatory quarantine period of five days or more on their return.

For Premier League clubs - and significantly for City given the make-up of Guardiola's squad - this means players representing Portugal or South American nations can be held back because anyone returning from those countries will need to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days as they are on the UK's "red list".

Guardiola said there had been no discussions between clubs and federations to his knowledge and does not want the Premier League's handling of the pandemic to be undermined.

"I think the Premier League should be concerned about this, all the leagues [should be] concerned," he said.

"I know the national federations need to play, for the qualification, for the friendly games, for their preparation for the European Championship in summer time, this is normal.

"But the reason why there were a lot of cases in the Premier League and now there is no cases is because people don't move - home and training centre, game, home no more than this.

"The players are going to the national team, they know the situation. We'll tell them to be careful and after they go to the national team they are going to protect them as well."

City will try to extend a record-breaking run of 16 consecutive victories at Goodison Park. They will be without in-form midfielder Ilkay Gundogan (groin), although Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring) will travel with the squad after a month on the sidelines.

After the initial Everton postponement, Guardiola did not envisage City - or any other side - being able to put such a relentless run together.

"That’s true, everyone thought [the season] would be cancelled again," he added.

"Here in England in December and January, the cases rose amazingly but the Premier League and all the clubs, all the team managers and the protocols were so effective."

Joao Felix is back in contention for Atletico Madrid after being sidelined with coronavirus, Diego Simeone has confirmed.

It was confirmed Portugal international Joao Felix tested positive for the virus on February 3, forcing him to miss two games for LaLiga's leaders.

The first was a 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo, who netted a late equaliser, before Atleti beat Granada 2-1 in Andalusia on Saturday to stay five points clear at the summit with two games in hand on second-placed Real Madrid.

Moussa Dembele, Thomas Lemar and Hector Herrera were all confirmed as having the virus in the five days after Joao Felix's results were returned, but the situation has had minimal impact on the team's on-field performances.

Up next is a trip to Levante on Wednesday, before hosting Paco Lopez's men at the weekend, and that is followed by the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Chelsea.

Simeone is unsure if Joao Felix will feature on Wednesday but was glad to have him back.

"He has not had many symptoms that left him unable to train at home, so he was working with the coaches since the fourth day [of his absence]," Simeone told reporters.

"He is eager and enthusiastic, he is healthy. It's great to be able to count on him tomorrow, but we will decide tomorrow what to do with him."

Attention soon turned to Atletico's other key attacker this term, Luis Suarez, who has recently been the subject of reports claiming the Uruguayan has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Simeone seemed unimpressed he was even asked the question.

"Normally I don't talk about personal contracts," Simeone said.

"I talk about how to attack, how to play, but I don't interfere in personal matters."

France had their Six Nations plans disrupted by a positive COVID-19 test that sent the squad into self-isolation on Tuesday.

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) also said head coach Fabien Galthie would be retested amid concerns he may have coronavirus.

It was another figure from within the France camp, who was not named, that returned a positive result following testing on Monday.

Announcing that news, the FFR said on Tuesday: "Following the PCR tests carried out last night in Marcoussis with the France XV, all the players tested negative, a member of the technical staff tested positive, as well as a suspicious and unproven case concerning Fabien Galthie who will be tested again this morning.

"In accordance with health protocol, all members of the team and management were isolated this morning. Interactions are kept to a minimum.

"An additional test at the National Rugby Centre will be carried out on Wednesday morning for the entire squad."

The squad are due to disperse later this week to be allowed a short time at home between matches, with France, who have won their opening two games, not in action again until they face Scotland on February 28 in Paris.

They scored a fine 15-13 win over Ireland in Dublin on Sunday to follow up the opening 50-10 victory over Italy.

The FFR statement added: "Tests will be carried out at home on Friday, as well as on Sunday evening at the National Rugby Centre when the squad reunites.

"The announcement of the 31 players for the Scotland match will take place this Wednesday evening, February 17."

Elina Svitolina said playing behind closed doors at the Australian Open felt "a bit disturbing" after having fans in attendance earlier in the week.

The Ukrainian fifth seed booked her spot in the fourth round in Melbourne with a 6-4 6-0 victory over Yulia Putintseva on Saturday.

But no fans were in attendance on Margaret Court Arena as Victoria started a five-day lockdown due to coronavirus.

Svitolina, who will face Jessica Pegula in the last 16, said she felt the difference.

"It was very different conditions. I played a night match at 7:00 with a good crowd. Now it was completely different. It was for sure a bit disturbing, I would say, in some ways sad," she told a news conference.

"But it is what it is. I had to accept. I had to have a good mindset, not thinking too much about that. I just tried to focus on my game."

Svitolina reached the fourth round in Melbourne for the third time in four years after mixing 18 winners with 20 unforced errors.

But the 26-year-old said the lack of fans meant the third-round encounter felt like a practice match.

"It feels like that. I actually had few thoughts about it today. It feels like this. I tried to convince myself that it's a grand slam and that we are playing an important match. I have to focus on my match," Svitolina said.

"But for sure there's some thoughts and there is I say some low moments that can sneak into the mind. It's what we have to deal with. I'm trying my best to do it."

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