The National Basketball Association (NBA) has suspended the rest of the season until further notice over the growing Coronavirus concerns. The decision was taken after Rudy Gobert of Utah Jazz was preliminarily tested positive for COVID -19 ahead of the western conference clash with Oklahoma City Thunder at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma. The test result was provided before the encounter began and the game was immediately suspended. It was later revealed that the Gobert was not present in the arena. Coronavirus Scare: NBA Releases Memo to Limit Potential Exposure, Directs Players to Avoid Fan Interaction.

NBA issued an official statement on Thursday in which they said ‘The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice. The NBA will use this hiatus to determine the next steps for moving forward in regard to the Coronavirus pandemic.’

NBA's Statement

Something Interesting!

As per the reports, the players were on the field taking part in their pre-game warm-up routines when they were told to return to their locker rooms. About half-hour later, fans were informed that the match has been postponed. What steps will be taken by the Basketball Association is yet to be seen but according to various reports the season could be discarded or could be rescheduled to play later on in the year.

Various sporting competitions around the world have been affected by the epidemic. This week’s UEFA Champions League clashes – Valencia vs Atalanta, PSG vs Dortmund – were all played behind closed doors. The Italian Federation also have decided to suspend any sporting activities until April 3 which includes the country’s premier footballing competition Serie A.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 12, 2020 08:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).