Coronavirus: Here's what happened in the sports world on Monday

The latest on how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting sports around the globe:

• 2020 Memorial Cup cancelled
• World Athletics willing to move 2021 championships
• 7 in 10 U.S. Olympic hopefuls favour postponement
• Spruce Meadows cancels summer show jumping series
• Justin Trudeau applauds COC decison
• Charles Barkley tests negative for COVID-19
• F1 expects shortened season, 15-18 races

USA Gymnastics in favour of Tokyo 2020 postponement

Add USA Gymnastics to the growing chorus of high-profile organizations asking for the 2020 Olympics to be delayed.

President Li Li Leung said Monday that a majority of senior national team members indicated in an anonymous survey that they would prefer the games be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. USA Gymnastics sent out the survey to about 70 athletes in various disciplines. Leung said 80 per cent of the athletes responded by Monday's deadline and that the majority were in favour of a postponement.

"Many of our athletes cited risk of health and safety of community and world if Olympics were held," Leung said. "They (also) felt holding the games would be seen as unfair because of the impact on training schedules and it would be an unfair playing field for the athletes."

7 in 10 U.S. Olympic hopefuls favour postponement

Nearly seven in 10 U.S. Olympic hopefuls say they don't think the Tokyo Games will be fair if they are held in July, prompting leaders of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to conclude "it's more clear than ever that the path toward postponement is the most promising."

The USOPC sent a survey over the weekend to more than 4,000 athletes for details on how the coronavirus pandemic has influenced their training and their feelings about the upcoming games; they received responses from 1,780.

Sixty-nine per cent said they would feel comfortable competing in July if the World Health Organization — one of the groups consulting with the IOC — deemed it safe. But virtually that same number — 68 per cent — said they didn't think the Olympics would be fair under those circumstances.

The best explanation for that has been the massive disruption in training schedules, as athletes prepare for qualifying events this spring and summer.

Memorial Cup cancelled

The 2020 Memorial Cup has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It marks the first time in 102 years there will be no showdown to determine Canada's major junior hockey champion.

The event was scheduled to run May 22-31 in Kelowna, B.C.

The Canadian Hockey League also cancelled playoffs for all three of its regional leagues.

World Athletics willing to move 2021 championships to accommodate Tokyo postponement

World Athletics said on Monday it was willing to move the dates of the 2021 world championships in Eugene, Oregon, to accommodate postponing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for a year.

"World Athletics has already been in discussion with the Oregon 21 Organising Committee regarding the possibility the Olympic Games may move to next year and they in turn have held discussions with their key stakeholders and have reassured us they will work with all of their partners and stakeholders to ensure that Oregon is able to host the World Athletics Championships on alternative dates should that prove necessary," World Athletics' global governing body said in a statement.

Woodbine postpones start of thoroughbred racing season

Woodbine Entertainment Group postponed the start of the thoroughbred racing season Monday due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The season was set to open April 18. In a statement, Woodbine Entertainment said the postponement was "until further notice."

It added the decision was made after the Ontario government mandated Monday that all non-essential businesses be closed by 11:59 p.m ET on Tuesday.

This will limit Woodbine's backstretch to only essential care for horses. Regular training won't be permitted.

"Considering we will only be allowing for the essential care of the horses on our backstretch, we will not be in a position to open the season as scheduled on April 18," Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson said in the statement. "As previously communicated, we are currently in discussions with government agencies to help provide the support needed for horsepeople and the horses during this time of no racing."

Spruce Meadows cancels summer show jumping series

World-renowned in the equestrian community, Spruce Meadows has cancelled its summer tournament season because of COVID-19.

Four tournaments over five weeks starting June 4 annually draw dozens of international and domestic riders and horses, and thousands of spectators, to the facility in south Calgary.

Canada's Olympic champion Eric Lamaze, the all-time money leader at Spruce Meadows, and international riders such as American Kent Farrington, Britain's Scott Brash and Swiss star Steve Guerdat compete there.

The novel coronavirus that has infected over 354,000 world-wide and killed over 15,000 as of Monday continues to bring the sports world to its knees.

"These are such trying times and truly without precedent," Spruce Meadows president and CEO Linda Southern-Heathcott said Monday in a statement.

"The health and well-being of our sponsors and their employees, our competitors, officials, volunteers, fans, the media, Spruce Meadows' staff and the community at large is of paramount importance to us."

Spruce Meadows planned to offer $6 million US in prize money in 2020. September's Masters has not been cancelled.

Trudeau says COC made right call in demanding postponement

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees made the right decision in announcing Canadian athletes will not go to this summer's Tokyo Olympics or Paralympics if they start on their scheduled dates.

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the COC said Sunday night it would hold back its athletes if the Games start as scheduled and called for a postponement until 2021.

"I know this heartbreaking for so many people — athletes, coaches, staff and fans. But this was absolutely the right call and everyone should follow their lead," Trudeau said Monday in Ottawa.

Trudeau said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is "very much aware of the challenges" with the Tokyo Games attempting to start on time.

The Summer Olympics are scheduled to start July 24 with the Paralympics slated to follow on Aug. 25.

Canada's statement joins a growing chorus of critics around the International Olympic Committee's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Australian Olympic Committee has told its athletes in a statement on its website they should prepare for the Tokyo Games in 2021.

IOC president Thomas Bach said earlier Sunday the global organization is considering options including postponement, and a decision will be made in four weeks.

Cancelling the Games entirely, Bach said, is not being considered.

The IOC and Japan's organizing committee had consistently said the Games would go ahead as planned.

But Abe changed his tune Sunday, saying a postponement of the Tokyo Games would be unavoidable if the games cannot be held in a complete way because of the coronavirus.

Charles Barkley tests negative for COVID-19

One day after the NBA placed its season on hiatus as Utah Jazz centre Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus, Barkley called into the NBA on TNT show to say he was ill and was submitting to a swab test. Barkley, 57, was present at the All-Star Game in Chicago less than a month earlier where Gobert and teammate Donovan Mitchell — who also tested positive — were also on the scene.

"I've received my COVID-19 test results this morning and they are negative," Barkley said Monday in a statement released by Turner Sports. "I'd like to thank everyone for reaching out and expressing your concern and support. You all be safe and please take the necessary actions to help ensure your well-being."

Barkley was in New York, which has experienced an outbreak of coronavirus, and spent a day with the Los Angeles Angels in spring training before he became symptomatic.

Formula One expects to proceed with shortened season

Formula One expects to run a shortened season of 15-18 grands prix once racing can resume after the coronavirus pandemic, hopefully during the European summer, chairman and chief executive Chase Carey said on Monday.

The original 2020 calendar had a record 22 races but the season has yet to start. Two races, Australia and Monaco, have been cancelled and six others postponed with more expected to be called off.