Coronavirus: Here's what's happening in the sports world on Wednesday

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

• Qatar World Cup organizers wonder if fans will travel to 2021 event
• Inbee Park among 4 champs to tee up for virtual match play
• MLS all-star game, 2 other events cancelled
• NBA player Mike Conley donates $200K US to virus work
• Watford defender among 6 members of EPL to contract virus
• Tottenham player may have broken social-distancing rules again

Qatar World Cup organizers fear fans won't travel to tourney

Organizers of the World Cup in Qatar are concerned that many fans won't be able to afford travelling to the tournament in 2022 if the coronavirus pandemic causes a global recession.

Many countries around the world are expected to suffer historically deep recessions as a result of the virus and the associated lockdown restrictions.

Sporting events have also been postponed, including soccer's European Championship that was due to start next month but has been moved until 2021.

Qatar still hopes six of its eight stadiums will be completed by the end of this year despite the COVID-19 disruption. The World Cup is scheduled to be played in November-December 2022 — rather than its usual June-July slot — which provides more time for the resumption of international travel.

Qatar is promising the World Cup will be affordable for fans but the tiny gas-rich nation has been affected by economic activity shutting down in so many countries. State-owned Qatar Airways, a World Cup sponsor, has said it will cut jobs as the global aviation industry has been largely grounded.

4 major women's champions tee up for virtual match play

Four LPGA champions will compete in the 36-hole LPGA Match Play Challenge on May 25 using a golf simulator that virtually will place golfers in Korea and St. Augustine, Fla., on the same Bethpage State Park Black Course.

Inbee Park and So Yeon Ryu will be based at Zoimaru, a golf centre in the South Korean city of Daejon. They are scheduled to take on Lydia Ko and Pernilla Lindberg, who will play from the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine. They will use the GOLFZON simulator.

The foursome holds a combined 12 major titles.

The 36-hole competition, which won't have fans at either venue, will open with an 18-hole foursomes match, followed by an 18-hole four-ball match. The winning team receives a $10,000 US donation to the COVID-19 charity of their choice.

Park, the seven-time major champion, said she's excited for real-time golf.

"Since the LPGA Tour stopped due to COVID-19, it's amazing that real-time match play is possible with our fellow players in other parts of the world. I can't wait to entertain golf fans all over the globe through this match," Park said.

Meijer LPGA Classic cancelled

The LPGA announced the Meijer LPGA Classic scheduled for Oct. 1-4 has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the previously postponed ShopRite LPGA Classic slated to take its spot on the calendar.

The Meijer was to be played at Blythefield Country Club in suburban Grand Rapids, Mich. Instead, the LPGA is scheduled to be in Galloway, N.J., the first week of October.

The PGA Tour is planning to return next month with at least the first four events being contested without fans. However, the LPGA's timetable for a potential return is complicated by a financial model that is more reliant upon having fans in attendance.

MLS all-star game, other marquee events scrapped

Major League Soccer cancelled the 2020 All-Star Game as league play remains on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The game had been scheduled for July 29 at the Banc of California Stadium, home of Los Angeles FC. It would have featured all-stars from MLS and Liga MX of Mexico.

It was one of two all-star games set for Los Angeles in July. The other, the MLB all-star game, is scheduled for July 14 at Dodger Stadium, and baseball officials haven't announced whether the game will be played as scheduled or be delayed.

MLS, in its announcement made Tuesday, said it hopes the game can be played in the city next summer.

MLS also announced the cancellation of the Leagues Cup, which was scheduled to be played between July and September between MLS and Liga MX teams. The Campeones Cup, which was set for Aug. 12 in Seattle, also was canceled.

Jazz point guard Conley donates $200K US to virus work

Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz has donated a total of $200,000 to five communities to assist with the coronavirus response.

Conley's donation will go toward addressing food insecurity, homelessness and remote learning needs.

The point guard is giving to the Utah Food Bank in Salt Lake City; CodeCrew in Memphis, Tennessee; Community Shelter Board and the Columbus Urban League in Columbus, Ohio; the Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation in Indianapolis, Ind.; and the New Haven Missionary Baptist Church in West Helena, Ark.

Conley says the pandemic "has reminded me that I am in this position because of the support and sacrifices of others I've encountered all along the way. I wanted to be there for the communities that have been fundamental to my personal growth."

Watford's Mariappa among 6 EPL members to test positive

Watford defender Adrian Mariappa says he is one of the six people to test positive from the first round of coronavirus checks in the Premier League and is surprised that he contracted the disease.

Mariappa says on the websites of British newspapers The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail he has been "scratching my head to try to work out how I might have got coronavirus" because he hasn't "really left the house apart from some exercise and the odd walk with the kids."

The 33-year-old Mariappa says he hasn't had any symptoms and has felt "as fit as ever." He says he has spent lockdown dividing his time between homeschooling and following Watford's fitness program.

Two members of Watford's staff also tested positive for COVID-19. Burnley said assistant manager Ian Woan has also contracted the virus.

Tests on 748 people were conducted from 19 of the 20 Premier League clubs on Sunday and Monday. The 20th club started testing on Tuesday.

Dexter Manley improving in COVID-19 battle, Redskins say

Former Washington Redskins defensive end Dexter Manley has turned a corner in his fight against the coronavirus and could be released from the hospital, the team announced.

Manley, 62, was hospitalized on May 2 with symptoms related to COVID-19 and tested positive for the virus with reduced levels of oxygen.

Manley's daughter, Dalis, told the Washington Post last week that Manley was "very weak, worn down and discouraged" after two weeks with a fever and shortness of breath.

Manley, a two-time Super Bowl winner and All-Pro defensive end known as the "Secretary of Defence" with the Redskins, received oxygen but was never on a ventilator, former teammate John Riggins said in a video update posted on the team's website.

Manley is the team's all-time leader with 91 career quarterback sacks.

Tottenham player breaks social-distancing rules for 3rd time?

Tottenham is looking into whether defender Serge Aurier has broken social-distancing rules for the third time.

Aurier posted a picture on Instagram on Tuesday appearing to show off a new haircut and sitting next to a stylist who was tagged in the post.

The Premier League club says it is "investigating the circumstances and will deal with the incident appropriately."

The 27-year-old right back has been forced to apologize twice for breaking lockdown rules during the suspension of the Premier League because of the coronavirus pandemic. He posted a video of himself running with a friend and also training with Tottenham teammate Moussa Sissoko.

German women's league to resume May 29

The German soccer federation says the country's top women's league will resume May 29 after nearly three months without games.

The 12-team league has six rounds of games to play before the planned finish June 28.

No games have been played since March 1. Wolfsburg leads the league by eight points ahead of Bayern Munich and is on target for its fourth consecutive national title.

The federation says the women's German cup final will end the season in Cologne on July 4.

Also Wednesday, the men's league confirmed plans to finish June 27 after scheduling all remaining games. It also said there will be a minute of remembrance for victims of the coronavirus pandemic before all games in the next two rounds and that players will wear black armbands.