Human Interest

Megan Rapinoe Is Setting Herself Up To Be The Next Oprah

While many professional athletes have used this recent downtime from sports to relax, hang out with family and stay out of the limelight, one soccer star is doing just the opposite. More than perhaps any athlete over the last two months, Megan Rapinoe has been raising her profile in nearly every way possible.

At this rate, she might just become the next Oprah.

Liverpool FC And City Mayor At Odds Over Premier League Restart

Premier League leaders Liverpool said they were "disappointed" by the city's mayor saying the season should not be restarted even behind closed doors because of the risk of fans gathering outside Anfield. 

Liverpool were 25 points clear of closest rivals Manchester City, who have a game in hand, when the league was suspended in March and need only two wins to secure their first top flight title in 30 years. Premier League clubs are set to meet on Friday to discuss ways to finish the season, with some already back in individual training. 

Cesc Fàbregas' 95-Year-Old Great-Grandmother Overcomes Coronavirus

The coronavirus is proving to be stubborn as the world fights to return to normalcy, but it turns out there's one thing stronger than COVID-19 — Cesc Fàbregas' 95-year-old great-grandmother. The Monaco midfielder tweeted out his thanks to all the doctors and nurses who helped her recover on Wednesday.

PSG To Be Crowned Ligue 1 Champion After Standings Frozen

Paris Saint-Germain moved within a fingertip of being crowned Ligue 1 champion when the French league recommended to freeze the 2019-20 standings amid the COVID-19 crisis on Thursday, French sports daily L'Equipe reported. 

According to the newspaper, the LFP's board will ratify the recommendation on Thursday afternoon and effectively hand PSG its seventh title in the last eight years. The decision would mean that second-place Marseille and third-place Rennes would be in next season's Champions League with PSG. 

FIFA Medical Chief Warns Football Shouldn't Resume Until September, At The Earliest

FIFA medical committee chairman Michel D'Hooghe said soccer Tuesday that should not resume until at least September because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I speak as a medical doctor, I don't speak as an organizer of matches, but for the moment from my medical standpoint, I would be very skeptical," D'Hooghe told Sky Sports.

D'Hooghe warned that a quick resumption of soccer leagues could have serious consequences, as it's "not a matter of money -- it's life or death." He noted that social distancing would be highly difficult amongst players and fans.

Footballers Could Actually Be At Greater Risk Of COVID-19, New Research Suggests

MANCHESTER, England — Research from Germany and Italy suggests that footballers and other athletes face a particular risk of the coronavirus infecting their lungs, raising major questions over attempts to restart professional soccer.

The research, produced by Italian immunologists and lung specialists based at institutes in Berlin, Rome and Verona, suggests that due to strenuous exercise, elite athletes are more likely to inhale virus particles and direct them to the lower areas of the lung.

Spain Allows Children Under 14 Outside And It’s All Fútbol

While Americans are still cooped up inside wondering when they'll be able to leave their homes and enjoy some fresh air, other countries are easing back into normalcy. 

This past weekend, Spain allowed children under the age of 14 to go outside and play for the first time in six weeks — with some restrictions of course. Children must be wearing masks and obeying social distancing rules, as well as being accompanied by one parent for one hour of play.  

US Club Soccer Could Return In May

A letter released on Monday from Kevin Payne, CEO/Executive Director of US Club Soccer, sets May 18 as the earliest possible return date of youth soccer in America. Obviously this date is subject to change as the coronavirus situation evolves, but it does give us an idea for when youth soccer will resume.

US Club Soccer also put out a tweet with a link to the letter on Monday afternoon.

Ronaldinho Doesn’t Understand Why He Went To Prison But He Had Fun

After leaving prison in Paraguay earlier this month, former Brazil international Ronaldinho has finally broken his silence and said he was shocked to discover the Paraguayan passports delivered to his home were false and illegal. 

FIFA Proposes Temporary Rule Change Allowing Up To 5 Substitutions Per Match

FIFA has proposed that teams should be allowed to make up to five substitutions per match, instead of the usual three, as a temporary measure to help cope with potential fixture congestion in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus outbreak. 

Football has been at a standstill since mid-March but many leagues and federations are still hoping to complete the season but to do so they would have to cram fixtures into a shorter period than usual once play re-starts.

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