The closures of training centers and the rescheduling of matches are also plenty of NBA basketball, which resumed in late December without renewing the bubble system that made it possible to complete last season at Disney World in Florida.

Its counterpart to ice hockey, the NHL has opted for less time and a geographic reorganization of divisions, but has already had to postpone matches that were already affected by the epidemic (more than 37,000,000 dead) in the country.

Tennis and handball under the bubble

The tournament adjourned for three weeks, special charters for players, mandatory fortnight at a hotel in Melbourne… unprecedented measures have been taken to maintain the Australian Open (8–21 February).

For some, the situation is far more debilitating, such as American John Isner, who left the tennis season’s first Grand Slam tournament on Monday because he “did not want to be away from family for so long”.

The 2021 Handball World Cup also takes place in a tight health bubble, starting on Wednesday in Egypt. 32 Eligible selections may leave their hotel for training and matches, only to limit the risk of contamination.

The competition will be played without the Czech Republic, which on Tuesday affected its players as well as two of their coaches after being affected by the virus. It is replaced by North Macedonia.

English football influenced

A strong rebound in the number of Kovid cases in England is also affecting football, with Premier League and FA Cup matches being postponed.

At the European level, the Champions League and Europa League resumption is due in mid-February.

Despite the epidemic rebound, UEFA has not yet noted any changes to the calendar of these contests or the Euro has been rescheduled from 11 June to 11 July.

Olympic Games not envisaged

The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday declined to discuss in February about the possible cancellation of the Olympics to be held from July 23 to August 8, following last year’s postponement due to the epidemic.