The Latest: UNC and N.C. State to start fall classes early

Published 4:30 pm Thursday, May 21, 2020

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BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:

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North Carolina and North Carolina State will begin fall classes on Aug. 10 and forgo fall breaks in order to finish by Thanksgiving to get ahead of a potential second wave of COVID-19.

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UNC Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz introduced a Roadmap for Fall in a letter Thursday that includes “off-ramps” options if conditions change. Class sizes will be reduced with time extended between classes, some of which may be conducted remotely.

Faculty and staff will return in a phased approach and should initially expect staggered and alternating work schedules.

UNC will also emphasize adherence to public health guidelines, including physical distancing, wearing face coverings, and increased handwashing.

The school will observe Labor Day and University Day and complete the semester by Nov. 24.

N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson announced that the school will begin classes nine days earlier than originally scheduled and forgo fall break to also finish by Thanksgiving. Students will not return to campus for the remainder of the year and winter commencement will be announced later.

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East Carolina is eliminating its men’s and women’s tennis and swimming and diving programs to help reduce a $4.9 million budget deficit.

The move affects 68 student-athletes and nine coaches and reduces ECU’s sponsored sports from 20 to 16, including nine for women. The NCAA requires Division I FBS schools to carry minimums of 16 sports, eight for women.

“The coaches and student-athletes for these respective sports have all impacted our department and the Pirate Family in a positive manner,” athletic director Jon Gilbert said in a release.

“This decision was not made lightly. The history and success of the swimming and diving programs and the tennis programs will continue to be celebrated at East Carolina.”

ECU interim Chancellor Ron Mitchelson stated that the athletic budget was not sustainable pre-COVID-19. The deficit began to grow significantly with the pandemic where the impact was immediate and would affect future revenue and expenses.

ECU will honor scholarships for athletes who remain at the school.

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The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame has canceled its induction ceremony in August because of health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hall of Fame president John Hendrickson says the museum believes it’s “in the best interests of everyone involved and for the integrity of the event to postpone the ceremony for a year.”

The Hall of Fame ceremony was scheduled for Friday, Aug. 7, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

This year’s class includes trainer Mark Casse, jockey Darrel McHargue, horses Wise Dan and Tom Bowling, and Pillars of the Turf Alice Headley Chandler, Keene Daingerfield, Jr., and George D. Widener, Jr. They will be inducted with the class of 2021.

The 44th Annual Museum Ball scheduled for Aug. 14 also was canceled. It’s traditionally one of the highlights of the Saratoga summer social season.

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German soccer club Dynamo Dresden has reported another case of coronavirus. The already quarantined second-division club has now had four players test positive.

Dresden says on its website that the latest positive result was found in the fifth wave of tests conducted on Wednesday. It adds that another “category one” close contact of its coaching staff has also tested positive for COVID-19.

The player, staff member, and staff member’s contact person must now go into quarantine at home for 14 days.

Dresden’s entire team was ordered by local health authorities into 14 days of quarantine on May 9 after two players tested positive.

The club says that all players who tested positive before were cleared in the fourth and fifth wave of tests and that they and the rest of the team will be able to resume training on Saturday.

Dresden was scheduled to play at Hannover last Sunday but couldn’t participate because of the quarantine order. That game was rescheduled for June 3.

Dresden is scheduled to resume play on May 31 against Stuttgart.

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Manchester United says it believes it will miss out on $24 million because the Premier League will have to make refunds to broadcasters even if the pandemic-disrupted season is completed.

The league is in talks with its rights holders about rebates because of delays and changes to the broadcasting schedule. The season was suspended in March.

Empty stadiums will also change the TV product.

The rebates will vary based on the final position in the standings and the number of games aired live. United is in fifth place with nine games remaining.

The Premier League hasn’t provided details of the broadcasting rebate.

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The governing body of swimming has postponed the short course world championships for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

FINA says the championships scheduled for December in Abu Dhabi will now be staged Dec. 13-18, 2021, in the United Arab Emirates because of the “the uncertainty related to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.”

FINA president Julio C. Maglione says swimming organizers have worked closely with the United Arab Emirates’ authorities and “we believe this is the most suitable solution for all those taking part in this competition.”

A general congress to elect the FINA Bureau for the years 2021-25 will be staged in Doha, Qatar, on June 5, 2021. The new members of the bureau will start their terms immediately after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

The short course world championships are held in a 25-meter pool. The FINA world championships and the Olympics are staged in 50-meter pools.