National Sports

GENEVA — Regional Olympic officials on Wednesday rallied around the IOC and backed its stance on opening the Tokyo Games as scheduled, one day after direct criticism from athletes amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Eric Loeppky and his top-ranked Trinity Western University volleyball team were on a roll. Having won the Canada West title for the fourth time in five years, the B.C.-based Spartans headed to Winnipeg for last weekend's national championship.

All-star lead Lisa Weagle wasn't a free agent for long. The former member of Team Rachel Homan, who was let go last week after a decade-long run with the Ottawa-based rink, has joined Team Jennifer Jones.

John Axford is taking a break from wondering about his baseball future.

For two decades, Tom Brady was the face of the Patriots, and even of the NFL. When he turns 43 in August, his home address no longer will be in New England. The six-time Super Bowl champion plans to keep playing.

OTTAWA — An Ottawa Senators player has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first NHLer to be diagnosed with the coronavirus. The Senators did not name the player when releasing the news Tuesday night.

The French Open was postponed for about four months because of the coronavirus pandemic, shifting from May to September and juggling the tennis calendar.

The NFL is considering delaying the approval of free agent deals being made the last two days because of a lack of signed contracts.

TORONTO — The International Olympic Committee reiterated that the Tokyo Games will go as planned on Tuesday, despite a sports world that has screeched to a halt.

A list of Canadian international and domestic sporting events impacted by COVID-19: HOCKEY — NHL suspends 2019-20 season, impacting seven Canadian teams in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.