PARIS – Men’s golf world number one Dustin Johnson tested positive for the coronavirus as a surge in cases cast a shadow over the return of professional sport.
America’s Johnson, 36, was forced out of this week’s CJ Cup in Las Vegas as he became the highest-profile golfer to test positive for Covid-19. Johnson said he was “very disappointed”.
The positive test highlights a rash of cases coinciding with the return of many sports competitions in recent weeks, often in bio-secure “bubbles” and behind closed doors.
The cases, seen everywhere from football to cycling, rugby union, rugby league, American football and Formula One, also mirror a surge in Covid-19 across much of the world, including Europe and the United States.
Professional sport was brought to a halt worldwide as the pandemic advanced in March, threatening an industry estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars. But many competitions have now emerged from their shutdowns. – AFP, October 14, 2020