Alisson's father, 57, drowns in lake in Brazil

SAO PAULO • The father of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker drowned in a lake near his holiday home in southern Brazil on Wednesday, local police said.

Jose Becker, 57, had been swimming at a dam on his property when the accident happened, Doroteo Machado Filho, a police inspector in the town of Lavras do Sul, said.

No foul play was suspected. Internacional, Alisson's former club, sent their condolences, with the Brazil No. 1 reportedly a doubt for Liverpool's Premier League game at basement club Sheffield United on Sunday.

REUTERS

Fury pours cold water on Joshua heavyweight bout

LONDON • Tyson Fury has played down the chances of an all-British heavyweight unification showdown against Anthony Joshua this year, claiming no progress has been made in fixing the fight.

Despite Joshua's manager Eddie Hearn saying last month that a deal was almost done, World Boxing Council champion Fury told ESPN the fight was no closer to being arranged than it was a year ago although he blamed the hold-up on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Should the fight go ahead, it will be the first heavyweight unification bout since British great Lennox Lewis held all four titles in 1999.

REUTERS

Hewitt joins tennis hall of fame on 40th birthday

NEW YORK • Two-time Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt was named to the International Tennis Hall of Fame class of 2021 on Wednesday, along with the Original 9 of the women's professional tour.

The honour for the former world No. 1 came on the Australian's 40th birthday, while Peaches Bartkowicz, Rosie Casals, Julie Heldman, Billie Jean King, Kristy Pigeon, Nancy Richey and Valerie Ziegenfuss, Judy Tegart Dalton and Kerry Melville Reid were also recognised as the pioneers of women's professional tennis.

Hewitt, who amassed 30 ATP Tour-level singles titles in his 18-year career, called the award "the ultimate recognition for a player".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

France-Scotland rugby game off amid outbreak

PARIS • France's Six Nations rugby match against Scotland on Sunday was postponed after another player tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number infected to 11, the organisers said yesterday.

Earlier yesterday, the French rugby federation (FFR) said that the entire squad was in isolation and training had been suspended.

France had resumed contact training on Wednesday but the FFR had said it would conduct daily coronavirus testing until Sunday, and one player returned a positive test on Wednesday night.

Several staff, including head coach Fabien Galthie, had tested positive last week.

REUTERS