Sports

New Delhi — India captain Virat Kohli has told how his late father refused to pay a bribe to get him into a Delhi state junior team when he was a teenager.

The world's top ranked one-day batsman did not identify who had demanded the bribe but said he was rejected by the team, a rebuff that left him "broken".

"In my home state... sometimes things happen that are not fair," the Times of India newspaper and other media quoted Kohli as saying during an online forum with India's football captain Sunil Chhetri.

"On one occasion, a certain person did not play by the rules for selection criteria," the skipper added.

"He told my father while I had the merit, a little extra [bribe] was needed to confirm my selection."

But Kohli said his father had insisted the selection had to be on merit alone.

"My father simply said, 'If you want to select Virat then let it be purely on merit. I will give you nothing extra.'"

Kohli said he was in tears after being told he had not made the team. "I cried a lot. I was broken," he declared.

"That incident taught me a lot. I realised that this is how the world is run," he was quoted as saying.

"If you want to progress, do something that no one else is doing. If I had to become successful, I needed to be extraordinary.

"And I had to achieve this purely through my own effort and hard work.

"My father showed me the right way through his actions and not merely words. Those little things had a great impact on me," Kohli was quoted as saying.

Kohli's father, a lawyer, died when he was 18 and playing in a Ranji Trophy state match for Delhi. He returned to bat the day after his father's death.

"I accepted his death as I was focused on moving forward with my career," Kohli said. 

"His death made me realise I had to make something of my life. Now I think about how nice it would be if I could have given my father the peaceful retired life he deserved. At times I get emotional thinking about him."

BERLIN — The Bundesliga drew bumper global audiences for its largely trouble-free restart at the weekend, but a top league official said Monday players would be reminded to maintain social distancing even during goal celebrations.

Germany's top-flight became the first top European league to resume after a two-month hiatus, in empty stadiums and surrounded by draconian hygiene measures.

Despite the restrictions, the weekend's matches passed off without problems.

Players and staff were regularly tested for COVID-19 in the weeks before the resumption, while the small number of officials and journalists permitted to attend matches had their temperatures checked before being allowed in.

Police fears that fans would gather outside the grounds did not materialise.

"There was a big sense of relief," the CEO of the international arm of the Bundesliga, Robert Klein, told AFP and other media Monday.

"We want to finish the season, but are aware there is a big responsibility that we do this correctly.

"There was an enthusiasm to see top-flight football again.

"Someone said to me, 'it looks like the eyes of the world are on the Bundesliga' and I think that was true.

"We were trending in Colombia, Ghana, South Africa and Asia."

'Rollercoaster'

Borussia Dortmund's Norwegian striker Erling Braut Haaland showed he had lost nothing of his power during the months of inaction as he scored the first goal of Saturday's restart in the 4-0 hammering of rivals Schalke.

Pay-per-view broadcaster Sky reported a record audience of six million viewers in Germany for Saturday's matches, after making some available for free. The overall global figure is expected later this week.

With fans across the world currently starved of live football due to the pandemic, the viewing figures recorded for the Dortmund v Schalke match in Mexico, Brazil, Italy and Argentina were far higher than normal.

In the UK, broadcaster BT Sports had a peak figure of 652,000 for that same match — a respectable figure when compared with the channel's best-ever Premier League audience of 1.7 million for a Liverpool v Arsenal match in December 2018.

Klein described the last few weeks as "exhilarating, challenging... a rollercoaster" as the league got its highly detailed restart plans approved by the German government.

There were, however, a few glitches on Saturday.

Markus Soeder, the leader of the state of Bavaria, criticised Hertha Berlin's players for hugging to celebrate goals in their 3-0 win at Hoffenheim.

Players also embraced and shook hands in some other matches, breaching hygiene guidelines which the clubs have agreed to.

The German Football League say those concerned will not be sanctioned, but Klein said the message will be reinforced.

"In the hygiene concept, there is a guideline to celebrate within the social distancing norms," Klein said.

"One can imagine" he added, that in the heat of the moment, for example "a goal being scored, that maybe sometimes they will get closer.

"I think the guidelines were generally well respected at the weekend.

"They are there for the clubs to implement. I am speaking to the clubs day in, day out to remind them of what needs to be done so we have the right to go to a second or third matchday."

Following league leaders Bayern Munich's 2-0 win at Union Berlin on Sunday, Thomas Mueller reminded his fellow pros of their duty as role models: "I think we are now more strictly under observation than the rest of Germany."

'Happy to share'

The sight of elbow-bump celebrations, substitutes wearing face masks on the bench and hearing players' calls echoing around empty terraces will take some getting used to.

"I think it will be the new normal for a while, until the end of the season it will be without fans and it's possible that will go into next season," said Klein.

"Until COVID is seriously under control — and that will probably only be when a vaccine comes — it will continue to be the case."

The Dutch league, which already curtailed its 2019-2020 season, wants to follow the Bundesliga's restart blueprint for next season.

The head of the Spanish league has also described Germany as "an example to follow" and Klein says the Bundesliga is happy to help other professional leagues.

"We're happy to share not only the medical protocol, but also the wider work in being able to get the support of local authorities and government to implement it," said Klein.

"It's a holistic approach which is required and without all parties coming to the table, it's not possible."

AMMAN — The Jordan Rugby Committee, Qatar Rugby Federation and Turkish Rugby Federation have been welcomed as World Rugby associate members, bringing the number of national unions in membership to 127, according to a statement from World Rugby.

On a historic day when Uruguay attended its first Council meeting, World Rugby’s supreme decision-making body approved the recommendation of the Executive and Regional Committees to accept the three unions as associate members, after each demonstrated the necessary governance criteria.

Turkey has a growing rugby following with the latest Nielsen fan-sizing research demonstrating more than nine million people are either interested or very interested in the sport.

Jordan and Qatar have been making strides in Asia. Qatar’s first rugby club was first established in 1974 with international representation coming in 2006.

Jordan has a thriving women’s game and the men’s team made their international 15s debut in 2010. Jordan also holds the record for the lowest-ever rugby match, played at 400 metres below sea level.

His Highness Prince Mired, president of the Jordan Rugby Committee, said: “On behalf of the Jordan Rugby community, I would like to thank all members of World Rugby for electing Jordan Rugby as an associate member. It is a very important step in the development of rugby in Jordan and a deserved reward after the tremendous efforts made over the last 10 years by everyone involved in this great game.”

Asia Rugby President Qais Al Dhalai said ” It has been a privilege to support Jordan Rugby in developing the game. Jordan Rugby’s success is a great example of a Regional Association and a union working together as a team. The efforts of the dedicated men and women in Jordan Rugby has paid off! The whole of Asia Rugby celebrates with Jordan Rugby.”

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “As part of our continuing commitment to grow and diversify the global game we are delighted to welcome Jordan, Qatar and Turkey as associate members of World Rugby, three unions who have an exciting rugby appetite and potential.

“Being part of the rugby family will accelerate rugby’s growth in these countries by providing them with continuous support and a solid framework to develop the three unions in a sustainable and efficient way.”

Qatar Rugby Federation President Yousef Al Kuwari said: “On behalf of the Qatar Rugby Federation and all rugby players and fans in the country, we are pleased and honoured to become an associate member of World Rugby. With 40 years of rugby in Qatar, this recognition will support the game’s growth in our country and hopefully improve our competitiveness on the international stage.”

Dhalai said: “It has been a privilege to work with Qatar Rugby’s development team for the last few years. It is encouraging to see the progress made in a short period of time. We would be delighted to support QRF further in the years to come.”

Turkish Rugby Federation President Murat Pazan said: "On behalf of the Turkish Rugby Federation, I would like to thank World Rugby and Rugby Europe for all of their support, trust and guidance. We are honoured to become associate member and to be a part of the World Rugby family. It will be a huge boost to Turkish rugby's development, which we have been dreaming of and working for a very long time. This important milestone achieved, we would like to thank everyone who helped us on this journey."

BERLIN — The Bundesliga on Saturday became the first major European football league to return to action since the coronavirus lockdown, with teams playing in empty, echoing stadiums.

In the standout match of the day, Borussia Dortmund hosted Schalke 04 in the Ruhr derby in the cavernous Signal Iduna Park, which would normally have been packed with 82,000 spectators.

Instead no more than 300 people were in the stadium and the only sound when Norwegian forward Erling Braut Haaland scored the opening goal for Dortmund in the first half was the players' voices.

Professional football returned to western Europe earlier in the day as the second-tier Bundesliga 2 resumed with four matches.

South Korean Lee Jae-Sung scored the first league goal in over two months when he gave Holstein Kiel a third-minute lead at Regensburg.

In order to get the political green light to resume, the German Football League (DFL) has tested players and coaches regularly for the virus and teams have been in quarantine for the past week.

Players and staff must follow stringent hygiene guidelines. 

Teams arrived at stadiums in several buses in order to meet social distancing requirements inside the vehicles. Once play began, players were banned from shaking hands or embracing to celebrate goals.

Although Germany has suffered far fewer deaths from coronavirus than other large European countries, it is still too dangerous for crowds to return.

On Sunday, Bayern Munich will resume their quest for an eighth successive Bundesliga title when they play in the capital against Union Berlin.

Bayern were four points clear at the top of the table when the season was suspended in March with Dortmund leading the chasing pack.

Mass testing

The DFL has made no secret of the fact that several clubs are already in a dire financial situation as a result of the lockdown.

If they are able to complete the nine remaining rounds of matches by June 30, clubs could receive around 300 million euros ($324 million) in money from television contracts.

Clubs in England, Spain and Italy, where leagues are weeks away from returning to action, will be watching to see how the weekend's games go.

The Bundesliga is expecting millions of extra fans to watch television coverage worldwide, with particular interest in football-mad Brazil and Mexico.

But in Germany, there are concerns that fans will try to approach stadiums to support their teams from afar. Police in Dortmund appealed to fans to stay at home.

"The whole world will be looking at Germany, to see how we get it done," Bayern coach Hansi Flick said.

"If we manage to ensure that the season continues, it will send a signal to all leagues."

Some have already fallen foul of the rules.

Augsburg's new coach Heiko Herrlich has ruled himself out of Saturday's match against Wolfsburg after leaving the team hotel to buy toothpaste.

"I made a mistake," Herrlich said. "I did not live up to my function as a role model for my team and the public."

While Herrlich was criticised, there was sympathy for Union Berlin coach Urs Fischer after he broke quarantine following a family bereavement.

It means he must miss his side's clash with Bayern.

"All our sympathy goes to the Fischer family in this difficult time," said Union president Dirk Zingler.

Ex-Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou, 34, has been suspended by Hertha Berlin for shaking hands with team-mates.

Bavaria's state leader Markus Soeder warned that those who fail to follow the regulations should expect consequences.

"If the health experts have given you these suggestions, if the league itself has worked out concepts at great expense, then you have to abide by these rules," Soeder said Friday.

The coronavirus has claimed over 7,800 lives in Germany and a poll by broadcaster ARD showed 56 per cent of the German public are opposed to football's return.

But Aleksander Ceferin, the president of European football's governing body UEFA, said the return to action was a "good sign".

"It's not just about football. People are depressed because of the lockdown and the uncertainty. Football brings a certain normality and positive energy. It makes it easier to be at home, when you can watch sport," he told Bein Sport.

BERLIN — Borussia Dortmund's young stars Erling Braut Haaland and Jadon Sancho will be hunting more goals on Saturday in "the most unusual derby in history" against Schalke as the German Bundesliga returns behind locked doors.

Dortmund usually expect 82,000 spectators at Signal Iduna Park for a home derby, but the stadium will be near-empty with only a handful of media and officials admitted.

Even national team coach Joachim Loew will not be allowed in to watch his Germany players live on their return to action.

"It will be the most unusual derby in history," former Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl told German daily Welt.

Normally, a home derby against Schalke comes alive "through the fans, from their emotions, from the enthusiasm in the stadium," Kehl added.

Dortmund are looking to close the four-point gap behind leaders Bayern Munich, who visit Union Berlin on Sunday.

However, Dortmund's iconic south stand, dubbed "The Yellow Wall" and normally packed with 25,000 passionate fans will — like the rest of the stadium — stand empty. "The players will miss the chance for extra motivation by the fans and the atmosphere," admitted Kehl.

While league action in England, Spain and Italy is still at least a month away, the German Football League has drawn up detailed hygiene guidelines to restart.

The Bundesliga is set to become the first top European league to return during the pandemic, which has so far claimed around 7,900 lives in Germany.

At games around the country, substitutes will wear masks, goal celebrations will be replaced by elbow taps while handshakes and hugs before kick-off are a no-go.

"A lot of things will start from scratch on Saturday," Dortmund winger Julian Brandt told Sky.

"There will be no real advantages and disadvantages to playing home or away.

"In the end, it depends on who best accepts this situation and can best deal with it."

The pressure is on Haaland, 19, and Sancho, 20, to continue their goal-rich partnership, despite the empty terraces, and steer injury-depleted Dortmund to victory. 

Midfield enforcers Emre Can and Axel Witsel are out with muscle strains, while playmaker Marco Reus is recovering from a groin problem.

Haaland was in stunning form when the league was suspended in mid-March with nine goals in eight Bundesliga appearances since joining from Salzburg.

Sancho also terrorised defences with 14 goals and 16 assists in 23 league games. 

At third-placed RB Leipzig, Germany striker Timo Werner is aiming to move closer to his goal target for the season against Freiburg on Saturday.

"Not many players my age have scored 20 goals in a season once and I've done it twice," said the 24-year-old Werner who has netted 21 times this term. "I'd like to score 30 in a season."

Julian Nagelsmann's Leipzig trail leaders Bayern by five points following draws against Leverkusen and Wolfsburg before matches were halted due to the virus outbreak.

One to watch: Robert Lewandowski

The league's top scorer is back from injury and looking to add to his 25 goals this season on Sunday against Union in Berlin.

With nine games left, the 31-year-old Poland international is set to beat his previous best haul of 30 league goals, achieved in both 2015/16 and 2016/17.

It will also be worth watching Bayern's Canadian teen Alphonso Davies, 19, who has extended his contract until 2025 after several impressive displays at left-back.

SEOUL — Leading professional golfers will return to competitive action for the first time in months after the coronavirus shutdown when three of the world's top 10 women tee off in South Korea on Thursday.

The domestic showpiece KLPGA Championship will follow the country's football and baseball leagues in starting behind closed doors at the Lakewood Country Club in Yangju, northeast of Seoul.

World No. 3 Park Sung-hyun, sixth-ranked Kim Sei-young and No. 10 Lee Jeong-eun will be in a 150-strong field chasing the $180,000 winner's cheque from a tournament purse of $2.5 million, the highest in the event's 42-year history. 

South Korea — which endured one of the worst early outbreaks of the disease outside mainland China — has brought COVID-19 under control with a widespread "trace, test and treat" programme, and has begun to resume professional sport.

South Korean players dominate women's golf and the US-based LPGA Tour, with three golfers ranked in the world's top six and eight players in the top 20.

Two-time major-winner Park, Kim, a nine-time winner on the LPGA Tour, and current US Open champion Lee were already back home in the country when the virus lockdown began.

They had returned after the LPGA season was suspended in February because of the pandemic following the Australian Open, which was won by another Korean, the World No. 11 Park In-bee.

No chatting at lunch

No spectators will be allowed inside Lakewood Country Club and strict protocols will be in place to guard against the risk of infection.

Playing without the fans is a "pity", said the sixth-ranked Kim. 

"Usually a lot of fans show up, more here in Korea than in the US," she said. "But I'm thankful for just even being able to play." 

All players and staff will have their temperature checked before entering the venue and all support personnel must wear face masks at all times. 

Players turning up for practice rounds on Wednesday were required to wear masks before and after play.

Some opted to don one on the course, where they were kept at least two metres from their competitors and were careful to keep contact with caddies to a minimum.

Media covering the tournament are restricted to two designated areas on the course at the first and 10th tees.

Each player will have to eat meals alone to maintain social distancing, with no caddies or family members allowed to sit at the same table in the players' lounge.

"At lunch all the golfers had to face the same direction while eating" without chatting, said Park Sung-hyun. "All of this was quite new". 

Only four LPGA Tour events have been completed this year — the last in Adelaide on February 16 — and the tour has outlined plans to resume in mid-July in Michigan.

The men's US PGA Tour, which came to a juddering halt when the Players Championship was abandoned after the first round in March, has pencilled in a restart behind closed doors at the Charles Schwab Challenge beginning June 11 at Fort Worth, Texas. 

With sports fans around the world starved of live action overseas broadcasters have shown unprecedented interest in South Korea's normally low-profile domestic competitions.

A KLPGA spokesman said the tournament has drawn "global attention", adding US network CBS was in negotiations for broadcast rights.

Lee Jeong-eun, the World No. 10, said: "I'm sure everyone is having a hard time and exhausted because of the coronavirus outbreak. I hope people will cheer up watching us play."

PARIS/LONDON — There were no celebratory hugs and trainers and jockeys wore masks as French racing resumed under the shadow of coronavirus at the fabled Longchamp racecourse on Monday.

While France's Ligue 1 football and Top 14 rugby leagues have been cancelled until September, racing benefitted from being quixotically labelled an agricultural pursuit.

It restarted only after reported last minute lobbying persuaded President Emmanuel Macron to give it the go-ahead.

However, strict rules were laid down including being held behind closed doors, a far cry from the near 50,000 crowd that greeted Waldgeist, the winner of Europe's most prestigious race the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, last October.

Longchamp put on a 10-race card with several Group races whilst there were also meetings at Toulouse, Compiegne and a trotting fixture as well.

Their example will have been watched closely by British racing authorities who on Monday inked in a possible return on June 1. Another racing powerhouse, Ireland, has tentatively mooted June 29.

Leading French trainer Nicolas Clement said sacrifices had been made but his initial reaction was positive.

"It was encouraging, the French Jockey club (France Galop) have pushed the boat out by getting it up and running," he told AFP by phone from his stables in Chantilly.

"It is for less prize money but you take what they give you considering the circumstances with people dying and other sports suspended or cancelled we are very fortunate."

Clement, who burst onto the scene with Saumarez winning the Arc in 1990, said the scene in the paddock would take some getting used to.

"It is very drastic with masks on the jockeys, the grooms and trainers," he said.

"It is an odd scene like walking into a hospital but it is just the way it is.

"No celebration when you win no hugging the jockey, the owner is not even there it is just one horse and one person aside from the trainer.

"We will make it work."

Much-needed boost

Even the people allowed in are encouraged not to dally too long with a government official Clement says checking the list to make a note of how long they have been on the complex.

Clement is supportive of the agreed drop in prize money across the board — beginning with a 40 per cent decrease at Group One level — saying hopefully it will be back to normal next year.

"There is huge solidarity in very special circumstances," he said. 

"It is a troubled year we will be running racing at a loss because of a fall in the betting revenue.

"Not all PMU (state operated betting) shops are open only those which sell tobacco so hopefully the government will relax those rules too and they will open. 

"Online betting generally accounts for 10-15 per cent of overall bets and one would hope more people will begin to bet online.

"The problem is the older generation barely know how to use a computer."

Crowds could return towards the end of August but as Clement dryly remarked about the decline in popularity of the sport "we barely get over 5,000 on a regular basis".

He is more concerned by owners not being able to attend.

"July 5 is when we run both the Derby and the Oaks on the same day and I am worried for the owners as going racing is part of the joy," he said.

Clement's hopes for more online betting will have been boosted by British operator Fitzdares.

The firm's CEO William Woodhams told AFP it had been a much-needed breath of fresh air for them.

"It is less than 10 per cent of our normal racing but probably 30 per cent of international racing," he said.

"However, yesterday it was 95 per cent — which included Japan/USA/Australia racing.

"It helped having a horse that ran in the Arc and to see some recognised trainers' names.

"But we even had £5,000 ($6,200) bets on the jumps in Compiegne."

"I wish bars were open, so a Frenchman could see French racing on the TV and maybe a Cockney toasting the racing with a pastis!" 

MADRID — The president of Spain's La Liga on Sunday said he hopes the tournament can resume on June 12 but that their hands are tied by government health policy.

Javier Tebas was speaking just hours after five players from Spain's top two leagues had tested positive for coronavirus.

He then confirmed that three non-playing staff had also tested positive.

"I would like it [the season resuming] to be June 12, but it will depend on the numbers," Tebas told Movistar.

"In the end it will be up to the health authorities. They explain what can be done. We do not rush, we are not the ones who decide the phases."

Despite Sunday's announcement of more positive tests, Tebas insisted Spain was on the right track for a speedy resumption of the sport.

"It is less than we expected. We expected 25 or 30, according to the numbers seen in the Bundesliga and the potency of the virus in Spain.

"Out of 2,500 individuals only eight positives. And the players already are in the final phase of the disease and this week they will be tested again."

Tebas added that when the competition restarts, players will be tested 24 hours beforehand.

"In the match environment, infection is practically impossible because we have carried out a study that we will present that shows the smallest risk is in matches if everyone respects the medical protocol.

"If things are done as they should be, there shouldn't be any infections. If five infected appear in one club, it would suggest some negligence."

Players in Spain's top-flight and Segunda division were allowed to carry out individual work at training grounds last week.

The move was the beginning of a staggered training programme with the aim to restart competitive games in the middle of June.

La Liga insist identifying infected players through positive tests are part of that plan.

The five players, who have not been officially named, will now be quarantined at home and tested again "in the next few days".

They will be allowed to rejoin their club's training programme only after obtaining two consecutive negative test results.

La Liga's training plan includes players initially carrying out work individually before then expanding into small groups and finally taking part in larger team sessions.

Barcelona's players were back for their first session on Friday while Real Madrid's will return on Monday.

The medical protocol for training is strict and includes players arriving already changed and at specific times to avoid contact with others.

They wear masks and gloves, and have their temperatures taken before entering the premises. At the end of training, they take away a bag of fresh kit for the next day and shower at home.

Last week, Leganes coach Javier Aguirre said he had been told that the proposed date to resume is June 20.

That could correspond with the Spanish government's de-escalation programme, which includes outside events being allowed to go ahead in their fourth and final phase, as long as they are attended by fewer than 400 people.

Football matches are expected to be staged behind closed doors for several months.

Tebas said "it is not an option" to cancel the top flight given he estimates the economic fallout would cost clubs around a billion euros ($1.08 billion).

But the third and fourth tiers in Spain will not complete their seasons, as confirmed by the Spanish football federation on Wednesday. Instead, promotions will be decided through play-offs and there will be no relegations.

PARIS — French tennis chief Bernard Guidicelli admitted Sunday that Roland Garros, already controversially pushed back four months due to the coronavirus, could be staged behind closed doors.

Guidicelli, who said that the French federation (FFT) had "no regrets" over its unilateral decision to move the clay court Grand Slam from May 24-June 7 to September 20-October 4, insisted all options remain on the table.

"We haven't ruled out any option. Roland Garros is first and foremost a story of matches and players," he told the Journal du Dimanche.

"There is the tournament taking place in the stadium, and the tournament on TV screens.

"Millions of viewers around the world are waiting. Organising it behind closed doors would allow part of the business model — television rights [which account for more than a third of the tournament's revenues] — to go ahead. This cannot be overlooked."

The spread of the coronavirus has halted all tennis since mid-March and will not resume until July 13 at the earliest.

Wimbledon has already been cancelled for the first time since the Second World War.

The US Open, due to take place in New York from August 31-September 13, is also in question with a decision expected in mid-June.

Close to 500,000 fans regularly attend Roland Garros every year.

However, an indication as to the thinking around the 2020 edition came on Thursday when the FFT decided to reimburse all tickets bought for the original date of the tournament rather than transfer them.

Guidicelli admitted that the start of the rescheduled French Open could even be pushed back a further week to begin on September 27.

That would allow a two-week break between the US Open and Roland Garros.

"I have regular discussions with Andrea Gaudenzi [president of the ATP], Steve Simon [president of the WTA] and David Haggerty [head of the ITF] and another call is planned next week to see how we have progressed.

"We are working well together, but it is still a bit early to precisely determine the schedule."

Guidicelli is adamant that the FFT was right to shift the tournament back by four months with the death toll from the coronavirus in France standing at 26,310 by Saturday night.

"Roland Garros is the driving force of tennis in France, it is what feeds the players in our ecosystem [260 million euros in revenue, or 80 per cent of the turnover of the FFT]," added Guidicelli, describing himself as the "good father".

"We think of them first, protecting them. We made a courageous choice and today, no one regrets it."

"A tournament without a date is a boat without a rudder — we don't know where we're going.

"We positioned ourselves as far in the calendar as possible, anxious not to harm major events, so that no Masters 1000 or any Grand Slam would be affected. The turn of events seems to have proved us right."

LONDON — Australia's Daniel Ricciardo anticipates "chaos", "rust" and "adrenaline" should the 2020 Formula One season start at last.

The global spread of the coronavirus has already led to 10 races, of what was to have been a record 22-event championship, being either cancelled or postponed.

Officials at the FIA, motorsport's world governing body, are hoping to launch the season behind closed doors in Austria on July 5.

"[It will be] some form of chaos, hopefully in a controlled manner," the Renault driver told BBC Radio Five Live.

"I am not really referencing cars everywhere. But there is going to be so much rust, a combination of emotion, excitement, eagerness."

Ricciardo, waiting out the crisis on his farm near Perth, Western Australia, believes a dramatic season-opener is in prospect at the Red Bull Ring.

"Everyone is going to be ready to go," he said. "You are going to get some guys who perform on that level of adrenaline and others who might not.

"So you're going to get some bold overtakes, some miscalculated ones.

"You're going to see a bit of everything, I'm sure."

Even though the pandemic means it has been several months since Ricciardo was on a race track, the 30-year-old believes his experience of eight full seasons of Grand Prix racing means he will be in the right physical condition should the 2020 campaign finally get underway.

"If this was my first year or two in F1, if I was still not completely adapted to it, my answer would be yes [it would take me time to get used to driving again]," he said.

"But winter testing is normally a good reference point. My first few winter testings, day one always felt like a bit of a shock to the system again. And the further my career has gone on, the less of a shock that has been.

"The rookies, the first-year, second-year guys, will feel it a little bit more."