"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-05-23T11:08:56Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2021/05/06/kimie-bessho-paralympics-tokyo-2020-table-tennis-profile-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="kimie bessho paralympics tokyo 2020 table tennis profile spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="kimie bessho paralympics tokyo 2020 table tennis profile spt intl"
data-video-tags="2020 tokyo olympics,asia,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,cancer,continents and regions,diseases and disorders,east asia,health and medical,health care,japan,medical devices and equipment,medical treatments and procedures,olympics,sports and recreation,sports events,summer olympics,surgery,table tennis,tokyo"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Kimie Bessho: The Butterfly Lady of Paralympic table tennis
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-05-28T14:13:45Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2021/05/28/tokyo-plows-ahead-with-olympics-ioc-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="tokyo plows ahead with olympics ioc spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="tokyo plows ahead with olympics ioc spt intl"
data-video-tags="2020 tokyo olympics,asia,athletes,continents and regions,coronavirus,diseases and disorders,east asia,health and medical,infectious diseases,international olympic committee,japan,life forms,microscopic life,olympics,sports and recreation,sports events,sports organizations and teams,summer olympics,tokyo,viruses"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-05-26T13:24:31Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2021/05/26/asahi-shimbun-calls-for-olympics-cancellation-tokyo-2020-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="asahi shimbun calls for olympics cancellation tokyo 2020 spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="asahi shimbun calls for olympics cancellation tokyo 2020 spt intl"
data-video-tags="asia,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,continents and regions,diseases and disorders,east asia,epidemics and outbreaks,health and medical,infectious diseases,japan,journalism and news media,media industry,newspapers,olympics,public health,publishing industry,sports events"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
This Japanese newspaper is sponsoring the Olympics. Its editors want the event canceled
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-01-30T10:12:59Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2021/01/28/sofia-kenin-australian-open-title-defense-2021-fans-tennis-quarantine-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="sofia kenin australian open title defense 2021 fans tennis quarantine spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="sofia kenin australian open title defense 2021 fans tennis quarantine spt intl"
data-video-tags="sofia kenin,sports and recreation,tennis,professional tennis,women's professional tennis,sports events,tennis events,grand slam tournaments,australian open,hotels and motels,lodging,travel and tourism"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Sofia Kenin: 2020 Australian Open champion opens up
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-01-22T10:02:07Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2021/01/22/tokyo-olympics-cancellation-rumors-games-on-for-now-japan-determination-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="tokyo olympics cancellation rumors games on for now japan determination spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="tokyo olympics cancellation rumors games on for now japan determination spt intl"
data-video-tags="2020 tokyo olympics,asia,continents and regions,east asia,japan,olympics,sports events,summer olympics,tokyo"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Japan determined to hold Tokyo Olympics despite cancellation rumors
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-01-26T19:47:12Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2021/01/26/rafael-nadal-australian-open-2021-privileged-roger-federer-grand-slams-tennis-amanpour-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key="amanpour"
data-video-slug="rafael nadal australian open 2021 privileged roger federer grand slams tennis amanpour spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="rafael nadal australian open 2021 privileged roger federer grand slams tennis amanpour spt intl"
data-video-tags="australian open,communicable disease control,grand slam tournaments,health and medical,isolation and quarantine,professional tennis,public health,rafael nadal,sports and recreation,sports events,sports figures,tennis,tennis events,roger federer"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Rafael Nadal calls for 'wider perspective' from players ahead of Australian Open
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2021-01-04T14:48:17Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2021/01/04/tokyo-state-of-emergency-olympics-2021-japan-covid-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="tokyo state of emergency olympics 2021 japan covid spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="tokyo state of emergency olympics 2021 japan covid spt intl"
data-video-tags="2020 tokyo olympics,asia,continents and regions,diseases and disorders,east asia,epidemics and outbreaks,health and medical,infectious diseases,japan,olympics,political figures - intl,public health,sports events,summer olympics,tokyo,yoshihide suga,coronavirus,life forms,microscopic life,seasons of the year,summer (season),viruses"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Tokyo considers State of Emergency amid Olympics preparations
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2020-11-16T10:48:31Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2020/11/16/olympics-test-run-tokyo-2020-gymnastics-us-japan-russia-china-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="olympics test run tokyo 2020 gymnastics us japan russia china spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="olympics test run tokyo 2020 gymnastics us japan russia china spt intl"
data-video-tags="2020 tokyo olympics,coronavirus pandemic,health and medical,diseases and disorders,infectious diseases,coronavirus,sports and recreation,gymnastics,sports events,olympics,sports organizations and teams,usa gymnastics,asia,continents and regions,east asia,epidemics and outbreaks,japan,life forms,microscopic life,public health,summer olympics,tokyo,viruses"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2020-11-12T14:18:41Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2020/11/12/japan-covid-19-third-wave-olympic-games-tokyo-2020-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="japan covid 19 third wave olympic games tokyo 2020 spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="japan covid 19 third wave olympic games tokyo 2020 spt intl"
data-video-tags="asia,continents and regions,coronavirus,diseases and disorders,east asia,health and medical,infectious diseases,japan,life forms,microscopic life,olympics,sports events,viruses"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Third wave of Covid-19 looms in Japan as country preps for Olympic games
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2020-10-30T10:00:15Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2020/10/30/worlds-2020-league-of-legends-jensen-quarantine-mad-lions-team-liquid-esports-spt-intl-lon-orig-cmd.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="worlds 2020 league of legends jensen quarantine mad lions team liquid esports spt intl lon orig cmd"
data-first-publish-slug="worlds 2020 league of legends jensen quarantine mad lions team liquid esports spt intl lon orig cmd"
data-video-tags="asia,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,china,communicable disease control,computer science and information technology,continents and regions,east asia,east china,health and medical,isolation and quarantine,public health,shanghai,software and applications,technology,video games"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
How I quarantined for two weeks to play video games for 100M people
The highly-anticipated UFC 249 will not happen on April 18 as previously scheduled after UFC president Dana White said he was told to “stand down.”
The venue of the fight needed to be moved from its original location in New York, USA because of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking to ESPN, White said that the “powers that be” at pay-per-view broadcast partner ESPN and parent company Disney expressed their concerns about the fight going ahead.
“Today, we got a call from the highest level you can go at Disney, and the highest level of ESPN … and the powers that be there asked me to stand down and not do this event next Saturday,” White said.
White attends the press conference after the UFC Fight Night event at Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre.
Zhe Ji/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Originally, White had thought that after UFC 249, fight nights could proceed as scheduled at the secure location – he said on Monday he was close to acquiring a “private island” to hold the events.
But on Thursday, White announced that all other UFC events have been postponed indefinitely, calling the whole process a “battle.”
“While the organization was fully prepared to proceed with UFC 249, ESPN has requested the postponement of the event and subsequent bouts until further notice in light of the Covid-19 pandemic,” a UFC spokesperson said in a statement to CNN on Thursday.
“UFC looks forward to resuming the full live events schedule as soon as possible.”
In a statement to CNN, ESPN said: “Nobody wants to see sports return more than we do, but we didn’t feel this was the right time for a variety of reasons. ESPN expressed its concerns to the UFC and they understood.”
The postponement follows the announcement that one of the fighters in the co-main event – Rose Namajunas – pulled out because two of her family members passed away related to the coronavirus, according to her manager Brian Butler.
Namajunas, ranked second in the strawweight division, had been scheduled to fight Jessica Andrade for a rematch.
“Namajunas withdrew from UFC 249 due to 2 deaths in the family related to the Coronavirus,” Butler said in a statement. “Her hopes are to return to the Octagon as soon as possible but for now we ask for people to respect their privacy during this time.”
After much searching, UFC 249 was moved to Tachi Palace Casino Resort near Fresno, California.
Situated on tribal lands, The California State Athletic Commission’s ban on all combat sporting events through May 31 did not apply.
But on Thursday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement that she was “concerned” about the event taking place.
“I’m concerned by reports that Ultimate Fighting Championship plans to hold a pay-per-view event in California, in defiance of the state’s shelter-in-place order,” Feinstein said. “This event would involve dozens of individuals flying to California and driving to a casino for a purpose no one can honestly claim is essential.
“I understand this event is scheduled to take place on tribal land and therefore is not subject to state law. However, at best this event ties up medical resources and sends a message that shelter-in-place orders can be flouted. At worst, participants and support staff could carry the virus back to their home communities and increase its spread.”
White said he appreciated the venue owners “standing with me through this thing.”
White speaks with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Isaac Brekken/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
“The Tachi Palace in California, the Indian reservation, has had our back this whole time, has stood their ground and was willing to do this fight. And let me tell you this: When the world gets back to normal, California, that [fight] will be at Tachi Palace.”
The main fight of UFC 249 was supposed to see the undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defend his title against top contender Tony Ferguson.
