Start of NPB season in doubt, Olympic qualifier postponed over coronavirus fears

Nippon Professional Baseball commissioner Atsushi Saito said Monday that the start of the new season is in doubt as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, according to Yuri Kageyama of The Associated Press.

Saito said exhibition games are being played in empty stadiums to protect fans, players, and coaches. The regular season is set to begin March 20 in Japan.

"That is the difficult part," Saito said. "At this point, we still can't say what action we will take under what conditions."

The NPB and the country's soccer leagues appointed three medical experts as advisers to help with the situation, Kageyama reports.

Meanwhile, an Olympic qualifying baseball tournament held in Taiwan was postponed from April to June due to concerns over the virus, according to The Associated Press.