In a bid to contain the spread of the virus, competitions have steadily been halted over recent weeks.
Each of Europe's top five football leagues are off, along with the Champions League, while the NBA came to a sudden stop on Wednesday.
Motorsport was hit as Formula One's Australian Grand Prix was postponed, while cricket, tennis, golf, hockey and, initially to a lesser extent, rugby all also took stock.
In a peculiar period with a vastly reduced sporting schedule, a number of stars were therefore left to make alternative plans.
Reigning NBA MVP and leading 2019-20 candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo did not last long before he commented on the boredom he was enduring in the absence of basketball.
The Greek Freak posted on Twitter late on Friday: "If this is how my life is going to be after basketball, I'm not retiring for a long time. #25yearCareer"
Antetokounmpo tagged his girlfriend Mariah Riddlesprigger, who replied: "You will literally drive me crazy so the longer the better."
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was revelling in some family time, however, marking Friday 13 by watching a horror movie.
James then filmed his children as they performed a dance for their TikTok accounts, which their famous father promoted on his Instagram story.
F1 champion Lewis Hamilton found a different way to spend his time as the start of the new season was delayed, meanwhile.
"Gutted to not be qualifying today," he wrote on Saturday. "I decided to stick around Melbourne and go indoor rock climbing. It's a great way for me to keep focused."
Hamilton may not have been out on the track, but European Tour golfer Matthias Schwab was – virtually.
The Austrian shared a clip as he multi-tasked, playing a motorsport videogame while keeping fit on his exercise bike.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid had been due to take to the field on Friday before LaLiga went into lockdown, but Sergio Ramos entertained himself and his family.
The Madrid captain uploaded an image to his Instagram story of he and two of his children sporting matching hairstyles.
Ramos added two hashtags, reading, "I stay at home," "We stay at home".
Inter's on-loan Manchester United striker Alexis Sanchez was among the other players left to train at home, and he called his dogs in to help.
The Chile international posted a video, set to Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Want To Have Fun, as he juggled a ball with his dogs in pursuit.
LaLiga has been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has wreaked havoc globally – killing more than 283,500 people and bringing sport to a standstill.
A mid-June resumption has been touted for the 2019-20 campaign in Spain, where Barca topped the table ahead of Madrid through 27 matches.
Ramos is raring to go, telling Movistar: "Getting going needs time, the country needs football as an economic support and the people need it as a distraction.
"I'm dying to compete again, for LaLiga Santander to be normal again, we have to be disciplined so that we can eliminate this virus.
"I want to send a message of support to everyone who has lost a loved one, we'll get through this and we have to come together."
Germany's Bundesliga will restart on May 16 and as LaLiga teams return via individual training sessions while adhering social-distancing measures, Ramos added: "We have to go to Valdebebas in divided zones and following the rules, it's a bit abnormal and complicated but the situation requires it.
"It will be LaLiga who take decisions, Germany has set the example we have to follow.
"We like being with our families but we have to be flexible too."
Madrid were two points behind defending champions Barca with 11 matches remaining when the season was suspended due to coronavirus.
"I know the schedule of both teams perfectly," Ramos said when asked about Madrid trying to overhaul Barca.
"Without fans, making a prediction is a bit brave. Our objective is to be champions."
The Portuguese only took over in June but his side are eighth in the Premier League with five losses already.
Spurs were humbled 3-0 at home by under-pressure Manchester United on Saturday.
Supporters made their feelings known at full-time as boos rung out around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
TOP STORY – SPURS READY TO REPLACE NUNO
Tuttomercato claims that Tottenham are working on a deal to have ex-Inter boss Antonio Conte replace Nuno Espirito Santo as manager.
Football Insider also reports that Spurs will sack Nuno this week, with Ryan Mason to be installed as their interim boss again.
The Standard claims that Porto head coach Sergio Conceicao is also under consideration for the job.
ROUND-UP
- Le Parisien reports that Paris Saint-Germain could sensationally walk away from their contract with off-season signing Sergio Ramos, who is yet to debut for the club due to ongoing injury issues from his time at Real Madrid. PSG are said to believe they were misled about his injury status.
- Barcelona are interested in a loan deal for Manchester United's wantaway Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek, reports Sport.
- Real Madrid are considering moves for Manchester United's Paul Pogba and Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger, claims Marca.
- Theo Hernandez will ignore Manchester City 's advances and pen a new deal with Milan, reports Calciomercato.
- Tuttosport reports hot property Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic wants to join Juventus amid interest from Tottenham, among others.
The veteran Paris Saint-Germain defender is La Roja's all-time leading appearance maker with 180 caps, while he was part of the 2010 World Cup-winning side as well as the European Championship triumphs in 2008 and 2012.
However, the 36-year-old, who has played 27 times for PSG this season, has not featured for his country since the 3-1 victory over Kosovo in March 2021, subsequently missing Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.
Nevertheless, De La Fuente has left the door open for the centre-half ahead of his first match in charge of La Roja against Norway in their Euro 2024 qualifier in March.
Speaking during an appearance on Spanish show El Hormiguero, he said: "Sergio Ramos, like other illustrious veterans, has every chance to come.
"Making a selection is a very long process. First, we started by controlling all the Spanish players, then we reduced it to 70 or 80 players, which is six or seven players per position, and then we reduce it more.
"Of course in a first idea, both Sergio Ramos and Iago Aspas or other Spanish footballers who are very good and are on the lips of all fans have possibilities to come.
"However, that does not mean that they will come, because there are other players also very good, and you have to value many aspects – in addition to football – when making a call."
It is a month since De La Fuente succeeded Luis Enrique following Spain's World Cup last-16 exit to Morocco, and the 61-year-old admitted he was shocked by the acceleration of his appointment.
"I didn't expect it. It was very fast, because once the World Cup was over, I thought Luis Enrique was going to continue," he added.
"But there was a call from Luis Rubiales [Royal Spanish Football Federation president] in which he told me that he wanted me to be the coach and I told him that of course, because I feel strong and prepared for it.
"But I really did not think that this decision was going to be made so quickly, nor did I think that Luis Enrique was going to leave the national team. But in the end, the circumstance occurred and here I am."
