REUTERS SPORTS SCHEDULE AT 2 p.m. GMT/9 a.m. ET

22 Jan 2021 / 22:03 H.

Here are the top sports stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 2 p.m. GMT/9 a.m. ET. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning.

TOP STORIES

OLYMPICS-2020-CANCELLATION/

Japan and IOC deny that Olympics will be cancelled

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and the IOC stood firm on Friday on their commitment to host the Tokyo Olympics this year and denied a report of a possible cancellation but the pledge looks unlikely to ease public concern about holding the event during a pandemic.

SOCCER-FIFA-BLATTER/

FIFA ex-president Blatter was in coma after heart surgery, daughter says

ZURICH (Reuters) - Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter spent a week in an artificially induced coma after heart surgery last month, his daughter has told Swiss media.

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS-TENNIS-AUSOPEN-THI/

Adelaide quarantine no different to Melbourne, says Thiem

World number three Dominic Thiem said there is no great advantage for players self-isolating in Adelaide compared to conditions in Melbourne where the vast majority are serving the 14-day quarantine requirement ahead of the Australian Open.

UPCOMING

BASKETBALL-NBA-CHA-CHI/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Charlotte Hornets v Chicago Bulls

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina

23 Jan 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-CLE-BKN/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers v Brooklyn Nets

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, Ohio

23 Jan 19:30 ET / 00:30 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-DET-HOU/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Detroit Pistons v Houston Rockets

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan

23 Jan 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-IND-ORL/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Indiana Pacers v Orlando Magic

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana

23 Jan 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-LAC-OKC/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Los Angeles Clippers v Oklahoma City Thunder

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

23 Jan 22:00 ET / 03:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-MIN-ATL/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Minnesota Timberwolves v Atlanta Hawks

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

23 Jan 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-PHI-BOS/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Philadelphia 76ers v Boston Celtics

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

23 Jan 19:30 ET / 00:30 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-PHX-DEN/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Phoenix Suns v Denver Nuggets

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - PHX Arena, Phoenix, Arizona

23 Jan 22:00 ET / 03:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-SAC-NYK/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Sacramento Kings v New York Knicks

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California

23 Jan 22:00 ET / 03:00 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-SAS-DAL/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - San Antonio Spurs v Dallas Mavericks

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas

23 Jan 20:30 ET / 01:30 GMT

BASKETBALL-NBA-TOR-MIA/ (PIX)

Basketball - NBA - Toronto Raptors v Miami Heat

2020-21 NBA Season (Regular Season) - Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida

23 Jan 19:30 ET / 00:30 GMT

CRICKET-TEST-LKA-ENG/

Cricket - Second Test - Sri Lanka v England - Day 2

The second day of the second of two tests between Sri Lanka and England at Galle International Stadium.

23 Jan 03:00 ET / 08:00 GMT

FOOTBALL-NFL-KC-BUF/

NFL-Bills bring swagger into clash with defending champion Chiefs

We preview Sunday's AFC Championship Game where the long-suffering Buffalo Bills can move to within one win of a maiden Super Bowl title when they face the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs who could be without their biggest offensive weapon in quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

22 Jan 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

GOLF-EUROPEAN/

Golf - European Tour - Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship

Round one of the HSBC Golf Championship takes place in Abu Dhabi.

Jan 23

GOLF-LAQUINTA/

Golf - PGA Tour - The American Express

Second round of the American Express at the PGA WEST (Stadium) in La Quinta, which is hosted by Phil Mickelson

22 Jan 14:00 ET / 19:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-ANA-COL/ (PIX)

Hockey - NHL - Anaheim Ducks v Colorado Avalanche

2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Honda Center, Anaheim, California

23 Jan 22:00 ET / 03:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-ARI-VGK/ (PIX)

Hockey - NHL - Arizona Coyotes v Vegas Golden Knights

2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Gila River Arena, Glendale, Arizona

23 Jan 21:00 ET / 02:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-CHI-DET/ (PIX)

Hockey - NHL - Chicago Blackhawks v Detroit Red Wings

2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - United Center, Chicago, Illinois

23 Jan 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-DAL-NSH/ (PIX)

Hockey - NHL - Dallas Stars v Nashville Predators

2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

23 Jan 20:30 ET / 01:30 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-MIN-SJS/ (PIX)

Hockey - NHL - Minnesota Wild v San Jose Sharks

2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota

23 Jan 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-PIT-NYR/ (PIX)

Hockey - NHL - Pittsburgh Penguins v New York Rangers

2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

23 Jan 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

ICEHOCKEY-NHL-TOR-EDM/ (PIX)

Hockey - NHL - Toronto Maple Leafs v Edmonton Oilers

2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario

23 Jan 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT ICEHOCKEY-NHL-WSH-BUF/ (PIX)

Hockey - NHL - Washington Capitals v Buffalo Sabres

2020-21 NHL Season (Regular Season) - Capital One Arena, Washington, District of Columbia

23 Jan 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT

MMA-UFC-UFC257/ (TV)

Mixed Martial Arts - UFC 257 - Dustin Poirier v Conor McGregor - Weigh-in

Former two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor and his American opponent, Dustin Poirier, tip the scales ahead of UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi

22 Jan 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

MOTOR-RALLY-MONTECARLO/ (TV)

Rallying - World Rally Championship - Monte Carlo Rally

Day three of the Monte Carlo Rally - the first race of the 2021 season.

23 Jan 03:00 ET / 08:00 GMT

OLYMPICS-2020/SIX-MONTHS-PROTEST (PIX) (TV)

Olympics - Anti-Olympics protesters gather to demonstrate against the Tokyo Games

Dozens of anti-Olympics protesters are expected to gather near the National Stadium to demonstrate against the Tokyo Games as Saturday marks six months until the opening ceremony for the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

23 Jan 04:00 ET / 09:00 GMT

RUGBY-UNION-NATIONS-ENG/

Rugby - Six Nations Championship - England squad announcement

England head coach Eddie Jones holds a news conference as he announces his squad for the Six Nations

22 Jan 11:30 ET / 16:30 GMT

RUGBY-UNION-ZAF/

Rugby - Currie Cup - Bulls vs Lions

The Bulls and the Lions meet in a derby at Loftus Versfeld in the first of the Currie Cup semi-finals, with the winner to go on and play either Western Province or the Sharks in the final on Jan. 30.

23 Jan 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT

SAILING-AMERICASCUP/ (TV)

Sailing - America's Cup Challenger Series

Action from the round robin races of the Prada Cup, the challenger series for the America's Cup, which is raced on Waitemata Harbour in Auckland.

23 Jan 21:15 ET / 02:15 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-CHR-WLV/REPORT (PIX)

Soccer - England - FA Cup - Chorley v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Sixth-tier Chorley face Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

22 Jan 14:45 ET / 19:45 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-SOU-ARS/REPORT (PIX)

Soccer - England - FA Cup - Southampton v Arsenal

Southampton play Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup.