In pictures: Live sporting events in the times of Covid-19

The Ultimate Fighting Championship, on Saturday, became the first major American sporting event held since the coronavirus outbreak. US President Donald Trump also congratulated the promoter. This put the UFC in the spotlight like never before, but the event did have a hitch. Middleweight Ronaldo Souza was dropped when he and two of his cornermen tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. The main event saw Justin Gaethje dominate Tony Ferguson with a fifth-round technical knockout victory in the lightweight division.

Taiwan reopened baseball games to a limited number of fans on Friday for the first time since controls were imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, part of government efforts to slowly allow normal life to resume. Both the baseball and soccer seasons got underway in Taiwan last month, but without spectators. On Friday evening, 1,000 spectators were allowed in to baseball matches in New Taipei.

The 42,477-capacity Jeonju World Cup Stadium was empty on Friday (May 8), but with an unprecedented international TV audience. With most leagues worldwide sidelined by the pandemic, South Korea's K-League is the first really popular football competition to come back to life and a whole host of safety precautions have been imposed, with wild goal celebrations and even talking discouraged.

Before football, professional sport in South Korea officially returned to action after the coronavirus shutdown with the opening of a new baseball season on Tuesday (May 5). Fans were not allowed in for Tuesday's five opening Korean Baseball Organisation matches. Instead, banners with photos of masked fans stretched across the empty bleachers at the Incheon-based SK Wyverns club's Munhak Baseball Stadium.

The baseball and football seasons got underway behind closed doors in Taiwan on April 12, providing rare live action for fans at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down most professional sports around the globe. No fans were allowed in the stadium with health concerns limiting attendees to a total of 200 players, coaches, umpires, cheerleaders and journalists. The fourth season of the Taiwan Football Premier League also started with Taipei-based champions Tatung City FC's 2-3 defeat to their rivals from the southern city of Kaohsiung, Taipower, on the opening day.