The good, bad and ugly reality of global sport right now.
There aren’t many cracks or crevices that have not been touched by this global pandemic which has, at time of publication, taken the lives of nearly 700 000 citizens worldwide. Certain industries have been hit harder and faster than others and sport is undeniably one of the most catastrophic arenas. Sport is a major contributor to economic and social development. The global value of the sports industry is estimated at US$756 billion annually.
Regional and international events have been cancelled or postponed; from marathons to football tournaments, athletics championships to basketball games, handball to ice hockey, rugby, cricket, sailing, skiing, weightlifting, wrestling, dancing... Cavernous stadiums stand empty, tours are placed on hold, start lines are ghost towns and professional sportsmen and women are left reeling as their careers teeter precariously.
But, in an exceptionally powerful advertisement released by Nike global at the end of July 2020, a powerful message of hope rang out; You Can’t Stop Sport US. This message resonated with athletes of every level, from sponsored professionals to weekend warriors. Sport has unified us across racial, economic and social divides and at a time when the world feels more disconnected and divided than ever before, sport is a vital component in unifying us. We must fight for its (safe) continuation and continue to participate and spectate.
The Olympics and Paralympics, for the first time in the history of the modern games, have been postponed. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics is now expected to take place from July 23 to August 8, 2021.
Encouragingly, there are some sporting codes now permitted to return within strict criteria. The English Premier League, the most-watched sports league in the world, resumed play in June after a two-month hiatus. Empty stadiums, artificial spectator cheering on loudspeakers and creative initiatives to maintain social distancing of the support personnel were all rolled out. Spanish La Liga football also resumed, managed similarly. Europa League resumes on 5 August and the Champions League on 7 August.
Aotearoa Rugby in New Zealand and the Australian Domestic League had South African rugby fans drooling with envy. Formula One and Motor GP fans have been able to get their TV fix, with several rules in place to slim the sport down and add operational flexibility, thereby saving their global future despite economic and social uncertainties.
In July, England provided a blueprint for global cricket to resume. West Indies arrived at Old Trafford on 8 June, prior to the highly anticipated tournament against England. There they were quarantined and resumed training. An expensive and ambitious Covid-19 plan evolved, with both the England and West Indies teams living and playing at the tournament grounds, whilst being subjected to twice-weekly testing and a list of social distancing measures. There were no spectators for the tournament and everyone closely involved in the matches was housed in on-site hotels.
As each sporting code adjusts to new measures to make professional sporting possible, the light at the end of the long, dark Covid-19 tunnel becomes visible. In the words of Tommy Lasorda, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” Play on.
Words: Kim Stephens