Over the years, the world of sports have united people, cultures and classes. Everyone from all works of life enjoys one sport or the other, be it football (my personal favorite), basketball, formula one, tennis, golf or athletics, just to name a few. Many even travel thousands of miles to support their favorite teams, and it is no longer just a form of entertainment to most people; sports have become a culture, a way of life, a heritage passed down from one generation to another, a pride for victories or bants after defeats. Sports is a phenomenon in our modern-day world, but recently, something has been threatening its core.
We know for a fact the life source of every sporting activity is its fans and to be honest, without its fans, sports will be dead. Fans generate the money used in running the teams, fans cheer their teams or individual favorites to victory, fans make every moment of training and sacrifice worth it. And without them, sports would be empty, hollow and mere white noise. But the question now is with the ongoing spread of COVID-19, is it safe or even advisable to continue having sporting events like the English Premier League?
Do we sacrifice our dearly beloved sports for a while to save them for future sporting events, or do we keep enjoying those sports knowing the inherent dangers brought by the continued attendance and participation in these event? Some countries like Italy have already outrightly banned sporting events, while others like England claim there is no course for alarm yet. Formula One is set to go ahead as planned this weekend in Australia, while some recent Champion’s League matches were played behind closed doors, and others still outrightly cancelled.
This is what I think: where there is life there is hope for another day, and future sporting events to enjoy. Yes, the sports bodies will be affected adversely if the pandemic continues, from ticket refunds, to TV rights, player wages and the likes. But the only way to contain the coronavirus spread right now is to avoid large crowds and gatherings. So, my stand is simple: it is high time the relevant authorities put a ban on all sporting activities until the coronavirus situation is brought under control. It is painful for a sports loving enthusiast like myself to admit this, but the safety of everyone from fans to players is paramount and must come first.
What do you think about the coronavirus situation and its effect on sports as a whole? Let us know in the comments section below.
