The South African government has considered the resumption of sports as it eases controls across the country.
On Saturday, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa confirmed that all professional sports will be allowed to resume training activities starting this coming Monday.
In Europe, more and more leagues have plans afoot for the reopening provided they fulfill the Covid-19 measures as stipulated in those countries. In South Africa, sport is set to resume to the fields on “Level 3” of the nationwide lockdown beginning June 1, 2020.
Although all professional sports are permitted to make a come-back, the Minister said only non-contact sports such as golf will be in line to stage actual games. Even so, sporting activities will be undertaken behind closed doors, without fans.
Quite importantly, Mthethwa further announced that sporting activities are prohibited in areas declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa as hotspots. How this will play out with sports federations, clubs and members across the country, it is not clear.
What is not in doubt is that most of the professional athletes are based in some of the identified hotspots. Those tinderbox areas are: Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Ethekwini, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, Cape Town, West Coast, Overburg, Cape winelands, Chris Hani and iLembe.
For now, Mthethwa directed sports federations to strategies and submit their Covid-19-compliant plans of how they will reopen.
Some of the requirements from the Department are:
- All participants, technically and support staff, sports officials, broadcasters and journalists must be tested 14 days before training starts,
- Submit certificates or affidavits for test results,
- Disinfecting plans for facilities and sports equipment or other related supplies,
- No sharing of equipment nor water bottles where possible,
- Limited members in dressing rooms,
- No ice tabs, sonars, and touching except for injuries,
- Quarantine venues and measures placed for handling suspected incidents,
- No spectators during training nor games, etc.
Sporting events were put on ice at the beginning of lockdown in March due to the global emergence and spread of the Covid-19 pandemic
The games that people love will graze the televisions screens once again sooner than fans envisaged.
In Europe, the German Bundesliga started the ball rolling two weeks ago. The clubs for the elite league had to adhere to strict guidelines and limited training regime before engaging in competitive games. Football games are played in empty stadiums over there nonetheless. As much as it looks surreal, it is likely to be the new normal at these early stages as the phasing in is pursued gradually.
La Liga in Spain opened for training in May and competitive football games are scheduled for June 11. The Premier League football matches in the United Kingdom are planned for June 17; additionally, other forms of sport can be staged from June 1, albeit without spectators.
For now, any live sports games anywhere in the world are and watching and will continue to follow their teams and heroes on various media platforms. The ritualistic cheering from the stands and ballparks is off. There is no telling when a legion of fans from their respective vintage points will rebound to their ecstatic ways.