In early January 2020, the world learned about a newly discovered coronavirus (soon to be identified as Covid-19) in Wuhan, China, which caused acute illness and a high chance of mortality. The extremely infectious virus quickly spread, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a pandemic on March 11, 2020. To contain the spread of the virus and protect national medical systems, a huge part of the world had enforced “lockdowns” with various restrictions on social activity by the end of that month (World Health Organization, 2020). Covid-19 had killed at least 500,000 people and brought nations to a standstill in work, education, travel, entertainment, and sport by the end of June 2020. (Fund, 2020).
Sport plays an important role in economic and social development. Governments recognize its importance, as seen by the Political Declaration of the 2030 Agenda, which highlights “the contribution sports contribute to the empowerment of women and young people, individuals and communities, as well as to health, education, and social inclusion goals.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has spread to practically every country on the planet since it began. Many routine parts of life, including sport and physical exercise, have been interrupted as a result of social and physical distancing measures, lockdowns of businesses, schools, and overall social life, which have become commonplace to combat the spread of the disease. This policy brief focuses on the issues COVID-19 has caused to the athletic world, as well as physical exercise and well-being, particularly for marginalized or vulnerable populations. It also makes recommendations to governments and other stakeholders, as well as the UN system, on how to support the safe reopening of athletic events, as well as physical activity during and after the pandemic.
Most major sporting events at the international, regional, and national levels have been cancelled or postponed to protect the health of athletes and others involved – from marathons to football tournaments, athletics championships to basketball games, handball to ice hockey, rugby, cricket, sailing, skiing, weightlifting to wrestling, and more. The Olympics and Paralympics have been postponed for the first time in modern history, and will now take place in 2021.
The shutdown of educational institutions around the world as a result of COVID-19 has had an impact on the sports education sector, which includes national ministries and local governments, public and private educational institutions, sports organizations and athletes, NGOs and the business community, teachers, scholars and coaches, parents, and, most importantly, the young learners. While this community has been severely hit by the current crisis, it may also play an important role in finding ways to control and overcome it, as well as promoting rights and values in times of social isolation.
As the globe recovers from COVID-19, substantial challenges will need to be addressed in order to ensure the safety of athletic events at all levels, as well as the well-being of sporting organizations. In the short term, these will entail, among other things, event adaptations to protect the safety of athletes, fans, and vendors. In the near run, given the likelihood of a worldwide recession, it may be necessary to take steps to encourage involvement in sporting groups, particularly among youth.
By: Arian B. Taganna|Teacher|Bataan Montessori School Inc.|Balanga Bataan
