Chronicle Editor
A sportless life is dull. It is like jail time.
Yes, some of us are watching live foreign sport on television, but since March last year, many who yearn for local sport and the sportspersons whose livelihoods are intertwined with it have suffered hugely.
However, the full year of dullness for spectators and poverty for most sportspersons, has ended after the Government further eased the Covid-19 lockdown by lifting the ban on all sport on Tuesday.
Essentially, local sport has no capacity to pay workers during periods of inactivity so the bulk of footballers, netballers, volleyballers and so on had no income since March last year. Only better supported institutions like FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum, Highlanders, Zimbabwe Cricket and a few others were able to pay their workers. This meant poverty for a majority of athletes.
Apart from losing incomes, some athletes have lost job opportunities that demand they must prove their ability and fitness. Others had hoped to participate in age-specific competitions but the halt in sport did not translate to a halt in the progression of time. They, thus, grew older over the past 12 months of inactivity and cannot compete in the Under-23s, Under-17s and so on this year.
For lovers of sport, especially football, 12 months of no organised local football was depressing.
We know the atmosphere at the National Sports Stadium, Rufaro, Barbourfields, Baobab, Mandava stadia when soccer matches are played.
We know the activity on major roads as fans accompany their favourite teams for away matches. We know the celebrations that follow when fans celebrate their teams winning games.
In the next few weeks fans can resume enjoying themselves while athletes can compete once again and be paid for that.
The resumption of sport, will however be conditional, Government said Tuesday.
Said the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) in a letter to stakeholders:
“The SRC wishes to advise the public that Cabinet has, today this 16th March, 2021, authorised the resumption of sport codes previously designated as ‘medium and high-risk.’ The Attorney General’s Office is working on the Statutory Instrument to give effect to the decision of Cabinet.
“The actual resumption of these sport activities is subject to the relevant National Sport Associations (NSA’s) being notified in writing by the Sports and Recreation Commission that they have satisfied the set criteria for resumption.
“The medium and high-risk sport codes shall resume only after they have demonstrated their ability to meet the set Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and protocols for the containment of Covid-19 which were communicated on Monday, 15th March. To the extent that they have not already done so, the NSAs and individual gyms are urged to confirm the conditions set out in that communication.
“Additionally, sport facilities, including sports clubs, with onsite restaurants, can continue to provide take-away services and may now also serve sit-in customers at 50% seating capacity.
“The SRC will on Thursday (today), or as soon as the statutory instrument has been gazetted, publish those former medium and high-risk sports that can resume activity.”
According to Government requirements, sports associations are expected to conduct PCR or Rapid Antigen testing, on all the players, officials and club staff, at least 48 hours, prior to commencement of training. These tests are required within every 14 days, of training, from the last test.
Testing will have to be done 48hrs before games, all facilities should be disinfected before each game and no spectators will be allowed.
The return of sport is most welcome, but we recognise the inevitable resource implications involved. It will be interesting to see how the different sport codes will move on fully meeting Covid-19 SOPs minus paying fans and corporate support that local sport has traditionally lacked.
Online Reporter