Sports has made a stuttering resumption in the Covid-hit world. From March-end till the first week of June, there was no sporting action anywhere as virtually the entire planet was in lockdown. As fears mounted that 2020 would be a total write-off, some action thankfully commenced, even if limpingly.
In the past two months, Premier League and La Liga, the major football tournaments, have restarted, the NBA season has recommenced, and in cricket, England opened its doors to the West Indies and Pakistan for Test and limited overs series. This list is not exhaustive and there are also many events still in limbo.
From India’s point of view, the biggest development in the past week or so has been that the Indian Premier League will finally be played, albeit away from home.
This is a huge relief for the BCCI, players and fans, but also other cricket boards that are indirect beneficiaries of this lucrative tournament. The financial consequences of scrapping the IPL would have been heavy. Annual revenues from the league are touted to be in the region of Rs 4,000 crore. Even if this is discounted by 25% with Covid having depressed revenue streams substantially, the amount remains huge—in fact without comparison in cricket.
Obviously, the BCCI was eager (and anxious) that the IPL be played. A delayed decision by the ICC to scrap the T20 World Championship—scheduled in Australia in October-November—opened up a window of opportunity for the tournament in the nick of time. The ICC and BCCI have not been on the best of terms for the past few years, which at least partially explains the delay by the governing body in taking a call on the IPL.
However, with Cricket Australia reeling from massive financial losses and revenue projections looking grim, it was unwilling to host the T20 WC, leaving the ICC without much choice. Ideally, the BCCI, the Indian government and all stakeholders in the league would have liked the IPL to be played in India. But with the Covid threat showing no signs of abating and with time running out swiftly, the tournament had to necessarily be moved elsewhere.
This is not without precedent. In 2009, the IPL moved lock, stock and barrel to South Africa when the general elections were being held in India. During the 2014 election, the first half of the tournament was played in the UAE, moving back to India for the second half. The UAE has been picked as the venue this time too.
These sports fixtures getting underway is a big relief in a year that has otherwise been devastated by Covid. The Tokyo Olympics and the T20 World Championship are obviously major casualties. However, ‘green shoots’ emerging over the past month do not mean everything’s hunky dory. Trepidations about Covid remain and could easily disrupt a tournament. This could stem from no more than personal apprehension by athletes. For instance, Rafael Nadal, reigning US Open champion, unexpectedly pulled out of the event that starts on August 31.
Nadal said “things don’t look normal” or words to the effect. With Roger Federer also missing because of injury, the US Open will be bereft of its two biggest drawcards. This could well be replicated in other events and sports. There is no guarantee that all overseas players will be agreeable to participating in the IPL. Several would be waiting and watching to see how the Covid threat unravels.
While fear is normal in these extraordinary circumstances, and no blame can be assigned to the players, there is also foolhardiness to guard against. This was evident in tennis World No.1 Novak Djokovic’s misadventure with the Adria Tour a couple of months ago. Djokovic, who doesn’t believe in conventional medicine pedagogy, scoffed at those who cautioned him against organising the tour even if the intentions were noble.
He had to pay a heavy price. Four players participating in the Adria Tour—including Djokovic himself—tested positive, reportedly because of loose precautionary measures adopted by the players who mixed freely with fans and also joined after-play parties, hugging and backslapping people. The belief that elite, superfit athletes will not be susceptible to Covid was found disastrously misplaced. The Adria Tour had to be abandoned in the first leg itself, leaving Djokovic with egg on his face instead of accolades for his noble intention to raise money for charity.
Finally to the case of Joffra Archer. England’s new pace sensation broke the biosecure bubble after the first Test against the West Indies by driving off to his house, instead of going directly to the city where the next match was to be played like his teammates. Archer did not contract an infection, but was fined 15,000 pounds and had to miss the next Test as he had to compulsorily spend time in isolation.
There was nothing untoward resulting from Archer’s misdemeanour, but who can guarantee against this in the future? Imagine something like this happening in the IPL. It could bring down the tournament!
The clear message that comes through is of sensible and sober understanding of the Covid threat and adhering to the laid-down standard operating procedures by all those involved in sports. You treat this virus cavalierly at your own peril.
Ayaz Memon
Mumbai-based journalist writing on sports, society and other matters