The contemporary disease that has ravaged the world called Corona Virus aka “COVID l9” has dealt devastating blow on global sports. Though the world has contended with the fears, scourge and scar presented and still presenting by deadly diseases like the HIV/ AIDS, SARS etc the contemporary monster to mankind from “COVID 19” is overwhelming.
Sports whose major objectives are the physical fitness and organic development of individuals as well as socioeconomic values, fun and enjoyment, recreation and worthy use of leisure hours also present career prospects to individuals.
In recent time with the protocol of “COVID 19” as marshalled out by Nigerians National Council of Disease Control (NCDC) which is in line with global practices sports and sporting activities has been dealt devastating blow by the pandemic.
The stay at home order for safety has reduced the physical fitness and organic development of mankind as the obedience of the global order has led many to hyperkinetic diseases which are health conditions related to inactivity and sedentary life style, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, stress, ulcer and low back pains which may manifest on individuals who take trivial stance on their physical fitness.
It is advisable that practitioners and participants in all sports should carve out time from their indoor stay at home in order to indulge in indoor aerobic activities like jogging climbing steps/upstairs severally as well as road walks without overcrowding.
Organs as well as systems of the body operate optimally when they are activated in physically fit individuals. Professional and amateur players who trivialize their physical fitness and organic development are mostly affected. The economic and career prospects of both amateur and professional athletes, managers and sports administrators are badly hit by this global order.
Though well established and buoyant clubs in Europe Asia etc have not allowed the stay at home order to affect their transfer markets ongoing these days. In fact, matches like finals of the community shield which ushers in the commencement of the English Premier League for the 2020/2021 season just ended. Other major sporting events like the US Tennis open is ongoing with fewer spectators.
The fun and enjoyment which characterize major sports and sporting activities presents to many, has been a thing of the past all these periods of lockdown. Efforts must be made by sports ministries, sporting bodies and associations to workout policies and programmes that will not overlook sports and sporting activities ad infinitum. Recreations which are physical activities engaged during one’s leisure hours should not be allowed to fizzle out of our mass media to keep sport alive.
While States and Nations awaits the lifting of the ban order on sports and sporting activities efforts should be made now to use this period of lockdown to provide sporting facilities and infrastructures with the optimism
that sooner or later the ban order shall be lifted and we are not behind in the scheme of things.
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