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Sports was the biggest victim of the coronavirus pandemic and events were sidelined for much of the past two years. It still remains a huge logistical and economic challenge in holding large sporting events despite the progress we have made in containing the virus.
The ICC World Cup T20 was supposed to be held in India later this year. However, India has been wrecked by the pandemic and was not in a position to hold the mega event. It has now been moved to UAE while some matches will also be held in Oman. The showpiece event will be held from Oct 17 to Nov 14 but there are still concerns whether the Emirates will hold the multi-national tournament with players from around the world.
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) was also moved to the UAE which concluded last week after it was abruptly halted in March due to virus cases. The Indian Premier League (IPL) also face a similar fate and has been moved abroad. The UAE has managed to control the pandemic much better and has benefited as sports are being shifted over there.
Globally, sports are being held with much caution. The Tokyo Olympics will be held later this month after a year’s delay with limited spectators and no foreign visitors. Majority of the Japanese were not supportive of holding the sporting event and many international players have refused to participate. Meanwhile, tennis tournaments have resumed with the Wimbledon currently underway in London.
The Euro Cup is being held and has reached its last stages. The tournament is being held in 11 countries across the continent rather than all teams converging in one nation. This has proven beneficial as it reduces logistical costs and does not burden a single country. This model can be used in other sports particularly cricket and could also be used during the ICC World Cup T20.
It is welcoming to see live audiences return to stadiums deserted for over a year due to the pandemic but it should not imperil lives as cases have been traced to sporting events. This has been the main concern to sports organizers around the world until the threat of the pandemic is not over.
