The ManicaPost
FOLLOWING the recent pronouncement of the new Covid-19 lockdown regulations by the Government, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) suspended all sporting activities.
This came after the realisation that there has been a general complacency in adhering to the Covid-19 preventative measures, both in the communities and workplaces.
Sports personalities as well as fans might have felt hard done by the decision to suspend sporting activities, but the reasoning behind the move is all that matters.
However, Government, through the SRC, has since given the green light to 24 low-risk sport codes to resume their activities.
Government is clearly alive to the fact that sport is a multi-billion dollar industry which is a source of livelihoods for many.
According to the SRC, violations of health protocols and other stated conditions will result in the suspension of the sport codes and the prosecution of the offending persons or responsible officials.
These sporting activities should be carried out in accordance with the national and World Health Organisation’s guidelines
Now that most sporting activities to go ahead, it should be noted that the reprieve must not be abused.
It should not lead to complacency in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
There is great need to save lives and ensure that the sportsmen and women we all want to watch in action are all safe from this pandemic.
The need for the nation to take all precautionary measure cannot be overemphasised given the experiences we endured during the first and second waves of Covid-19.
We surely do not want to go through the blood-curdling experiences we witnessed in different parts of the globe as people died in such large numbers.
The complacency and general negation of precautionary measures towards the end of last year definitely triggered the second wave and this must be avoided at all costs.
We are currently witnessing a sharp increase in cases and deaths globally, and in the SADC region in particular.
Manicaland has not been spared from this recent surge of cases.
In order to curb this surge and prevent a potential third wave, new measures have been implemented since June 14, 2021.
We should always be mindful of the fact that these measures, including those that affect sport, are meant to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is refreshing for players and fans to note that Tennis Zimbabwe, for example, can now go ahead in preparing for next month’s Africa Junior Championships in Tunisia, as well as a number of the International Tennis Federation’s tournaments which are to be held in Nigeria and Kenya.
Tennis Zimbabwe are also expecting to host three ITF 18-and-Under tournaments between July and August in Harare.
The same applies for the country’s biggest sporting discipline — football — which will now see the resumption of the Chibuku Super Cup tournament as well as the national team’s assignments.
Fans were not allowed to attend the matches and measures should be put in place to ensure that fans should not bribe their way into the stadia when these teams play.
One day, when we have successfully contained this virus and the time is right, fans and athletes will go back to the stadia, while their children safely go back to school.
