Sports Eye
COVID-19 is softly killing world sports
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
COVID-19 already killed a million inhabitants of our planet, with the U.S., India and Brazil are topping the list, according to the latest report. Yes, the unseen disease is slowly obliterating the world’s economy, first and foremost are the third world countries, and until now is still without 100 percent vaccine. Worse, this deadly disease did not spare our world sporting activities and the biggest victim of them all was the world’s most prestigious 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games which was supposed to be held last August. It had to be postponed by the organizing International Olympic Committee (IOC) and rescheduled for next year, same month of August.
Besides the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games, other world sporting events like the annual world cycling championships, international foot races like the famous Boston Marathon, world contact sports like taekwondo, jujitsu, karate, kung fu (but except boxing), the annual world track and field championships, etc., were postponed indefinitely.
In the national scene (except the PBA which was temporarily called off for six months and was reactivated last month through the ‘bubble’ system like the United States’ NBA), some annual professional and amateur national sports activities were also suspended temporarily, like the MPBL of Sen. Manny Pacquiao, the annual four-day Le Tour de Filipinas, volleyball, baseball, softball championships for men and women, sepak takraw, table and lawn tennis, track and field championships, Milo marathon, swimming, etc.
In the local side, COVID-19 also forced the postponement of the annual municipal, district and provincial meets for students. Aside from that, the annual sporting activities of the province called “Governor’s Cup” organized by Gov. Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III (which is not only for the in-and-out-of-school-youths that consists of basketball, beach and regular volleyball, chess, lawn and table tennis, cycling, to name some), were also suspended for the time being as long as the coronavirus deadly disease still exists in the province. In fact a four-day cycling event dubbed as “Governor’s Cup Tour ed Pangasinan 2020” designed exclusively for our local riders with a maximum of 80 accredited participants already calendared last April, had to be called off because of the pandemic. But knowing Guv Pogi, our dynamic, hardworking and sports-minded father of our province, I honestly believe that the four-day bikathon (which I will personally direct), will still push through once the province’s situation is already back to normal. I guess that will happen next summer. That’s my fearless forecast.
Some developed countries are defying the threat of this contagious disease, saying it’s the kind of illness like the flu. I believe they’re wrong. As of this writing (Nov. 19), U.S. leads the tumultuous run, having already 256, 254 deaths and with active cases of 15, 856,759. India is second with 131, 618 fatalities and with 4,450,477 active cases and Brazil third having 167, 497 demises with 390,043 actives. The Philippines is in the 26th position (from 21st last week) with 7,957 losses and with 29,474 live cases. Of course, some athletes of these countries were included in the list but were not mentioned what they were for obvious reason. Yes, thanks to God that no Filipino athlete, so far, present or past, perished as a result of ruthless frailty. To God be all the glory.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. MATTHEW 6: 7-8
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