Learning that sport has no virus immunity

“You put your left foot in, you take your left foot out, you put your left foot in, and you shake it all about.”

Like watching a group of drunken acquaintances singing nursery rhymes at a 50th birthday party, the return of global sport has offered us a glimpse of the calamity that could be caused if we don’t take significant precautions before relaunching domestic sport.

There was disappointment this week when the new 3T Cricket was postponed, delaying the return of local top-flight sport.

On the other hand, there was some reprieve for the football community after it was revealed that Premier Soccer League teams had been approved to return to training.

On the other side the world, however, the antics of Novak Djokovic and his fellow tennis players offered a clear display that sport has no immunity to the pandemic, with four of them testing positive for coronavirus after playing an exhibition match and mingling with fans.

Similarly, the return of international cricket and top-flight football leagues have carried with them regular reports of players returning positive tests, as the virus continues to spread.

Meanwhile, though the return of international sport has provided some relief for hungry spectators, South African sport seems to be making as much progress as it is standing still.

Non-contact sports were cleared for competition earlier this month and struggling golf clubs were given the green light, but mass participation events are still banned, with the Cape Town Marathon and Fish River Canoe Marathon being added to the long list of events which have been cancelled this year.

Of equal concern is that elite sport has not made a comeback, with safety regulations and a shortage of resources seemingly preventing any code from rushing into domestic competitions.

Of course, we need industries to be reignited to save our economy, but protecting vulnerable people from Covid-19 is also crucial, and a balance needs to be found so we can make the best of a bad situation.

Practising patience has been challenging, and it may feel like we’re standing still while the world crumbles before our eyes. But until super-smart medical experts find a vaccine, we just have to watch and wait in the hope that the big decision-makers take everyone’s best interests into consideration.