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Covid-19 puts sporting events on sticky wicket

Hindustan Times | ByAyaz Memon
Mar 13, 2020 01:03 AM IST

NBA has suspended the season already; international tennis tournaments and football matches have been scrapped; Olympic qualifiers, especially in China have been cancelled

Melbourne, where I watched the Women’s T20 World Cup last Sunday, holds out some lessons for Mumbai to be a friendly city for sports fans. Both are alike in many ways in this respect, yet also vastly dissimilar.

The passion for sport in both cities is undisputed, of course.

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But more interestingly, both have sports facilities for major events located bang in the heart of the city. In Melbourne it is by design, while in Mumbai this development has been organic.

For instance, in Mumbai, stadia for international tennis, cricket, football, hockey, are all between Churchgate and Colaba. In Melbourne, the MCG, Rod Laver Arena for tennis and the football stadium sit cheek by jowl, virtually in the Central Business District.

I can’t think of many cities that have so many sports facilities in the city centre as this can create huge logistical problems and disrupt normal life. This almost inevitably happens in Mumbai, but hardly ever in Melbourne.

The MCG, packed with 86,000-plus spectators for the Women’s T20 World Cup final, emptied within half an hour after the Katy Perry show, the last act of the day after the final. It takes twice as much time (at least) for half the number of people at the Wankhede.

This difference is true at all sports facilities in Melbourne and Mumbai. Obviously, space is a factor (Melbourne is nowhere as congested), but it has to more to do. I venture with better planning of infrastructure-plus-fan comfort and delight.

If I can get into my seat within 15-20 minutes of entering a stadium, leave in that much time, have easy access to food, water and toilets in the period I am at the event, my delight is that much greater. Remember, entry for big sports events these days costs an arm and a leg.

This is something those who build sports infra in India (Mumbai was used as a metaphor) and manage mega events haven’t really taken as seriously as needed: far better than even a couple of decades back, of course, but still short of `paisa vasool’ for the paying customer.

Research into how public and sports events can be managed efficiently is the cornerstone of urban planning and everyday management of cities all over the world. Hopefully, those in charge of such matters in Mumbai will get up-to-date on the latest methods.

Meanwhile, as I strive to get on a flight ASAP from Down Under after Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), my attention is also riveted on what fate awaits the IPL, scheduled to start in just over a fortnight.

Covid-19 is taking a heavy toll on major sporting events all over the world. A week back, the situation wasn’t as grim. Several sports events were still being staged in different parts of the world. However, with more cases being detected in different countries, pressure was building up rapidly.

The global alert on Covid-19 by WHO queers the pitch for most such events – the IPL not excepted. NBA has suspended the season already; international tennis tournaments and football matches have been scrapped; Olympic qualifiers, especially in China have been cancelled etc.

While some matches/events have been played without spectators and only for a TV audience, the sentiment globally has taken a turn for the worse. Even the Australian Grand Prix, which seemed would certainly be held on March 15, is in turmoil, with Maclaren pulling out on Thursday evening.

In this scenario, the prospects of IPL being held – even for a TV audience, as was done for later games in the World Road Safety Tournament in Mumbai – seem difficult because of how the crisis is unravelling.

What if several overseas players refuse to come, not wanting to spend days in quarantine as may be required? Indeed, it is likely that many players may not be given visas by the government, as so many countries are now in the `high risk’ list.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued an advisory on Thursday for the BCCI that the IPL be postponed. The final decision, says the MEA, rests with the organisers, but I suspect this more or less seals the issue. It’s an unfortunate situation that the IPL finds itself in, but these are extraordinary times.

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