Sports facilities remain closed in lockdown 5.0; athletes in stress

The nationwide COVID-19 lockdown is very hard for people from all walks of life. It kept everyone isolated and caused inexplicable stress to many, but one lot of population that experienced the blues to a great extent comprises athletes and sports-persons.


Coimbatore: The nationwide COVID-19 lockdown is very hard for people from all walks of life.

It kept everyone isolated and caused inexplicable stress to many, but one lot of population that experienced the blues to a great extent comprises athletes and sports-persons. Used to high-octane environments, it is no mean feat they pushed themselves away from being highly active and competitive.

The global outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in the closure of gyms, stadiums, pools, dance and fitness studios, physiotherapy centres, parks and playgrounds. Many individuals are therefore not able to actively participate in their usual individual or group sporting/physical activities. Under such conditions, many tend to be less physically active, have longer screen time, irregular sleep patterns as well as worse diets, resulting in weight gain and loss of physical fitness.

Low-income families are especially vulnerable to the negative effects of stay-at-home rules as they tend to have sub-standard accommodations and more confined spaces, making it difficult to engage in physical exercise. Some athletes started their workouts and training at home but it is not very effective as they simply lack the space and means for coaching.

Long-distance runners, high jumpers, long jumpers, team sports-persons who play cricket football, basketball, etc., and the like face the risk of depression due to staying idle.

As state governments across the nation have started to relax the lockdown extensively, in a move aptly dubbed as Unlock 1.0, athletes and sports-persons in the city have been expecting gyms, stadia and sports academies would reopen.

Although the government has eased many restrictions in lockdown 5.0, there has been nothing about reopening exercise and sports facilities, leaving the sports-persons, coaches and a horde of others disappointed.

Another group that has been left high and dry by the announcement is the one that comprises students who aim for sports quota seats in colleges. These students are in a quandary as no selections on those lines have been conducted till date due to the lockdown.

According to sources, "lives of many talented economically backward students aiming for sports quota seat in colleges are at risk now since many of them are not in a position to engage in regular exercise. Especially, weightlifters and bodybuilders are out of shape and left with less stamina as they are unable to train.

In order to support these sports-persons and students, the government should reopen training centres and sports complexes as soon as possible".

One of the physical directors in the city opined, "applying through sports quota is an online process and on the basis of the representations and certificates players are given priorities.

Along with students who have state and national certificates, also the ones with skill and potential but without representations and certificates, get admitted every year in the sports quota. This year, due to this pandemic, those skilled students with no state and national level certificates are at high risk since no selection trials have been conducted yet."

Since state and national competitions will be held as soon as the lockdown comes to an end, athletes and team sports players need time and space to prepare. If and only if they get a shot at training beforehand, they stand a chance of pursuing their careers in sports.

With no sign of reopening of training facilities, stadiums, sports academies, etc., in the horizon, the lives of sports-persons, allied sports professionals, and sports goods traders have been left stranded between a rock and a hard place.

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