MISSION ACTION
| Date :22-Jun-2020 |
FOOTBALL has kicked off in Europe's fields, tennis will make the big serve soon in the United States, other sports are gearing up for a mega start even as the world warms up to welcoming sporting action in the post-Coronavirus pandemic. Not that the threat is over but humanity is learning the tricks to dodge the virus with thoughtfully-designed protocols. The situation demanded a human response that could start the normal life rolling. Soccer action is aiding the fans to get back to the pre-COVID life despite the empty stadiums and sorely missing ‘fan’atism.
Action is back from the four top leagues across Europe. There are games aplenty in the English Premier League as clubs have restarted their fight following the coronavirus-enforced hiatus. Action is also on in the Bundesliga Germany, La Liga matches, and Italian Serie A. Fan accounts on social media are slowly shifting from advising health protocols to hailing their sporting heroes or cussing the poor performances. Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty-taking abilities are back in debates and Lionel Messi’s club-heroics are again finding comparisons with his country-performance. In short, world is coming back to the earlier normal! The world has always looked at sports to provide succour from routine life’s travails and tribulations.
After the bad times when the Olympics were halted by the World War, people sought refuge in the next edition to overcome the tragedy. Sports possesses this power to heal, the mind as well as the soul. Revival of sporting action is a much-needed balm for humanity to look beyond the havoc caused by the deadly virus, to find their unfulfilled dreams transported ahead by their sporting heroes with awe-dropping feats. The most heart-warming sign for the sporting world came from New Zealand, the first country to achieve zero-COVID count. The way the tiny country defeated the virus will form a golden tale in world history. Most interesting is the celebration the country planned to enjoy its COVID-free status by organizing a rugby game with stands filled to the capacity.
The iconic Eden Park in Auckland witnessed a near-stampede at the turnstiles when a record crowd of 43,000 poured in for the Super Rugby encounter between the Blues and Hurricanes. Competitive sport has resumed in different parts of the world without spectators and with stringent regulations but it was back to pre-COVID days in Auckland. Action will pick up as the world finds more means and opportunities to wriggle out of the pandemic. Cricket’s test is just around the corner. The England vs West Indies Test series is set to enter history books to become the first international cricket action after the lockdown. If it passes the muster then the game’s lovers will have their hands full.