The unprecedented outbreak of the novel coronavirus badly impacted the normal sports routine worldwide. Massive suspension and cancellation of various sports events were initiated in a move to curb the rapid transmission of the deadly virus earlier this year. Let’s take a look, however, at the condition of the sports world today.

In the world of basketball, Mississippi coach Kermit Davis unfortunately tests positive for COVID-19. His condition might result to him being placed at the sidelines when the season finally begins. The news was announced earlier on Tuesday, adding that Davis will undergo a second test. If he, however, tests positive again, he will be forced to opt out of the Rebels’ first couple of games as he will be required to go through self-quarantine at home.

To offset his absence, though, Ronnie Hamilton is expected to play as head coach during the upcoming home events on November 25 and 26. The Rebels are scheduled to go against Central Arkansas and Jackson State on the said dates. To soften the blow, Davis will be allowed to watch through the practice sessions and even contact the team via virtual means.

During the scheduled basketball season opening, the Indiana Hoosiers won’t have the usual live audience to cheer them on. According to school authorities, the stands will indefinitely remain empty. Nevertheless, officials plan to work closely with local health authorities and the campus and Big Ten leaders to find out when fans can be permitted to enter the Assembly Hall.

The sports world today is anticipating the time when new normal protocols will provide them easier gameplay. As for the Hoosiers, they are used to having the biggest basketball student fanbase.

To stem the lack of live audience, the university plans to put cutouts for sale. These cutouts will be placed on the empty seats. They will be priced at US$25 a piece with the option of having either women’s coach Teri Moren or men’s coach Archie Miller autograph these cutouts which will, then, be sent to the fans who purchase the tickets. Also, ticket buyers are guaranteed to avail of refunds or simply avail of the different options via the varsity club’s online site.

As for Tennessee Tech, the school is presently undergoing a difficult time with regard to their attempt to begin their women’s basketball season. Vanderbilt cancelled their game and then Chattanooga followed suit.

On Tuesday morning, Vanderbilt announced the necessity of cancelling their game against Tennessee Tech that was scheduled for November 25 due to the sudden occurrence of positive tests among their athletes. Following that announcement, Chattanooga made a similar call, stating the need to halt activities for a two-week quarantine. The said move resulted to the cancellation of their schedule games against Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech.

Indeed, the sports world today is still reeling from the hideous impacts of the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak. At present, it is not only basketball events that are being cancelled and suspended. Several other sports are being halted, as well, as sports authorities struggle to find a way to conduct their events while observing the new normal protocols.

Even when 2020 witnessed various cancellations, suspensions, and modifications of the different sports events due to the unprecedented onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic, there were a few programs that were able to push through including snooker, cricket, football, F1, rugby, golf, tennis, cycling and athletics.

The awaited Sports Personality of the Year event will showcase the different teams that pushed through with their games despite the looming threat of the pandemic, sports celebrities who pushed through with playing despite their sudden, chaotic schedules, and stalwart coaches who made it all happen. The said show will also pay tribute to the different heroes who helped contribute to the said success.

“As we know, it has been a strange and unprecedented year, but we have still been fortunate enough to see plenty of sporting highlights which we look forward to honoring on the night. The 67th BBC Sports Personality of the Year award promises to be another exciting and tough choice for audiences,” shares Barbara Slater, BBC’s Director of Sports.

December’s ceremony will serve as a commemoration of the various heroes, not only in sports, but all over the UK—ordinary citizens who used the gift of sports to help make the situation safe and bearable for all. In a way, the show will be a celebration of health and well-being—the powerful contributions that sports can provide as it keeps people inspired as highlights of this year’s games will be shown during the event, as well.

The present COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions in the world of sports. Most scheduled tournaments including the Olympics, the Wimbledon, and the Euro 2020 were severely disrupted as necessary lockdowns and social distancing protocols were put in place to control the abrupt spread of the nefarious disease. At present, many sports programs are attempting to revive the usual flow of things as they grapple with the current social distancing limitations imposed.

The need to wear masks, for instance, makes it difficult for players to move comfortably especially for group games like football, cricket, rugby, and snooker. Experts recommend the need to limit the audience allowed to attend the games, as COVID-19 transmission is highly linked to massive crowd gatherings.

COVID-19 has changed the entire landscape of everyday life. Yet, the slow, but steady, revival of the different games provide athletes and avid sports fans with something to look forward to even when the whole world is still trying to find the best way of handling this ‘new normal’ of living.

The question, however, is: “Will BBC allow a live audience to attend the Sports Personality of the Year event that’s scheduled in December? Or will fans resort to watching the show unfold via live digital streaming, instead? The answer remains to be seen. With the world attempting to slowly find ways to begin life once more, a viable vaccine might be available by then. Nonetheless, everyone is looking forward to the show which will serve as a year’s end consolidation of sorts, as well.

Why do we love sports? There are many reasons why a lot of us fall in love with sports—why many of us continue to support and watch our favorite players, spending time and money to attend regular meets. In fact, some of us aren’t mere fans. Many are also athletes, coaches, and managers of the different teams we love.

Sports as Passion

Being a sports enthusiast is a passion. Many of us watch or play various sports because we consider them a passion in life. Whether it is baseball, basketball, football, or golf, we focus on a specific sport because it provides us with more significant meaning in life. Athletes, for instance, do not merely play a particular sport just because they want to. Many of them train for a sport because it enables them to do something that they’re good at—it allows them to gain self-worth and, in the process, inspire others, as well.

Sports as Platform

Playing a sport enables us to have a veritable platform to be heard and to be noticed. For instance, women athletes get to inspire more women to join a field that is primarily dominated by men. Due to the increase of female athletes excelling in various games worldwide, the measure of being a woman is finally changing. Nowadays, women are gaining more respect due to the influx of more women joining various sports worldwide—games are, in a sense, acting as equalizers, showcasing how women can capably do physical activities that were previously only reserved for men. Sports, then, serve as excellent platforms for women empowerment.

Sports for Healthy Living

Actively playing a specific sport alters your lifestyle. Watching a particular sport also inspires you to try it out, as well. We all know that regular exercise promotes muscles’ development and helps prevent various health complaints like obesity, hypertension, and cholesterol build-up. Sports also perpetuate the body’s production of endorphins—the hormone responsible for the feelings of pleasure and joy. Training for a specific sport eradicates the feelings of depression and worthlessness.

Sports as a Career Choice

When a sport is one’s passion, it can quickly be developed into a career choice. Athletes, for instance, earn because of their expertise in a particular sport. They get to represent the country, earning medals and trophies for the country, their state, their team, and themselves. They also get to inspire others, as well. The crowds in a baseball stadium attest to this glorious phenomenon—sports’ ability to inspire people from all walks of life.

The Sports That We Love

Indeed, sports aren’t just competitions and recreational activities. They are way more significant than that. They have the ability to inspire people to reach their dreams, to represent others, and to gain self-worth. Sports perpetuate healthy living and even provide athletes the careers that they worked so hard for.