“South Africa will enter a nationwide lockdown for 21 days with effect from midnight on March 26, 2020. The lockdown, announced in a televised address to the nation on Monday night is part of efforts to curb the rapid spread of the coronavirus in the country,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa.
This announcement was made a year ago and still South African sport struggles to get its rhythm going.
The pandemic has resulted in many closures of sporting activities nationwide. Many individuals are not able to actively participate in their regular individual or group sporting or physical activities outside of their homes.
No spectators are allowed to watch their favourite sport at any stadium and only 250 people are allowed at outdoor activities.
The Olympics and Paralympics, for the first time in the history of the modern games, have been postponed and will be held in 2021.
To safeguard the health of athletes and sport teams, a bio-bubble has been established. All sportsmen are also advised to go into self-isolation after their event.
“This crisis has the potential to bankrupt some of our federation,” said South African Rugby president Mark Alexander.
“When it comes to broadcasters and sponsors, we are losing tens of millions of rands per week.”
With Super Rugby suspended, franchises across the country are expected to incur huge financial losses. Cricket South Africa has considered them fortunate that the domestic season was broadly televised and could in a way hold onto their sponsors. But mostly, all sports in the country and worldwide felt the impact of the pandemic.
It also had an impact on social development and many citizens who love their social sport have felt the pinch of Covid-19.
Sport is a major contributor to economic and social development in the country and worldwide.
To name a few well-known sport personalisties who died from Covid-19 are Marius van Heerden (800m), who died at age 46 in Cape Town and Chris Pillay (professional bodybuilder) from Durban died at the age of 50 years.
Olympian Cameron van der Burgh was the first South African athlete to confirm that he has been infected with Covid-19.
2020 has been riddled with bewildering moments but perhaps the most staggering of all is that in 2021 and thereafter sport in South Africa will not be on par as it was before the pandemic.
