INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON SPORTING ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

As at December 2019 Wuhan in China reported an outbreak of a SARS-CoV-2 infection disease, identified as an atypical pneumonia (Timpka, 2020). By March 2020 The World Health Organisation (WHO) classified it as a pandemic referred to as Covid-19.

COVID-19 is a droplet-transmitted potentially fatal corona virus pandemic affecting the world in 2020. It is a family of viruses that can cause respiratory illness in humans. The name, “corona,” was derived from the many crown-like spikes on the surface of the virus. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and the common cold are examples of corona viruses that cause illness in humans.

The WHO recommended social distancing and human-to-human contact was discouraged to control the transmission. This situation necessitated lock down in many countries and sporting events were also been affected.

Sports events as those that are characterized by a creative and complex content of sports-like, recreational activities, of entertaining character, performed in accordance with a particular predetermined programme, and that achieve touristic effects and have a serious social and economic importance for the place or region in which they are held (Dianny 2004).

The sports sector, despite being an important sector at economic, sporting, and social levels, has not been exempt from these restrictions. According to Ratten (2020), “the sport sector has been especially influenced by the COVID-19 crisis in a way that has never been seen before”. All physical activity, face-to-face, and group sports were suddenly and indefinitely restricted in many countries, often being relegated to home-based physical training.

Participation in sports and exercise, typically regarded as socioeconomic events and healthy activities were restricted by nations to curtail the spread of this dreadful virus. The professional international and local football leagues (with other sport events inclusive) were ultimately shutdown after much deliberation on the transmission risk for the spectators and on-field players (Kenneth 2020). Large spectating crowds are well-known to be infectious hazards, but the infection risk for on-field players is less recognized (Mcowen 2020).

To date, the impact of Covid-19 still lingers as many sporting events only holds under certain policies like in the world of football where only on-field players, team managers and other regulative individuals are seen in the stadiums during competitions while spectators are not allowed into the stadiums. Hence upon this ground that study tends to investigate the effect of covid-19 pandemic on sporting activities.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The entire world was turned on its head with the widening impact of COVID-19 on several sectors including the sports sector. With competitions canceled or postponed, millions of dollars were lost in predicted revenue. Sport sectors, Clubs and franchises in major leagues were able to survive during lock downs due to lucrative television contracts. As at when soccer resumed in four of the five main leagues in Europe by July 2020, matches were played in empty stadiums, fan chanting was piped over the airways to resemble a match-day atmosphere for spectators. Key events like the Open Golf Championship in the United Kingdom were canceled while others such as the US Masters golf tournament were moved from Spring to Autumn. In same manner other numerous sporting activities were so restricted to participants only and individual physical activities done behind closed doors. Therefore in this study, the major concern and focus of the researcher is to carryout an investigation on how Covid-19 have affected the sports sectors.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The basic aim of this study is to investigate the effect of covid-19 pandemic on sporting activities. Other relevant objectives include;

1. To examine the effect of covid-19 on national and international sporting events.

2. Investigate the effect of covid-19 widespread on personal and group sports activities.

3. Identify if sport organizations were affected by covid-19 outbreak and widespread.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION

1. What is the effect of covid-19 on national and international sporting events?

2. Is there any effect of covid-19 widespread on personal and group sports activities?

3. Was sport organizations affected by the global covid-19 outbreak and widespread?

4. Were resourceful sports competitions shut down as a result of Covid-19 outbreak?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be relevant to Government bodies, sports organizations, sport regulators and In likewise manner will be useful to students researchers and the general public as the findings are reveals the harms done by Covid-19 and the recommendations which are practically useful to regulate sports activities in this current era of Covid-19 pandemic.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study was focused on an investigation in to the effect of covid-19 pandemic on sporting activities. This study was carried out in Nigeria Ministry of Sports Abuja FCT.

1.7 LINITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is delimited by by various factors ranging from time frame of the study, financial Implication necessary for the success of this study and inadequate availability of materials need carry out the study. More also ethical issues and organizational politics which arise at the course of this study was an impediment factor to this study.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Covid-19: Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases.

Sport: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

Sports Event: Sporting event means an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess, usually competitive in nature and governed by a set of rules provided by a nationally recognized sanctioning body or by a local organization engaged in the development and active promotion of the athletic activity.