ZCZC
BSP-10
CORONAVIRUS-SPORTS-INACTIVE
Coronavirus outbreak inactive country’s sports
DHAKA, March 25, 2020(BSS) – Numbers of international and national sport
events have been postponed or push back amid an outbreak of coronavirus,
which turned an epidemic turn across the World.
The pathogen effect has been felt across a range of sports – from
cricket, football hockey and others sports disciplines in the country. Not
only that almost all the federations have suspended their activities and
allow all of their staffs to work remotely.
Different sports federations had a plan to arrange number of
international and national sports events to celebrate ‘Mujib Barsho’, the
birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,
but the epidemic, which began in China in late December, has plunged the
country’s sorting calendar into disarray as well the international events
including Tokyo 2020 Olympics which the International Olympic Committee has
officially postponed for a year.
Earlier, the government had imposed restriction off all sports of the
country till March 31 due to coronavirus outbreak. As the virus continues to
spread and the death toll rises, major sporting events are under threat.
Though the two major sporting events — Bangladesh Premier League (BPL)
football and Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Cricket League — were on but the
government had to compel to postpone all the sports activities in the
country.
Here are some of the competitions that have been affected by the
epidemic:
Football: Bangladesh national football team was scheduled to play World
Cup Qualifying round matches against Afghanistan and Qatar this month, but on
March 9, the Asian Football Confederation in consultation with FIFA postponed
the qualifying round matches till June.
The Professional Football League Committee of Bangladesh Football
Federation also shut down the ongoing BPL for indefinite period, which has
rolled up to sixth round.
Meanwhile, the national women’s football league and final round of
national school football also postponed due to outbreak of COVID-19.
In cricket, The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) recently postponed all
kinds of cricketing events for indefinite period in a wake of resist COVID-
19.
The BCB, after negotiating with Pakistan Cricket Board, also postponed
the third phase of the Bangladesh tour of Pakistan which involved One Day
International and Test in Karachi.
The Bangladesh national cricket team is due to reach Karachi on March 29
to play the ODI on April 1 and the second ICC World Test Championship Test
slated from April 5-9.
The two boards will now work together to identify a future window for
rescheduling the ICC World Test Championship fixture. The first Test of the
series was played in Rawalpindi February 7-10.
The coronavirus crisis has put major sporting events halt being
postponed one by one following the outbreak. The BCB had cancelled a concert
and the two T20 matches between Asia XI and World XI — both to commemorate
the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
— to safeguard against the virus.
Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) had a plan number of international
meets in home and abroad as a part of preparation of Bangabandhu Junior Asia
Cup Hockey, but due to outbreak of coronavirus, the BHF might may have to
push back the dates of those tournament and series fixtures.
The BHF also postponed the camp for Asia Cup for indefinite period due
to Coronavirus outbreak. The camp was scheduled to resume from March 16 last
after the end of National School Hockey competition.
The Bangladesh Olympic Association postponed the major domestic event of
the 9th Bangabandhu Bangladesh Games, which was biggest domestic event of
‘Mujib Barsha’ due to outbreak of coronavirus.
The multi sporting events was scheduled to be held from April 1-10 in
Dhaka on the occasion of birth centenary of Father of the Nation with the
participation of 31 disciplines.
Meanwhile, the others sports federations also suspended their activities
due in a wake to coronavirus outbreak.
BSS/SG/SB/FI/ 1630 hrs