covid and sport
By former NZ cricket coach and captain Glenn Turner
Wanaka - Sportspeoples' reactions to the covid-19 restrictions, has in many cases been regrettable.
Governments the world over are doing everything possible to have some top-level sport played to occupy the masses through some tough times and for the players, team brands, broadcasters, advertisers and events’ business owners to make money.
But, the inability of some in sport to understand the opportunity is missing.
Surely one of the important lessons learnt from this pandemic, is the need for administrations to take responsibility for briefing their teams and players before leaving their shores.
They need to be made fully aware of their responsibilities on arrival and during their stay in those countries. An understanding that rules and expectations can change at any moment and to accept unequivocal cooperation in going along with what is expected of them.
There are already too many examples to mention that have tarnished the reputation of sport and some of its players, administrators, ceos and managers. It’s revealed excessive degrees of entitlement and discloses sport and money being valued above saving people’s lives. Money surely has no conscience and unfortunately nor do some who dictate where it’s spent.
Sportspeople need to understand they have an advantageous position, where so many people have jumped through hoops to allow them to play their games.
If the green light continues to shine, in a mere six months’ time, the biggest sporting event of them all , the Olympics Games is programmed to proceed. It will be a good gauge as to just how much human life matters.
For further information contact Make Lemonade NZ editor-in-chief Kip Brook on 0275 030188
Lisa was born in Auckland at the start of the 1970s, living in a small campsite community on the North Shore called Browns Bay. She spent a significant part of her life with her grandparents, often hanging out at the beaches. Lisa has many happy memories from those days at Browns Bay beach, where fish were plentiful on the point and the ocean was rich in seaweed. She played in the water for hours, going home totally “sun-kissed.” “An adorable time to grow up,” Lisa tells me.
Lisa enjoyed many sports; she was a keen tennis player and netballer, playing in the top teams for her age right up until the family moved to Wellington. Lisa was fifteen years old, which unfortunately marked the end of her sporting career. Local teams were well established in Wellington, and her attention was drawn elsewhere.