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Editorial: Dealing With Uncertainty During COVID-19

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The COVID-19 situation has created an unprecedented period of complexity and uncertainty. Fears about the virus can take
an emotional toll, especially for college students, who are suddenly thrust into choppy and uncharted waters.

As college students, we are in a time of massive upheaval. There are so many things outside our control, including how long the pandemic lasts, how other people behave, and what the future holds. That is a tough thing to accept, and so many of us respond by endlessly searching the internet for answers and thinking over all the different scenarios that might happen.

But as long as we are focusing on questions with unknowable answers and circumstances outside of our personal control, this strategy will get us nowhere aside from feeling drained, anxious, and overwhelmed. Universities across the nation have resorted to online teaching methods to ensure that there is no academic loss.
However, many students are not comfortable with the teaching process, while, others face the issue of internet connectivity as an impediment to access online classes. In times like these, it is vital to stay informed about the happenings globally and follow the required precautions. Sensationalistic media coverage and misinformation will only add to fear and uncertainty, so keep a tab on the information that is shared with you. Stick to trusted sources like the World Health Organisation (WHO) to discern information about the pandemic. Do not constantly check for updates on social media, it becomes compulsive at one point of time. Stay away from media altogether, if you feel overwhelmed. With the US President Trump repeatedly referring to coronavirus as ‘Chinese virus’ fuelling theories that the virus was a biological weapon used by China, things have taken an odd turn with people using it as an excuse to attack the natives of Northeast India.
A report by Rights and Risk Analysis group shows that residents of the Northeast part of the nation are facing racism and discrimination ever since the onset of the global pandemic. The report titled, ‘Coronavirus Pandemic : India’s Mongoloid Looking People Face Upsurge of Racism’ cited at least 22 cases of racial discrimination or hate crimes against such people between 7th February and 25th March. These incidents are not very new to the University of Delhi (DU). On 22nd March, an M.Phil student from Manipur was spat on near North Campus and called ‘coronavirus’. A similar incident was reported by two female students of Kirori Mal College (KMC) when they were harassed and called ‘coronavirus’ by a group of six men, who also threw water balloons on them on 3rd March. On a social media group called the ‘Northeast Solidarity Group’, people are sharing their stories of ill-treatment by their neighbours and the society in general. All this clearly exhibits the cruelty and apathy towards the people from Northeastern part of our very own country.

Recently, I attended an online session which talked about ways to manage and control anxiety during the global pandemic. It reflected on the desire of humans to manage and  control everything. What I learnt through the session was that grounding yourself in the present situation will help you spin out the negativity and panic. I also know that this is easier said than done.

There are questions, a lot of questions surrounding us right now, some of them like- what about exams? Will they take place online? What about graduation or admission to a master’s degree? However, I firmly believe that spiralling out the what-ifs from our life in a situation like this will help us to feel calmer. Humans are social animals and are hardwired for communication. This is why it is important to stay connected digitally. Social media has emerged as a powerful to communicate with friends and family, in-person meetings have now been substituted for video calls, which more or less acts as boosters for our mental health.
Nevertheless, don’t let the coronavirus dominate your conversation. Remember to take breaks from the stressful situation and talk about work, family, share jokes and laughter. Be kind to yourself, maintain a routine, take out time for the activities you enjoy, exercise, and most importantly, help others. Amid all the stories of people hoarding up the essential supplies and fighting for toilet paper, all of us need to remember, we all are in this together.
I would conclude with a quote circulating in Italy, which says, “We’re standing far apart now so we can embrace each other later.”

Anoushka Sharma 

[email protected]

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Campus Central

UGC Likely to Extend Deadline for Research

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With libraries and educational institutions shutting down across the country due to Covid-19, the University Grants Commission (UGC) is expected to extend the submission deadlines for research work by six months.

Keeping in mind the problems faced by research scholars in undertaking research work in the ongoing pandemic and lockdowns, former Executive Council members of University of Delhi (DU) have appealed to the UGC to postpone the research submission date by at least six months. “In the current extraordinary situation of crisis, it is not possible to carry out research work since consultation of an expert is required and library resources are essential as all references/books are not available as e-resources”, they added.

Most of the research scholars were expected to submit their thesis in a stipulated time as set up by the Ordinance of the University and was due in March-April. However in the second week of March during the semester break, the university was declared closed till 31st March followed by a complete lockdown in the country.

The Federation of Central Universities’ Teachers’ Association (FEDCUTA) in a letter to the UGC Chairman, D P Singh wrote, “Many PhD and MPhil research scholars have been enabled to conduct research in this period. Absence of laboratory and library facilities except for select few e-resources have left scholars largely resourceless. They have not been able to do any field work too.” They also pointed out that the pandemic has affected the mind frame of the research scholars and disrupted the pace of their work.

“We request you to take cognizance of the difficult circumstances and issue instructions to universities to give an extension of six months to all scholars across the country who were due to submit their thesis/dissertations or hold their pre-submission seminars,” they added.

With multiple requests being made for the extension, the UGC Chairman stated that a seven-member committee had been formed to discuss changes in the academic calendar due to the lockdown and that the next session would be started right after it is lifted. He asserted on avoiding any delays thereafter in the examinations as well.

Taking into account the uncertainty in the current situation, UGC is likely to extend the research deadlines and an official announcement is expected to be made soon.

Feature Image Credits: Zee News
Feature Image Caption: DU appeals to UGC for extending the deadline for submitting research by 6 months.

Aishwaryaa Kunwar

[email protected]

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Coronavirus

Baisakhi in the Time of Coronavirus

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What normally would have been a time for celebration for the Indian farmers has now posed an uncertainty in their survival itself. But, despite everything, the Indian Farmer toils away.

Baisakhi has traditionally been a time of celebration for Indian farmers- it marks the end of the Rabi Season and the day when their crops are ready for harvest. It is also the Sikh New Year and the Hindu Solar New Year, and thus has great religious significance to it as well.

However, this year, the Indian agricultural industry faces an unprecedented challenge. The Coronavirus pandemic has brought the country to a standstill and is possibly our worst economic emergency, ever. The lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the virus has caused a huge disruption in the agricultural supply chains, leading to problems for tge producers, transporters and consumers.

Firstly, to harvest a crop, the sector needs labour, who mostly hail from states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar. Due to the lockdown, most of them have resorted back to their villages, where a necessary sense of comfort and belongingness will be duly provided. Due to this, farmers are unable to harvest the crop mechanically or even hand pluck it, something that will lead to late harvests, which coupled with a lower yield and a shorter window to plant the next season’s crop aggravates the problems. Even in a situation where the harvesting is done, things like packaging the produce, transporting it the mandis and then to storage facilities will remain a challenge without the required labour.

The second major issue currently is the problem with distribution. Even after the Government of India has declared agriculture as an essential (which was done on 27th March, the country went into lockdown on the 24th of March) and allowed repair and supply shops toremain functional, distribution remains a major challenge. This too is heavily linked to the lack of availability of labour and the medium that can make the produce reach from the farms to the markets. Fears about a rush to the mandis the moment the harvest takes place cannot be ignored either, leading to panic selling and a further drop in prices, negatively impacting more what is already an economically unviable activity for most farmers.

Image Caption: Transportation of Crops remains a major problem for the Agriculture Industry Image Credits: Getty Images
Image Caption: Transportation of Crops remains a major problem for the Agriculture Industry
Image Credits: Getty Images

The governments at both centre and state levels have tried to counter these problems. The Central Government has released an advance of Rs. 2000 to 7.92 Crore farmers on the PM-KISAN payments while also releasing funds for states to buy the crop at Minimum Support Price (MSP). Apart from that, the Market Intervention Scheme, which reimburses farmers of perishable crops in case of low prices, has also been implemented and governmental agencies have been asked to increase obtaining of produce from these farmers at MSP. The Haryana Government has guaranteed purchase of entire stocks of mustard and wheat and increased the number of markets so that there is one market to every three villages, while also ensuring the measures to contain the spread of Coronavirus in these markets. Telangana has announced a token system for the farmers to go to the mandi and a complete decentralisation in procurement, whereby the purchases will be made through respective Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies in every village to cut down on the need for transport.

However, a lack of a coordinated policy at the national level is likely to hurt the farmers. The Centre needs to work with the State Government(s) and implement a strategy that enables the farmer to sell their wheat or other crops without having to arrange for transport. The Government can also try and get labourers to come and work if they’re willing to, perhaps taking a page out of Germany’s book, who flew in labourers from countries like Romania and Bulgaria to pick the agricultural produce. The railway network should be utilised effectively to ensure supplies reach where they’re needed and the Haryana and Telangana models should be implemented throughout the country so that the produce reaches the proper channels.

A lack of supply isn’t the problem- the winter crop this season has been bountiful. Matching the supply with the demand and getting it to where it is needed is an urgent problem that needs to be tackled on a war footing. The government needs to be proactive in its approach. While our flour mills cry out for wheat, the Food Corporation of India (FCI)is sitting on 27 million tonnes of wheat from the previous Rabi season, with a record 110 million tonnes estimated to be harvested this season.

While most of us sit in the comfort of our homes, the farmers toil daily to ensure our meals. As we clap for our doctors, this Baisakhi, we should also celebrate the farmers and express our gratitude by not indulging in hoarding of food items, wastage of any kind and use our privilege wisely to impact those who are struggling to meet their ends in such circumstances. This is the time for us to translate our solidarity into action.

Featured Image Credits: The Hindu Business Line

Khush Vardhan Dembla

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Features

Jug Baba: Lockdown Woes

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Baba I can’t do it anymore. I am an extrovert and being trapped like this for more than two weeks now, during the lockdown, is suffocating me inside the walls of my own house. My anxiety is rising with each passing day, please help me out.

Oh! My vada don’t worry. Jug Bbaba is there for you just like Sex Amma, and will sort your worries in a jiffy. Quarantine is difficult for all of us whether it’s the inability to go out, or the uncontrollable daily cravings of those momos you kids eat these days, everything is difficult about it. But, you should remember my vada you are not alone in this Sambhar of the Coronavirus outbreak. We are all in this together.

Not paying much heed to the negatives and diverting our attention towards the positives is something that can help us all. For example, can you think of any other instance before this quarantine when you and your Amma, Appa, Aakka and all the rest of your family members spent such a long time together? In today’s world, not just you, we all spend a major part of our day either earning money or preparing ourselves to be able to earn it in the future, amidst which we often forget, our near and dear ones.

Hence, instead of sitting all alone in your room, binge watching the entire day, try to strengthen your family bonds by talking to your Akka or playing with your Thambi or just help your Amma out. Another efficient remedy to anxiety can be meditation. Even your Sex Amma is a big fan of it. Simply closing your eyes and getting rid of all the unwanted thoughts which clinging to your mind does wonders. In fact you can try out the many apps that provide guided meditation to beginners.

So, my Medu, plan every day, learn a new skill, and utilise this time to do what you wanted to do for a long time but were always inhibited by the shortage of time.

Hope this helps!


Your mental health companion, 
Jug Baba

 

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Arts & Culture

Birthdays Amid Pandemic 

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If your friend is celebrating their birthday under the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, read further to see how you can make their day better!

2020 has a special birthday present, for all those born in the March and early-April borns out there- the coronavirus pandemic along with almost a month-long lockdown for the after party. Be a better friend than 2020 to ensure your friends don’t get too lonely on their birthdays. Here are some steps:

 

  • Houseparty at Midnight

 

Nothing is more special than having your best friend call you up at midnight to wish you a happy birthday. But what’s better is having five friends video call you over bad network so you can all blame each other for having the worst WiFi. Use applications like Instagram, Houseparty or even Zoom (because who really attends online classes) for group video calling.  

 

  • Send over Swiggy

 

Nobody really wants to eat homemade food on their birthdays, especially after eating nothing but that for the past few weeks under this lockdown. Get food delivered at your friend’s home from their favourite restaurant because nobody can be sad while eating their favourite food. However, ensure that the restaurant follows the World Health Organisation’s (WHO)’s safety standards. 

 

  • Make a Movie and Song Playlist

 

Since there aren’t many options at home, let’s resort to our standard solution- Netflix and Chill. Make a list of all the movies that your friend is certain to enjoy, make sure they’re all on some online streaming channel, and if not, download and send them on drive. Also make a playlist of all the songs that remind you of them to end this birthday on a little emotional note.

 

  • Multiplayer Online Gaming

 

Finally, you can download a bunch of online multiplayer games to play with a bunch of friends like Ludo, UNO, Call of Duty, Minecraft and many more. Just remember, don’t let your friend feel lonely. Be there for them and keep reminding them how much they mean to you. 

Have a happy and safe birthday to all March and April borns! 

Featured Image Credits: Bored Panda

Aditi Gutgutia

[email protected]

 

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DUB News

DU Teachers Unable to Access Online Portals

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While the countrywide lockdown has brought many people together working from the comfort of their homes like never before, University of Delhi’s (DU’s) teachers behind in this because the University being unable to pay for online journals and portals.

While this might seem like a burning issue amidst the lockdown, it is rather the opposite. Allegedly, the University has failed to pay for many international journals of law, science, humanities, and economics since 2016. While these problems are generally not a big problem when colleges and libraries are functioning, they become a huge problem when both of them are not functioning, and online resources are the sources of learning and teaching.

While resources like SWAYAM are still available to the teachers and students, to maintain some routine with the syllabus and classes. According to many teachers, these are not sufficient and are not as good as National Library and Information Services Infrastructure for Scholarly Content which has peer-reviewed journals and e-books for university-level education or the ShodhShala.

Delhi University Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr. Yogesh Tyagi did not respond to calls and text messages from The Print inquiring about the unavailability of e-means. In conversation with The Print, Manoj Kumar, Assistant Professor at Satyawati College said, “The responsibility for the payment lies both with the College and the University, and both have shirked it.”

“Going online for teaching and learning as a part of the regular teaching process is fine, but once the entire system is shifted online, things become difficult,” said Rajesh Jha, a teacher at Deshbandhu College, in a conversation with The Print.

Retired DU Librarian D. V. Singh said, “I have been fighting for the availability of online resources ever since 2016 until my retirement in Mid-2019. The college was supposed to pay income to continue receiving access to international journals, but it could not be performed despite a variety of attempts,” while speaking to The Print.

Singh also informed that for the University to continue with the subscriptions they have previously enjoyed, they would need to pay a total sum of INR 5 crore annually. Amidst the 21-day lockdown, the teachers and the students both require these e-resources now more than ever to learn and teach, and for the research work for doctoral students as the University has instructed for all day-to-day activities to be continued via online mediums.

 

Image Credits: Careers 360

 

Akshat Arora

[email protected]

 

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Pandemic Analysis: Coronavirus 2019 versus Swine Flu 2009

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Reminding one eerily of the swine flu pandemic ten years ago, coronavirus has brought the world to a screeching halt. We take a brief look at the two.

Infecting an estimated one billion, and causing the deaths of around half a million, the 2009 H1N1 virus, or the swine flu pandemic, disrupted the world for over a year, striking fear across continents and cities, and is considered among the deadliest pandemics in human history. Recently originating from a different part of the world, but only ten years apart from the preceding pandemic, COVID-19, or the coronavirus pandemic, has been spreading across countries at a devastating speed, with the death toll rising almost exponentially in several regions.

Lockdown of cities, shutting down of corporates and companies, suspension of all sports events, closing down of universities and schools, disruption of air and road travel  – the worldwide call for social distancing to prevent the spread of the disease has brought the world to a standstill. “We are facing a global health crisis unlike any in the 75-year history of the UN – one that is killing people, spreading human suffering and upending people’s lives”, said the United Nations in a public report. The current pandemic seems to be on its way to upstage the damage done by the one before it.

The swine flu emerged among pigs, reportedly in Mexico – though some experts dispute that the place of origin was in Asia –  and was carried by them for some period of time before it finally transferred to humans, hence the name. The first reported case came from Veracruz, a small town in Mexico. Experts are yet to ascertain the specific cause that led to the spread of coronavirus, though there is a good probability that it passed onto humans from a different species. The first reported outbreak was in Wuhan, China. 

The total number of people infected with swine flu was estimated to be 700 million – 1.4 billion, from March 2009 to August 2010, while for coronavirus, the number has almost reached 900,000 (reported cases) in a matter of three months, and with the absence of a vaccine or a cure, the number is expected to rise at an even swifter rate in the coming weeks. An extremely stark difference between the two is seen in terms of the mortality rate. While the swine flu did infect a high number of people and did cause a large number of deaths, the mortality rate was not as menacing as compared to what had been expected. Compared to swine flu’s rate of 0.02%, coronavirus had a mortality rate of 3.4% as of March 27, and the difference, when seen in terms of thousands of human beings, is enormous. Though with the increase in number of cases, the rate is expected to fall.

Due to the high mortality rate and high contagiousness, the measures for social distancing are far more severe under coronavirus as compared to swine flu. The extra caution undertaken can also be attributed to the fact that governments and medical institutions are a bit more equipped, mentally and physically, and a tad more aware as regards to handling such a large scale pandemic, having already experienced it a few years back. “When swine flu came out in 2009, there were some shutdowns, some precautionary measures implemented, some schools closed, and daily life was not as disrupted, but during this coronavirus outbreak, there has been a total shutdown of almost every activity, that too at a global level”, said a city doctor, on the condition of anonymity. Indeed, the widespread suspension of almost every public activity, from road vehicles to international flights, local shops to multinational retailers, restaurants to tourist attractions, football leagues to the Olympics, public parks to national stadiums, along with several countries under precautionary quarantine, is unprecedented. 

Both coronavirus and swine flu have largely similar symptoms, and a similar mode of transmission, infected respiratory droplets. Yet both were caused by vastly different virus families. A vaccine for swine flu was developed a few months after it was declared a pandemic, and though many deaths had been caused by that time, it helped curtail any further damage. No such vaccine or cure has been developed for coronavirus, though efforts are underway across the world. According to a report by Centres For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children and young adults accounted for 75% deaths under swine flu. As for deaths under coronavirus, a large proportion of the deaths have been of old citizens. 

A definite and conclusive analysis can only be done after the pandemic has subsided. While the logical and quick decision made by several governments to introduce social distancing measures is laudable, the magnitude of the shutdown, as well as the damage that has already been done, is a proof of the potential damage that the disease can inflict in the coming few weeks. Though looking at the doctors and scientists working day and night towards a cure or a vaccine, the rising number of recovered patients and the fact that the case toll has slowed down in some countries, especially in the disease’s place of origin, China, the possibility of coronavirus being brought under control by the end of 2020 cannot totally be ruled out.

Featured Image Credits – Business Insider

Araba Kongbam

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Campus Central

AGSHW Students Not Allowed to Enter Hostel Premises

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Amidst the coronavirus lockdown, while many University of Delhi (DU) students are enjoying a vacation at their home, there are still many who could not make it home in time, and thus, are forced to stay in Delhi under unbearable conditions.

In a recent notice released on the University’s website, it was made clear to all of the students residing in any hostel of DU that there would be necessities provided to them even during the indefinite countrywide lockdown. But the story so far for the residents of Ambedkar Ganguly Students House for Women (AGSHW) has been completely different.

According to the recent information being circulated over social media, Amisha Nanda, a student residing in AGSHW could not enter the hostel even after constant appeals to the authorities. The security guards were instructed by the Provost to throw out any student trying to enter. The provost, Dr Anu Aggarwal stands unmoved to the requests by the students. Students are not able to get basic amenities like food and electricity in the hostel.

Before this, on 20th March 2020, the residents were evacuated on the grounds of a lockdown being initiated and other hostels of DU also being shut down. The notice from the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) came the very next day, which was opposite to what the authorities had been saying.

But the clash between the authorities and residents of AGSHW is not new, there had been protests in the Dhaka Complex since late February 2020, over the problematic statements by Dr K Ratnabali such as “a girl’s body is a mystery”. Amisha is facing disciplinary action for the same and the parents of many students are being called up for the same. While talking to DU Beat, Amisha said, “The series of hostel authorities being vindictive is never-ending. They casually dismiss from the job the contract workers and they would still do everything so as to corner me or the other residents who would want to stay (in the hostel).”

As for the current scenario, Amisha said, “As of now, I am still locked inside. If they’re following the government order, they better first fulfill the condition that accompanies that is proper accommodation and essential facilities. Quarantining is not a problem.”

The students, while understanding that proper precautions need to be taken to prevent the coronavirus, demand a hostel with proper living conditions and basic living amenities, for the guards to not lose their job and for the hostel to provide shelter to all the residents, even if there are only a few residing in the hostel.

 

Featured Image Credits: Delhi University Official Website

Akshat Arora

[email protected]

 

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DUB Speak

Mental Health of Housewives: A Reality Check

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Bringing in the foreground- the issue of rising mental health issues with those strata of the society which is pushed in the background with ease of oblivion, negligence, and denial.

The one we honour with superficial and pretentious superlatives like a multi-tasker, caregiver and resilient is subjected to suit the likes of our ease and comfort, where we as a society conveniently flip the switch from that- to labelling her as a nobody, serving subject and a labour machine who has no entitlement to emotions of her own. This only throws light on the irony, hypocrisy, and failure of a coherent society.

Perpetually propagated ideology since time immemorial till today is celebration and romanticism of the sacrifices and suppression of desires that the housewives engulf in for the sake of their families. We often express ourselves as being grateful to the relentless hard work our mothers and wives do for us when de facto we should be feeling guilty. The learning outcome should be to change the status quo, and not to further reinforce it. The apportion of this baggage has resulted in multiple mental health issues in our homemakers.

The most common cases would include homemakers facing anger issues, anxiety and depression as common threads. The stressors are the daily domestic hassles. Amidst all of this, if they take a break and mistakenly use it in watching soap operas, which should ideally provide an escape from their tiring life, it consequently does more harm than good. Working on the kernel of truth, a majority of them further sell the idea of an idealistic cohesive ‘bahu’ who is the chastest soul on earth and would do wonders for the sake of her family. Early arranged marriage, young motherhood, low social status, domestic violence, and economic dependence are some of the gruesome factors which affect them physically but more mentally because treatment for the latter is not even an option.

Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that one of the largest groups of suicides in India are housewives. Approximately 63 housewives took their own lives every day in the year 2018 accounting for 17% of all suicides on average. It’s already a known fact that NCRB data is guilty of underestimation since many cases go unrecorded. Instances of burn injury against housewives have been deliberately turned to be reported as accidents as reported by India spend indicates the further depletion of the authenticity of the data.

Psychological disorders such as multiple personality disorder when found among women especially in rural areas and those in urban areas who have superstitious beliefs are taken to shamans for exorcism where they are physically tortured. Even in educated households, some husbands are found guilty of falsifying mental illness allegations on their wives to institutionalize them and get an easy divorce. The conditions of institutions in India are very poor and what happens inside them to these women goes unquestioned. This was reported by the vice.

Suppression of sexual desires, the discrepancy between the real self and ideal self and mental exhaustion among other things which go unnoticed form the crux of the problems. From casual ignorance to complete disdain for the share of work done, homemakers have fallen victim to varying degrees of mental health issues. Acknowledgement of the work done by housewives and accreditation of dignity which has been long overdue can go a long way in alleviating the problems. Mental illness itself is a taboo in our country and access to therapeutic facilities is a privilege. With such uprise in suicidal tendencies and depression and lack of infrastructure and free-thinking society, the least we can do is to deconstruct the problematic approaches of inherent patriarchy which puts women in vulnerable positions in the first place.

Featured Image Credits: The Guardian

 

Umaima Khanam

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DUB Speak

Coronavirus Poses Sudden Roadblock for the Sporting World

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COVID-19 pandemic forces cancellation of sporting events across the world, leaving umpteen ongoing and scheduled tournaments in the lurch.

ICC World Cup 2011 highlights. Vivo Indian Premiere League (IPL) Final 2016 highlights. French Open 2017 highlights. English Premier League 2014-15 highlights. As I shift to and sift through the sports channels on the idiot box looking for some respite from the gloomy COVID-19 coverage, the pandemic still doesn’t fail to make its presence felt. With the postponement of all ongoing sports events, sports broadcasters have nothing to broadcast “live”, and have instead been forced to delve deep into their archives, repeatedly broadcasting recordings and highlights of past tournaments and matches on their channels.

Disseminating rapidly across countries and continents at breakneck speed, and causing thousands of deaths, the 2019 coronavirus pandemic, also known as COVID-19, has brought the globe to a standstill. To limit further damage, there has been a worldwide call for social distancing measures. With sporting events attracting thousands of spectators, and also involving repeated physical contact between participants, their postponement was imminent and necessary.

This coronavirus-induced sports ban claimed its most high-profile “casualty” when the International Olympic Committee announced the postponement of the much-awaited 2020 Tokyo Olympics until 2021. The magnitude of this decision can be gauged by the fact that the Olympics have never once been postponed in history since its modern inception in 1896, though the Games were cancelled in 1916, 1940 and 1944 owing to World War I and II. The postponement shall undoubtedly lead to multifarious organisational, logistical and financial hurdles for the organisers while also complicating the situation for athletes who’d been training hard for months for their events. Though before the decision, in an online poll conducted by The Athletics Association labour group, involving over 4000 track and field athletes, 78 percent voted in favour of postponement of the Games.

Football has been badly affected, with all national leagues like the English Premier League and Bundesliga, regional tournaments like the UEFA Champions League and AFC Champions League, and international tournaments like the Euro 2020 and Copa America 2020 being postponed. Until a few weeks ago, matches were still being held, albeit in empty stadiums, but as the disease began to spread swiftly, total postponement turned unavoidable. “I miss live football so much that now I have started watching simulation games on FIFA 20”, laments Akshat Jha, a football fan and a law student, referring to the FIFA 20 video game.

Apart from the agony faced by fans, the football ban has been a cause of great financial concern for clubs and players, since a large chunk of the clubs’ revenue is earned through stadium tickets and television broadcasts of their matches. Several clubs have announced pay cuts. Even rich clubs like Barcelona and Juventus have been forced to announce reductions in salary for their players and staff. FIFA reportedly plans to create an emergency fund for clubs facing a monetary crisis.

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the global governing body for tennis has suspended the men’s and women’s tennis calendars until June 7, thus leading to the cancelling or postponing of several ATP and WTA tournaments. The historic French Open scheduled to be held in May has been postponed to September while the Grand Slam which comes after it, the Wimbledon, also faces an extremely high probability of being cancelled.

While cricket didn’t have any major international tournaments in the next few months, many bilateral series scheduled to be held in the next two months had to be postponed. The last two remaining ODI matches of the series between India and South Africa, which were earlier planned to be held behind closed doors were ultimately postponed indefinitely. The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which was scheduled to start in March was postponed until April 15, with a high chance of it being postponed further, or even cancelled.

Motor racing events have also been affected, with all Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR and MotoGP races being postponed. The Formula 1 calendar was scheduled to start with the Australian Grand Prix, but the race had to be cancelled only a few days before its commencement after a member of the Mclaren racing team tested positive for the disease. Subsequently, 5 Grand Prix races have been postponed while the Monaco Grand Prix was cancelled. The Formula 1 calendar is scheduled to commence in July while MotoGP has set the date as early as May 3.

Four of the biggest sporting leagues in the United States of America, involving four different sports, the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL), all having a global fan base, have been suspended. The NBA suspended its matches from March 12 after two Utah Jazz players, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert tested positive for the disease. Celebrity NBA player Kevin Durant also tested positive for the disease. “Everyone is careful, take care of yourself and quarantine, we are going to get through this.”, Durant said in a public statement. The NBA was criticised for having waited too long to suspend their calendar, which has resulted in it having the most number of coronavirus positive players out of the four leagues.

Other major events which faced the brunt of the pandemic and had to be postponed include the Thomas and Uber Cup finals for badminton, the World Snooker Championships, the iconic London and Boston marathons, the World Table Tennis Championships, the Arctic Winter Games and the ISSF Shooting World Cup amongst others. Such a widespread curtailment of global sports has never occurred in the last few decades since World War II.

“The ramifications of cancelling or postponing play are wide-ranging, from mundane considerations about the competition to potentially serious financial consequences for athletes, teams, leagues and organizations, and the tens of thousands of people who work at sporting events,” wrote New York Times.

With the pandemic still going strong in many parts of the world, it is not yet possible to specifically ascertain the day that sporting events shall commence. Even if the pandemic is put under control, it might take several months before sporting events are given the green signal. Nevertheless, the world has come together to combat the disease, especially doctors and nurses, and the show shall certainly commence someday.

Featured Image Credits: Al Jazeera

 

Araba Kongbam

[email protected]

 

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