skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The new norm of sports post COVID-19
By Paritosh Pramanik
SPORTS would not be the same post COVID-19. A lot will change, though not in the format or rules in any particular sport, but in the way it will be played. The coronavirus pandemic, which has halted the all the sporting events for past two months, will make a big impact in the style of playing as well as celebrating.
The unknown, invisible disease has forced mankind to maintain social distancing and has made masks part of their life in an attempt to break the chain of the spread of the virus.
But once the lockdowns and curfews are lifted, the sporting ‘rules’ will have to be tweaked, for the betterment and safety of players and officials alike.
Sportspersons playing contact sports like football, cricket, hockey, basketball, kabaddi, kho-kho, to name a few, will have to be extra cautious while plying their trade.
Though wearing facemasks during matches might not be advisable as it may block oxygen intake, hugging each other, chest-busting, giving hi-fives during celebrations will have to be pushed back for a year or two. Players will have to devise new ideas of celebration while also maintaining social distancing. That would be a fun to watch. Bowing with folded hands might be the new celebrating style.
In football, like hydration breaks at half-time, sanitisation breaks will have to be introduced where players will have to apply sanitisers on their hands. This won’t add any extra time. During injury break or when a team gets a free kick, players could be allowed to use the time to sanitise themselves on the sidelines, just like they sip water in that little passage of duration.
Similarly, as coaches would also vouch for, first-time passes will have to be enforced upon to maintain distance from each other. The more quickly ball is released, the less danger of getting in contact with another player. Even the referees might start using sanitisers after awarding a free kick and during breaks.
In cricket, a bottle of sanitiser might be handed over to umpires who would drop a few drops on players hands between the overs. Sanitiser bottles can be put on the boundary lines as well just like water bottles.
Hockey players would be asked to use sanitisers while substitution. A sanitiser bottle can be placed just near the changing line where player can use them while going inside the playing field or while getting substitute. Coaches will have to keep sanitiser bottles ready with them during the matches.
Basketball players too can use to the time between each quarter to sanitise themselves. Again, releasing the ball immediately would be the norm in basketball too to avoid attracting any player too close.
In track and field events, it will be a Herculean task for officials to keep the equipment like shot puts, javelins, discuses infection-free. For that, they would have to keep on spraying disinfectants after every round of competition.
As far as badminton, tennis and table tennis are concerned, there won’t be much a problem of sanitisation players.
With no contact between two shuttlers, the time used to change the sides and after each game could be used to rub sanitisers on hands. Even the little drink breaks when players gulp a couple of hydrated drinks can be utilised for the same. Only a few seconds would be added in the duration of breaks.
Same can be done with table tennis and tennis.
In chess and carrom, players would be allowed carry sanitiser bottles during competitions. A chess player can use them frequently after moves while in carrom a player can use it at the end of each board. Same can be applied to bridge players. The card-game is mostly played by senior citizens and they will have to take extra precaution by keeping sanitisers on the table and use them after every game.
This, and many other changes, would be expected when the lockdown period ends. It might look a bit unnatural in the beginning but definitely will be a fun to watch players celebrating in unique ways.
NDFA chalks out plans to re-start Senior Division league in June at Bharatratna Dr Ambedkar Football Stadium
By Paritosh Pramanik
FOOTBALL will have a new address this season. Rules will be tweaked a bit. Matches, to some extent, will be played “behind closed doors”.
With the Maharashtra Government taking Nagpur out of the Red Zone, football in the city could be seen played on the green lawn turf, by the middle or end of June.
After around two months of lockdown which was imposed to break the chain of COVID-19, Nagpur saw ease in curbs on functioning of several establishments. According to government notification, sports stadiums and complexes can be opened for sportspersons for practice but with adequate social distancing rules.
The Nagpur District Football Association (NDFA) has started planning for the season ahead. With the new stadium almost ready, last season’s Senior Division League and First Division Leagues matches will be played at newly constructed Bharatratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Football Stadium in Suyog Nagar, north Nagpur.
“We are waiting for the permission from civic authorities. Once we get permission we will start the leagues at our new stadium,” NDFA President Haresh Vora told ‘The Hitavada’.
Germany’s Bundesliga was the first tournament to kick-start after two months forced break. As per FIFA’s suggestion, five substitution were allowed during the match. NDFA, too, will be tweaking their rules this year.
“All the Leagues will see changed substitution rules. A team will comprise 23 players and will be allowed to substitute five players per match. The technicalities as to when all players can be substituted (whether two in first half and three in second) will be completed in due course,” said Vora.
“FIFA’s suggestion of five-player substitution is very good. We know the stamina and fitness level of our players. Teams would get extra punch with two added substitutions,” opined Vora, who is also Vice-President of Western India Football Association (WIFA).
With Ramzan Eid round the corner (probably on May 25) and to give training time to players, Vora was of the view that the leagues could start in June, that too with government permission.
“If the situation (of coronavirus positive cases) improves and civic authorities allows to start tournaments, we can start with Senior Division by June only. There are few clubs which have Muslims players who are on fasting. The festival (Ramzan Eid) is round the corner. We will have to give players some time to train and build stamina as well. Above all, the temperature is on constant rise. I think by June we can start the tournament,” hoped Vora.
The biggest difficulty would be maintaining social distancing. Vora said they will try to follow the guidelines as much as possible.
“We will definitely follow the guidelines on social distancing. Less number of officials will be allowed during the match. Our new stadium is protected with chain fencing from all sides. Nobody will be allowed to venture inside the field. We will try to hold matches behind closed doors. But as some parts of the compound wall is broken we can’t bar spectators from entering inside the stadium from those areas. But, I will make it sure no unwanted person is allowed inside the fenced area,” Vora assured.
“At local level we can’t ask all the teams to follow what international clubs do (using sanitizers, thermal checks). We can only instruct them to follow the guidelines, rest is up to the club owners and players to keep themselves safe by following the guidelines” Vora signed off.
By Paritosh Pramanik
CITY athletes, who were living in dire straits, without a penny and unaware from where their next meal would be arranged since past several days, are now heaving a sigh of relief after several NGO, NMC and citizens came forward to help them with ration.
‘The Hitavada’ had reported the plight of international athlete Jyoti Chavan and her family a few days ago. Similar was the situation of another international athlete Prajakta Godbole who also represented India in World University Games held in Italy, along with Jyoti, last year.
The two athletes’ families are now getting help from various quarters and they feel indebted towards these good Samaritans.
Prajakta said, officials from Nagpur Municipal Corporation and others have given her ration which will last for over a month.
“Piyush Ambulkar sir (NMC Sports Officer) has helped my family. He has given me ration and other household things that will last for over a month. I am really thankful to him. Similarly, there are many other people coming and providing us with ration. I thank them all,” Prajakta said.
The 24-year-old Prajakta, who resides in Siraspeth, participated in 5000m race at the World University Games and had clocked 18:23.92.
Prajakta’s father Vilas is paralytic and bed-ridden while mother Aruna is jobless. She used to work at a catering service but since lockdown imposed, she is jobless.
The promising middle-distance runner is pursuing Bachelor in Arts. Like Jyoti, Prajakta has also applied for sports quota job in Railways, CISF and other government institutions. But to her bad luck she did not receive the trials letter from CISF.
“I came to know later that a letter was dispatched by CISF for trials in February at my home address. But till date I did not receive any letter. The trials were held in February. Had I received the letter I would have appeared for the trials and might have landed the job,” Prajakta this newspaper.
“I desperately need a job so that I can take care of my parents. I have applied in various departments. A source of earning would help me in concentrating on my athletic career. Without job I can’t event think about athletics and practice,” concluded Prajakta.
Among others members of Centre for Awareness in Rural and Urban Development (CRD) donated essential commodities, vegetable and face masks to Godbole family. The members include Alok Pande, Rohit Trivedi.
By Paritosh Pramanik
IT WAS for his son Satyam’s fitness in the rainy season that Advocate Rajesh Bhoyar admitted his kids (daughter Sai) at a tennis coaching centre. That fitness class would be only for three months, Adv Bhoyar had decided.
At the end of three months, Satyam, had to reluctantly leave tennis, despite “knocking” the tennis ball well, while Sai continued with the sport, in which she had generated interest
immediately.
Those three months made Sai an acclaimed tennis prodigy of the city. The story of Sai from there on is only of rising. For Satyam, elder among the two, cricket took the front seat.
Sai Bhoyar, who will be 16 by next month, has knocked down many a title in her short tennis career all over the country. And she yearns for more.
Adv Rajesh and his wife Vandana never thought that both of their kids would shine in sports.
“I had always dreamt Satyam playing cricket at highest level. When Sai showed her interest and progress in tennis, it was like ‘Andhala mangto ek dola, dev deto don’ for me,” Bhoyar confessed while talking with
‘The Hitavada.’
Former cricketer Rajesh, a lawyer by profession, spotted talent in Sai when she was only nine years old. “I noticed natural sporting talent in Sai when she was nine. As a kid, Sai was very active. Sai and Satyam would always be either playing or fighting. She always loved challenging her elder brother and was never scared of his superiority,” recalled Adv Bhoyar.
For the records, Sai has won bagful of medals with the recent one in Khelo India silver medal for Maharashtra. She is ranked second in Maharashtra Tennis Rankings and has also won gold medal in CBSE School South Zone Championship, Bengaluru,
2019-20.
Road to Wimbledon (competition), winning Asian U-14 doubles, winning silver medals in School Nationals and winning silver and bronze medals in Khelo India Youth Games were some of the moments which has made Bhoyars proud.
Sai’s career was in jeopardy in 2019 and she was on the verge of missing the Khelo India Youth Games. But an accurate treatment and her willpower brought her back on the tennis court.
Narrating that horrifying period, Rajesh, who runs Arkaya Law Firm said, “In September 2019 Sai was diagnosed with Vertigo. It was impossible for her to play on court. Finasta Nationals and other important tournaments were scheduled in same period. She lost many important ranking points and her chances of qualifying for Khelo India Youth Games 2020 were fading away. We took her to Dr Sangram Wagh whose perfect analysis and treatment helped her return back on the court within a month. Sai’s will power and determination paid off in winning silver medals in CBSE School Nationals and SGFI School Nationals which gave her ticket for Khelo India Youth Games. Ultimately, she won her second medal for Maharashtra in as many years.”
It was not easy for Bhoyars to manage the sporting journey of both the kids. But thus far they are doing well.
“Having played cricket, and done BCCI’s cricket coaching course, it is always easy for me to guide Satyam. With Sai, we discuss and analyse her game and match and try to correct her mistakes,” said the father.
Adv Bhoyar has never forced any target on his kids. He only wants them to do well and enjoy the game. “I have asked them to focus on process than results. If the process is proper and efforts are honest then temporary results are not that significant. They have understood this very well. They are not playing their games for one match or one tournament or for a year, but it’s a long journey,” Bhoyar elaborated.
Sai’s entry into sports was accidental. It was her elder brother who was more inclined towards cricket and his fitness in rainy season took both of them to tennis courts. “Satyam started with Mujumdar Cricket Academy from age of five. In 2013, he was shifted to Ruby Club. During rainy season, club started playing football to keep the players fit. Considering his tender age and chances of getting injured, I decided to send him to tennis court for three months. I registered both Sai and Satyam at Ramnagar Tennis courts. Within three months both of them developed their skills. After three months Satyam reluctantly withdrew from tennis for cricket and Sai continued her journey,” recalled Bhoyar who has played for VCA, Central Zone and Inter-University cricket for Nagpur University.
Bhoyars are always ready to support both their kids. “We ensure that Sai is not short of any facility, equipment. We have given her full freedom to prefer her tennis over studies. Though financially it is tough, we have so far done everything required in her tennis career.”
With very less opportunities in city, Rajesh is planning to move Sai out of the city.
“The major difficulty is lack of quality infrastructure required for training in the city. Time has come for Sai to move out for training and also for playing ITF tournaments. But this requires sponsorship,” he said.
Sai, though a tennis player, is not devotedly attached with the sport on TV. Rather she loves watching cricket.
“She rarely watches tennis on TV. Only Serena (Williams) or (Rafael) Nadal match she would watch fully. But she loves watching cricket. She is a big fan of Mumbai Indians, Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit (Shama),” informed Adv Bhoyar.
Satyam, too, is not far behind. He has represented Vidarbha in U-14, 16 BCCI tournaments and Maharashtra in U-19 School Nationals. He was the best batsman of VCA U-13 and U-19 meets in 2015 and 2019, respectively.
“I am proud of Satyam. He is doing well in his sport, knocking the door constantly. I am sure he will also make a name for himself,” concluded Adv Bhoyar.
By Paritosh Pramanik
THE 2020-21 football season of Nagpur District Football Association (NDFA) will have a delayed start due to
coronavirus.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought all the sporting activities in the city to a grinding halt. League matches of NDFA’s two divisions—Senior and First—were not even started when the government imposed complete lockdown in March.
NDFA had even declared the fixtures of Senior Division which was scheduled to start from March 16.
But the Janta Curfew and then the lockdown, which has been extended, forced the association to postpone the two tournaments.
With the situation still looking grim and chances of lockdown ending thinner, the two leagues, it seems, might be cancelled or may be played prior to the new season starts, in September.
“We are yet to complete the two divisions (Senior and First). We were ready with the Senior Division scheduled but it could not be started due to the lockdown,” said Iqbal Kashmiri, Secretary, Nagpur District Football Association.
“As things stands now, we may have to scrap the two meets this season. But nothing is final yet,” he added.
NDFA President Haresh Vora said the new season will be delayed. “The present situation doesn’t look good. We are yet to complete last year’s leagues. The new season will be delayed by a couple of months,” he mentioned.
Vora is still optimistic that the Senior and First Division matches would be completed in coming months.
“What we can do is start the new season with Senior and First Division matches which are part of last season. But for that we have to see first when can we start our season. The sooner the lockdown ends then only we can plan out things.
“We can start the season with these divisions and then complete the season again with the matches of the same division next year,” he remarked.
This year there will be no transfers as it was done last year itself hence much of time will be saved this year.
“That is a big plus point. We don’t have the transfers this year. So a much time is saved. We can make adjustments for those few who don’t have players in lower division,” informed Vora.
There are 20 teams in First Division which include Veer Football Club, Hansraj FC, Gouhar FC, Nagpur Star, Maverick FC, Green Flag, Young Boys, Al-Fateh FC, Rahul Academy, Birsa Munda, Eagle ‘B’, Bezonbagh, Yuva FC, Nobel FC, Young Ansar, Shakti FC, Mecosabagh FC, Big Ben and Bhankheda FC.
“It would hardly take 15-20 days to complete the leagues,” Vora concluded.
