A peek into bio-secure environment for cricket

Ever since the England and Wales Cricket Board said they will be hosting the West Indies for a three-Test series in a ‘bio-secure environment’ next month, it has caught the imagination of many. So what is a bio-secure environment? Is it the panacea for resumption of sports most of which is still comatose. Is it practically possible to implement everywhere and by everyone? Here is an attempt to clear some of those doubts.

What is a bio-secure environment?

Bio-security is a set of measures aimed at preventing the introduction and/or spread of harmful organism (in this case coronavirus). It also aims at minimising the risk of transmission of infectious diseases to people or animals caused by viruses, bacteria and microorganisms.

How is England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) planning to achieve this?

For a bio-secure environment to function seemingly in a smooth way, movements of all parties involved needs to be severely restricted. In short, they’ll be living in a gated community with no access outside world whatsoever. In ECB’s case, they’ve slotted the first Test at Southampton’s Ageas Bowl and the next two at Old Trafford in Manchester as both venues have on-site hotels, which means no team bus travels and no stepping out. The West Indies players will be quarantined for three weeks before the first Test while other stakeholders like match officials, operational staff, essential venue staff, broadcasters and media will have to adhere to the strict measures.

NBA, meanwhile, is mulling to stage the remaining matches of its suspended league in the confines of Disney’s ESPN Wide World Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

Will it be fool-proof?

While it has not been tried in sports so far, one cannot answer it unless it’s been experimented. There are practical problems though. A Test match is normally a five-day affair and with so many people involved in broadcast, it’s extremely difficult to get everyone to follow military-like protocols. Also what about employees at the hotel, will they too be locked-up for the duration of the Test. What if someone tests positive? These are some unanswered questions.

Can others also follow such a method?

It’s practically impossible. Take India for that matter. None of the major cricket grounds has hotels onsite and although there are five-star hotels in and around, how can teams be lodged there with zero interference from the outside world? The Board can’t book the entire hotel as it will burn a deep hole in their pockets. “It is a bit unrealistic to have things at the level, the ECB is talking about. Even if they are potentially able to create a bubble and manage it in that way, I think it will be impossible for everyone to do it with the kind of calendar that we have, with the travelling that you do on tours and the number of people involved,” felt batting great Rahul Dravid.

So what’s the hope?

Bio-security is not fool-proof but a way of restarting sporting activities with the hope that it works. Across the world, people are starting to live with the coronavirus and sports also needs to find a way around it. Either take the risk on resuming action or wait until a vaccine is discovered.