Non-contact games set to lead the way

Coronavirus crisis

As the world of sport grapples with the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, there is little clarity on when or even how to go about resumption. It is an unprecedented task and one that almost no discipline had contingency plans for. But now that we're here, it's got to be done.

If early indications are anything to go by, racquet sport looks the most promising in terms of getting back into gear. With a sort of social distancing already imbibed in the game, it certainly has less to tackle when compared to team and contact sports.

"Being an individual sport and in terms of competition, it's definitely possible. I think we would be coming back a lot quicker than team sports," feels Zeeshan Ali, Indian Davis Cup team coach. "But every player needs to be tested before getting on the court. It's not just question of two players on the baseline, it's also about the tennis balls and other things they come in contact with."

It's true that return of any discipline will not be without challenges, but it's even more so in team sports.

"In tennis you don't have close contact. Marathon, football and sports like that will take a hit," believes Vishal Uppal, Indian Fed Cup coach.

But even here, the complications are immense. The Tour happens worldwide and borders need to be opened for it to resume fully. There are also complications with the testing and sponsorship part of it.

But resumption of national events is of bigger priority to keep the supply of talent.

"We've a very vibrant domestic circuit in badminton. Normally there are a lot of U-13, U-15, U-17, U-19 tournaments and such from May. All that will be on hold. But if they can start from September it will be good enough," believes Dronacharya Awardee and former national champion, Vimal Kumar. "Conducting the events, that's the priority."

"Compared to all other sports, yes for sure," said Saipraneeth, one of India's top badminton player, when asked about the advantage of non-contact sport in the current situation. "But I think vaccine is the only thing that can go back to normal. You can start the domestic tournament but there are so many people playing badminton now, their parents etc, so it's still not easy."

While the financial pinch is being felt by all, there are some sponsors who are steadfast in ensuring that events go on without a hitch.

"We've always supported Indian badminton and contributed a lot. That will continue as always. There is no two ways about it. And it's not like people will jump right out to get back to sports once the lockdown is over, it will take some time," said a high ranking official from Yonex India, who are one of the major backers of badminton in the country.

"It's too early to say what impact will happen on sponsorship. If it's just a month or two more, I don't see sponsorship getting affected that much," said Tuhin Mishra, MD and Co-founder of Baseline Ventures, who manage talent among other things.

They will need help to prop up the ecosystem and perhaps this offers an opportunity to hit the reset button of sorts.