The World Health Organization Wednesday declared coronavirus a pandemic, following which the government suspended most travel visas. The virus has caused disruptions in the sports world too. While the India Open badminton tournament will now be played without spectators, the NBA has suspended its entire season. The virus now casts its shadow on the IPL, the T20 cricketing extravaganza, which is scheduled to begin from 29 March.
ThePrint asks: Should IPL be played in empty stadiums or cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic, travel ban?
IPL organisers should postpone the tournament for their own and the country’s good
Pradeep Magazine
Senior sports journalist and columnist
The IPL tournament is held every year in India. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has a lot riding in terms of money and time because it has a limited window for this tournament. Chances are that if the tournament gets postponed, it may not be organised this year altogether. The organisers are concerned, but they should also be aware of the consequences of not following the government’s advisory.
The best course of action would be not to think of money or profit and focus on concerns regarding people’s lives. I suggest the organisers should postpone the tournament for their own and the country’s good.
The Olympics is the biggest sporting event, but there are talks about deferring it too. However, the Tokyo games are still a few months away.
This year’s IPL tournament is just seventeen days away. Heavens will not fall if it gets postponed. IPL matches see thousands of people flocking to the stadiums and players traveling day in and day out. Given the government’s travel advisory, I don’t think India will be able to host the tournament.
Playing in empty stadiums better than cancelling a tournament that the entire cricket industry relies on
Jaideep Varma
Writer-director and founder of Impact Index
Playing in empty stadiums is not an attractive option, but it is certainly better than cancelling a tournament that the cricket industry in India relies on. TV rights and advertisements, which are the most significant part of the IPL, won’t be impacted even if there are no crowds.
People will definitely watch (given that many will be at home due to the coronavirus scare) and the IPL 2020 will get more traction on TV than its previous editions.
It’ll actually be interesting to see which teams deliver, in case the tournament is played in empty stadiums, which otherwise often host partisan crowds. It’ll be equally fascinating to watch cricketers, who play international cricket, (especially those from India, who hardly play domestic cricket) deliver without this energy-booster element in the game. They will all have to draw on from their experience of playing domestic cricket, where stands are almost empty. It won’t be easy, considering they’ve gotten hooked to the drug of crowd energy in international cricket. It’ll be a test of character for these cricketers.
This IPL will be unique, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For those watching it on TV, it’ll provide a unique texture to their IPL memories that will separate this season from all others. That’s the positive way to look at this.
Cricket without spectators would hurt the sentiments of fans. IPL should be postponed
Kanthi D Suresh
Founder, Power Sportz
When the International Olympic Committee is thinking to postpone the Olympics because of the coronavirus threat, I don’t see any reason why there should be a hurry in holding the IPL in India. We don’t have clarity on how the virus is spreading and the way to stop it. So, the least we can do is to avoid risky situations. Sports is a public function, as declared by the honourable Supreme Court. So, when you’re indulging in a sporting activity, you are undertaking a public function, therefore responsibility should be much higher.
To say you’re ensuring hygiene and nothing will happen to spectators, is taking it a little too far. Having said that, BCCI as an entity is not bothered whether there is stadium attendance or not. Their broadcast deal is done and the revenue is guaranteed.
I think it will be a responsible step to postpone the IPL till we get more clarity on coronavirus and the ways to contain it.
Cricket is like a religion in India. To hold a cricket match in India with empty stands is like playing with the sentiments of the fans. Let’s not hurt their sentiments and put their health at risk.
BCCI should suspend IPL till further notice. Or else, govt must step in and do so
Gulu Ezekiel
Freelance sports journalist and author
Is sport more important than life-and-death? The answer should be a no-brainer really — nothing is. The IPL Governing Council will meet Saturday to take a call on the tournament’s prospects for this year. Should it go ahead or not? Can it be staged behind closed doors? What about the participation of international players now that the Indian government has suspended all visas with a few exceptions till 15 April?
The mega-sporting event is slated to kick off on 29 March. Social media is abuzz with fans pleading for the tournament to go ahead, sans spectators. We have been told livelihoods are at risk.
But such a measure won’t work. Italy tried the idea during the Serie A football league — today, the entire nation of 60 million people is in a lockdown and the league stands suspended. The National Basketball Association (NBA) tried it too in the US. Now, a player has tested positive and the league stands cancelled.
Holding an IPL tournament of this magnitude even without spectators puts at risk the lives of players, support staff and media, and increases the chances of the infection’s spread.
So, there is no choice really for the BCCI — suspend the IPL till further notice. Or else, the government must step in and do so. And this applies to all sporting and other mass events. The risks are just too high.
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By Unnati Sharma, journalist at ThePrint
Even without spectators, playing IPL will be dangerous enough for the players. Imagine the number of flights and hotel rooms they have to stay in. Many players could catch the bug very soon. IPL must be postponed till the outbreak ceases. No point in standing on false pride.
The question of IPL getting cancelled arises as many major sporting events are getting cancelled globally due to coronavirus.
Not only Govt, even IPL ASSOCIATION MEMBERS also think wisely about this issue.
Is still IPL happens, The net result, IPL Sports Association will get billions of money and billions of people will get coronavirus.
There is nothing to think about this, pl give hands to Govt and cancell IPL and help India to become Healthy India.
Regards
Bulusu Ravikumar
The answer suggests itself. One wonders what PM Abe is waiting for. He too should put off the Olympics, not wait till the last agonising moment. Must confess that like many other people, I underestimated the havoc this Satan bug is going to cause. Pushed the world’s leading stock markets into bear territory from very recent highs. It will test each country’s healthcare systems. We should pray that the loss of life is minimised.