The OYDC Zambia – Sports Development Centre will consult the Ministries of Health and Youth, Sport and Child Development, National Sports Council of Zambia, and the National Olympic Committee of Zambia on steps to take to resume some sports activities which do not involve physical contact.
OYDC Zambia, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Fredrick Chitangala says this move follows the recent national address by President Edgar Lungu, where he announced that non-contact sport activities such as tennis & golf could resume.
Dr. Chitangala says if the relevant stakeholders give OYDC a green light, the Centre will resume sports activities in tennis, athletics, badminton, table tennis, pool, and chess adding that all those who will be accessing the sports facility will be screened for body temperature at the main gate which will be the only entry to the facility. He adds that not more than fifty spectators will be allowed at every particular event and will ensure that everyone maintains social distancing, wear face masks and wash their hands on entry. All athletes will be required to carry with them hand sanitizers.
The OYDC Zambia, on 17th March, 2020 suspended “All Sport and Non-sport” activities indefinitely following the outbreak of the Covid-19.
“Following President Edgar C. Lungu´s recent national address, the OYDC Zambia, is consulting key stakeholders on next steps to take to resume some of the sport activities which were suspended indefinitely on 17 March, 2020”.I wish to reiterate that OYDC Zambia, values the health of every citizen, and it is our hope that measures being taken by government to avoid the further spread of the virus are adhered to by all wellmeaning Zambians to curb this deadly pandemic which has claimed a number of lives” he said.
At this point in time, I would expect any rational persons not to even contemplate opening any sporting events whether they involve physical or non-physical contact. For God’s sake this is an airborne virus. Let us not take chances when we have no credible capacity to contain this virus. We are lucky the weather to a large extent is mitigating its impact. We are now going into winter and it is our responsibility to ensure that we have zero cases before then. Be serious guys. This is not time to prove to the world that we have questionable IQ.
For sure, how can a sane person start thinking that sports like Chess are non contact yet the players will be together for a longer time. At this time I expect someone to start thinking of online chess as opposed to physical presence chess. Mr Director are you sure you are in your right frame of mind? If you want to rely on the temperature screening as a tool to know those who are well and unwell, tell me how many people were screened at the airport using temperature nd were found to be positive? The answer is non yet we had so many cases of Covid19 later on in the communities. Please think before you start contemplating on some things. Stay home and stay safe.
The man is only worried about income not people’s lives. Checking temperature is not enough to detect virus carriers. Why are we talking this pandemic lightly?