The Men Who Pause
Outlook|May 18, 2020
Lives matter more than holding a T20 tournament. IPL has to wait out the pandemic even if it means huge financial losses.
Santosh N. & Harsh Talikoti
The Men Who Pause

IN any crisis, sport is always considered a uniting factor. Something that helps take your mind off the worrying reality. As Nelson Mandela said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can create hope where there was only despair.” Unfortunately, the current pandemic has shackled this powerful tool. As the world continues to reel under the coronavirus crisis, economists are debating whether the fallout of COVID-19 will be bigger than the 2008 financial crisis or the Great Depression of the 1930s, or something far worse. Never has the world gone into a lockdown where nearly 75 per cent of the population is indoors. The economic and financial ramifications of the shutdown of global sports leagues are equally bad as livelihoods of millions directly or indirectly depend on these sporting leagues.

All major sporting leagues or events are either suspended indefinitely or postponed. Olympics 2020 and UEFA EURO 2020, the two major sporting events this calendar year, are postponed while Wimbledon has been cancelled for the first time since World War II. All major football leagues across Europe and events by National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Football League (NFL) in the US are suspended indefinitely.

The Indian Premier League (IPL), one of the most keenly-awaited sports events in India, has also felt the heat of the pandemic. The government of India and various state governments have mandatorily banned public gatherings in view of public health and safety concerns. As a result, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to postpone the 2020 season, and the threat of full cancellation is quite real.

This story is from the May 18, 2020 edition of Outlook.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 18, 2020 edition of Outlook.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM OUTLOOKView All
Layers Of Lear
Outlook

Layers Of Lear

Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak's ode to Shakespeare is an experience to behold

time-read
4 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Loss and Longing
Outlook

Loss and Longing

Memories can be painful, but they also make life more meaningful

time-read
6 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Suprabhatham Sub Judice
Outlook

Suprabhatham Sub Judice

M.S. Subbulakshmi decided the fate of her memorials a long time ago

time-read
8 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Fortress of Desire
Outlook

Fortress of Desire

A performance titled 'A Streetcart Named Desire', featuring Indian and international artists and performers, explored different desires through an unusual act on a full moon night at the Gwalior Fort

time-read
7 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Of Hope and Hopelessness
Outlook

Of Hope and Hopelessness

The body appears as light in Payal Kapadia's film

time-read
3 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Ruptured Lives
Outlook

Ruptured Lives

A visit to Bangladesh in 2010 shaped the author's novel, a sensitively sketched tale of migrants' struggles

time-read
5 mins  |
December 21, 2024
The Big Book
Outlook

The Big Book

The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha

time-read
4 mins  |
December 21, 2024
How to Refuse the Generous Thief
Outlook

How to Refuse the Generous Thief

The poet uses all the available arsenal in English to write the most anti-colonial poetry

time-read
4 mins  |
December 21, 2024
The Freedom Compartment
Outlook

The Freedom Compartment

#traindiaries is a photo journal shot in the ladies coaches of Mumbai locals. It explores how women engage and familiarise themselves with spaces by building relationships with complete strangers

time-read
1 min  |
December 21, 2024
Love, Up in the Clouds
Outlook

Love, Up in the Clouds

Manikbabur Megh is an unusual love story about a man falling for a cloud. Amborish Roychoudhury discusses the process of Manikbabu's creation with actor Chandan Sen and director Abhinandan Banerjee

time-read
5 mins  |
December 21, 2024