Dr. Kamilla Swart, Associate Professor, HBKU
The safe return to sporting events across the globe has been mixed with some sports being more successful than others.
But Qatar has demonstrated a safe and gradual return that seems to be paying off with the resumption of not only international football but also international tennis, equestrian and golf with Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP) being held at present, said an academic.
“Qatar was able to demonstrate that with collaboration across local and international football bodies together with strong partnerships with relevant local authorities and government ministries, from immigration to transport, health and hotels; the country was able to set a new benchmark for the safe return of the hosting of major international sport events,” said Dr. Kamilla Swart, Associate Professor in the Masters in Sport and Entertainment Management programme, College of Science and Engineering (CSE), Hamad bin Khalifa University.
With sport (and non-sport) events requiring approval from the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the application of the bio-secure bubble system, it seems that these measures have been effective in safeguarding the hosting of international sport events.
“The system is intended to limit the extent of person-toperson contact by restricting access to the events’ site. It is contended that the success of the system is that it can identify an infected person quickly due to periodic checks, then removing the infected from the bubble and following-up on those who were in close contact,” said Dr. Swart.
“Qatar is one of the first countries that have implemented the expanded bubble system by including large number of teams competitors for several sport events. The implementation of the bubble system has proved to be successful generally, however its attainment also depends on individuals’ willingness to adhere to the strict protocols,” she added. Speaking about the mental health of players, she said that while the bio-secure bubble has permitted the return to international sport to an extent, there are naturally concerns for players’ short- and long-term mental health. “It is demanding and challenging and pre-COVID-19 travelling schedules for many international athletes would make it quite untenable,” she said.
“Consequently, for team sports it may mean that a greater degree of flexibility will be required with teams drawing from a larger squad of available players whereas for individual sports, players may be more selective as to which tournaments they will play in. Bubble burnout is certainly an area that will require more research,” said Dr. Swart.
According to Dr. Swart, it is interesting to note that several Indian cricketers spent nearly 6 months in bio-secure bubble environments as they played in both the Indian Premier League 2020 which took place in the UAE and the tour of Australia, where they also had to quarantine for 14 days.
“Several international cricket players have shared their stories about the emotional challenges associated with moving from bubble to bubble.” “The Women’s National Basketball Players Association acknowledged that playing in the bubble away from home comforts and the support of family and friends would be taxing and thus advocated for access to mental health resources as a priority before entering the bubble,” she said.
“Furthermore psychologists were made available on-site for players and staff as well as voluntary mental health check-in. Players also had access to other social activities such as beach days and golf. It is evident that greater concern for player’s mental health will be part of the new normal of sport in the biosecure bubble and a positive step forward in a post-COVID sporting world,” she added.
