CYCLING IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19

Ghana’s sporting calendar this season may have come to an abrupt end due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, some sporting disciplines and athletes are keeping themselves busy by exercising and training.

 

While at it, yearning sportsmen who miss sporting events and activities can’t wait for sporting activities to return fully.

 

Off-course not without protocols to combat the COVID-19 virus such as frequent hand washing, wearing of facemask, using hand rubs or sanitizers, adhering to social distancing and staying at home amongst other practices religiously being observed.

 

The President of Ghana, Nana Akuffo Addo during his second address to the nation on March 15, 2020, on “Measures Taken against the Spread of COVID-19” placed a ban on social activities which includes all kinds of sport.

 

“All public gatherings, including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, sporting events and religious activities, such as services in churches and mosques, have been suspended for the next four (4) weeks.”

 

On May 31, 2020 a directive from the Government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports to ease the previous ban a month ago, focused on non-contact sports, like Athletics, Cycling, Tennis, Table Tennis, Golf, Powerlifting, Badminton, weightlifting, among others.

 

This gesture from the ministry to partially restore selected sporting disciplines (non-contact sports) brought a little hope for some athletes but many grumbled at the decision.

 

It was a mixed feeling. They miss their sports!

 

Local and international sporting events remain suspended till further notice while others take risk and bold step to either cancel or continue to end a competitive season.

 

It’s being argued that a notable sport such as cycling, a non-contact sport by nature could observe one of the basic protocols of COVID-19 in social distancing, therefore must be allowed to hold competitions in this era.

 

Here in the Volta region, a social cycling club based in Ho, the regional capital, The Ho Cycling Club, whose membership and composition cuts across different walks of life, engineers, the military, lecturers, nurses, journalists and other social workers has come up.

 

The Ho Cycling Club was formed on the 14th of July 2019 with an aim to promote and cater for cyclists of all abilities in the Volta region.

Headed by a 7 member leadership, the exploits of the club in a short time of existence has already attracted internationally renowned events and names.

 

In August 2019 the Ho Cycling Club made a 10 Kilometer ride with the British High commissioner to Ghana, Iain Walker in a cycling tour, which was aimed at raising funds for the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

 

The British High commissioner to Ghana’s tour covered the whole country and was dubbed “Ghana Grand” a cycling challenge intended for a good course.

 

The vigorous social club continues to embark on weekly adventurous tours as they cover several kilometers to get familiar with tourist sites in the region, an attempt to promote tourism while they exercise and keep in shape.

 

Keeping shape and fit in this era of the coronavirus pandemic is crucial for a healthy being as Scientist and Researcher from the “Everyday Health website on “What You Must Know on Coronavirus” reveals that an antioxidant enzyme we produce when exercising may stave off or lessen the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a condition that occurs when the lungs become so inflamed they get stiff and swollen, leading to fluid buildup and oxygen deprivation.

 

ARDS is one of the complications that people with COVID-19 can develop, and it is associated with a higher death rate from the disease.

 

Last Saturday, a team of cyclists made a 98.16 Kilometer ride, to the Tafi Atome, Monkey Sanctuary in the Afadzato South District of the Volta region. It was a five (5) hour 46 minutes journey on bicycle with several rest stops.

 

The gesture by the club to exercise and ride simultaneously several kilometers with subsequent ones to come is an essential part of keeping the mind and soul ready in a healthy manner, which scientist and researchers recommend could fight against COVID -19.  

 

Scientists have established that a 150 minute weekly vigorous moderate-intensity aerobic exercise such as jogging, running or riding will strengthen the whole body muscle. 

 

With the above study, one would affirmatively say sporting events remain great indirect precaution against COVID–19 now, as they have always been against many other ailments.

 

Source: Tilda Acorlor

VOLTA REACTS TO THE RETURN OF MAJOR EUROPEAN LEAGUES

The English Premier League undoubtedly is the most watched league in the world.

It is viewed by millions of people across 212 territories to 643 million homestead, to potential TVs and audience of about 4.7 billion people with Ghana being part of this statistic.

In Ghana, just like all other countries in the world, not all families can afford to view the major European leagues across the world from the comfort of their homes.

Many enthusiasts, fans and football fanatics who could not afford such luxury sort to the public Game Centres where they enjoy the beautiful games on a pay per view basis.

 

This practice of watching football at public game centres has been in existence in Ghana for some time now and the Volta region is of no exception.

In this day and era of the outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic, (COVID-19,) most sporting activities have come to an abrupt end while others are on a temporal break awaiting a clearance, hoping for a cure to the virus before they bounce back.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused the world to adopt a new normal of staying at home and apart by social distancing, wearing of face mask, frequent hand washing under running water and the use of hand sanitisers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned that we take these practices serious in order to protect lives and the possibility of a predicted second wave of the pandemic.

The fear of a possible second wave and urgency to get a quick cure and relief from the virus has caused several countries to take precautionary measures in order to protect the lives of their citizens.

In Ghana, President Akkufo Addo in his 11th address and update on the “measure taken against the spread of coronavirus” announced that the wearing of face mask is mandatory due to the fast spread in the numbers of COVID-19 cases in Ghana. 

The president added that the police and other law enforcement agencies will enforce these directives through an executive instrument.

In line with the social distancing rules in the midst of the COVID-19, the President again said a 25 percent attendance with a maximum number of one hundred (100) congregants can worship and gather with a mandatory one-meter social distancing  while citizens are to mandatorily wear face masks while in public.

In Ho, the Volta regional capital, the Municipal Assembly has instituted a 20 Ghana cedi spot fine for defaulters who refuse to wear face masks.

In the midst of all these rules and  the return of the EPL, one would ask if sports fanatics can enjoy their sports from the public game centres like they use to. 

The return of the Major European Leagues seem like a relieving news to most sport loving folks.

Christian Yevu is an Arsenal fan I met at the entrance of a Public Game Center.

“I make happy paa, it looks like a burden lay off me” I can watch live matches and bet at the same time” Christian said.

Yaw Nsiah, a Manchester City fan says to me “the return of the EPL is as though a recovery from sickness”.

Clement Atsu also described the return of the Leagues as soothing news for his pocket because he will have the opportunity to bet and make some cash.

The game center at the regional capital, Ho, at midweek was the expected numbers to see due to the fixture (Manchester City vs. Arsenal / Aston Villa   vs. Sheffield United) that ushered in the EPL on the return day.

Most entrance of Public Game Centres I visited had some PPE, the hand washing buckets, soaps, sanitisers and the inscription to wear a face mask before one enters.

Edmund Kukah, owner of Root Cinema, a public Game Centre in Ho says he is not afraid to operate his centre at the return of the games, adding that he is making sure all who enter to watch a game, come in with a face mask and observe all the protocols to fight the virus.

Mr. Kukah has also taken a step further to provide a hand washing equipment and hand sanitisers while he directs his customers to sit apart as they enjoy the game.

At Bankoe, there was a social distancing scene for passersby at a popular drinking spot that shows live matches for free to customers who come to hang out.

Here, onlookers and customers are standing, while others are seated apart to enjoy the view.

At Ahoe, the popular Stamford Bridge was in operation as viewers observed social distancing and used their face mask while watching the games.

However, while few owners of public game centres gathered courage to show live matches, other notable centers fear to operate.

Daniel Dzata says he fears his centre might be locked up by authorities which is the reason why his game centre is not opened to the public.

Mr. Dzata’s fright is as a result of the President’s directive which is in line with the social distancing rules of a 25 percent attendance with a maximum number of one hundred (100) persons with a mandatory one meter

distance in between them.

Now that major foreign leagues have been restored to finish their season, Ghana and Volta awaits the return of the topflight league, the Ghana Premier League and some other regional leagues.

This write up will further be updated on the latest decision from the established order.

Source: Acorlor Tilda