Due to the rapid spread of deadly COVID-19, BCCI has announced that India vs. South Africa remaining two ODI’s will be played without any spectators in the Stadium. The BCCI also said that it is working closely with the government authorities, including sports and health ministry, and is making every effort to ensure the safety of players and fans.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday announced that the second and third One-day Internationals (ODIs) between India and South Africa will be played behind closed doors. The BCCI also said that it was working closely with the government authorities, including sports and health ministry and is making every effort to ensure the safety of “athletes and valued fans”. The BCCI, in its release, stated that it made the decision after holding discussions with the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYAS) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday termed that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic”. The BCCI is making every effort for compliance with the regulatory bodies of the Government of India and ensures the safety of our athletes and valued fans,” the BCCI said in a release.
In order to ensure complete safety of athletes and fans, “The BCCI will continue to take guidance from the Government of India and state regulatory bodies,” it added.
On Wednesday, the Indian board had issued a host of precautionary measures against Coronavirus for players, support staff and state associations.
After WHO characterized coronavirus as a pandemic, the sports ministry on Thursday issued an advisory to all the national sports federations, including the BCCI, asking them to ensure “no public gathering takes place at any sporting event” organized by them. These measures are taken to avoid the spread of coronavirus among athletes and audiences!
MYAS, in its order, had also said that in case it’s unavoidable to postpone a sporting event, then it is preferable that it be conducted without a large public gathering.
The first ODI in Dharamsala was abandoned without a ball bowled on Thursday. The team is scheduled to travel to Lucknow for the second ODI in March, while the third and the final match of the series will be played at Eden Gardens on March 18.
BCCI’s decision to undertake the ODI series behind closed doors is extremely liable for looking at the current situation people are facing all over the world!
