The Sports Travel Blog by co-editor Mike Starling
Sport, like so many other global industries, is currently at a standstill due to the rapid spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Football’s Euro 2020 championships and the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been postponed for a year. The Masters golf major is cancelled and Wimbledon has also fallen victim to the pandemic.
Of course, in the grand scheme of things, the sports industry is way down the pecking order at this challenging time. The health and wellbeing of the world’s citizens – you, your friends and your families – is what governments and organisations are rightly focussing on.
Yes we miss sport, yes we miss travel and yes we miss the live action. However, the need to stay home and stay safe is what has to happen right now.
Sport may not be on the agenda for the coming months, but one day it will return. And when that day comes it means the world is recovering. That has to be the aim… for everyone.
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An escape for many – including this writer
Never underestimate the power of sport though. It brings joy to millions, builds a camaraderie among groups and acts as an escape for many people. This writer included.
I may work within the industry day-to-day as a sports journalist, but first and foremost I am a fan like everyone else.
I don’t think I’ll ever see a repeat of the few weeks we’ve just had. Seeing so many major events, tournaments and fixtures called off has been a shock to me personally.
It has simply been surreal reporting on the latest cancelled or postponed event. And no doubt this will continue for some time yet.
Keep positive – 2021 is going to be epic
There’s no guarantee of which events will take place in 2020 or a magic date when sport will return to normality. However, we have to keep positive.
That’s why I am looking ahead and looking forward to next year.
With the 2020 calendar now on hold, perhaps it’s time to save my pennies and put them towards an epic sports travel bucket list for 2021?
Tokyo will host an amazing Olympics, the world’s best golfers will return to The Masters and Europe will put on a festival of football. There’s three events already added to the 2021 bucket list.
While we all dream of international travel and attending sporting events again, of course it’s way down the list on what really matters.
So, in that regard it’s good to remember that sport and travel will one day return. But for now there’s only one priority.
That’s to stay safe, stay home and look after yourselves and your families.
Yours in sport,
Mike Starling
Co-editor, Sports Tourism Media
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Main picture: Japan’s capital city Tokyo will now host the Olympics and Paralympics in 2021 (pxhere.com)