Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • All Woman
  • Career & Education
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Classifieds
  • Design Week
Great care needed as we move to resume organised sports
Minister of Sport Olivia Grange (second left) has the full attention of (from left) Major Desmon Brown, general manager of Independence Park Limited (IPL); Ian Forbes, first vice-president of Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA); Mike Fennell, chairman of IPL; and Garth Gayle, president of the JAAA as they discuss the continuedrenovation of Independence Park. (Photo: Dwayne Richards)
Editorial
January 29, 2021

Great care needed as we move to resume organised sports

For sports fans who have be come accustomed since early last year to watching televised sport in empty stadiums, news that the Tokyo Olympic Games may take place without spectators because of the COVID-19 threat will have come as no great surprise.

And the great majority will feel that if that’s what is required for the Olympics to happen, then so be it.

Readers will recall that the Olympic Games were postponed from last year because of the pandemic.

Asked this week whether the Olympics could possibly take place without fans, head of the International Olympic Committee Mr Thomas Bach responded: “This I cannot tell you… Our priority is to ensure safe Olympic Games, and we will do whatever is needed to organise safe Olympic Games.”

This newspaper is left with no choice but to take him at his word that: “We are fully concentrated on and committed to the successful and safe delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games…”

Mr Bach’s words will be soothing for athletes all over the world who continue to train and make great sacrifices, even outside of competition, in a bid to get themselves ready for the summer Games.

Locally, we note indicators that, despite the continuing surge in COVID-19 cases, the Jamaican Government is responding to strong lobbying from the sporting fraternity to such an extent that organised activities, on a limited scale and without spectators, is not far away.

That, of course, is outside of horse racing, which has been ongoing for months, and which we dare not forget is not just sport, but also big business.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness told Parliament earlier this week that reopening of sporting competition will happen under very strict conditions.

Said he: “This is not a widescale return of sport. We have to, first of all, go through a process where we look at each sporting event and what they require and the specific public health protocol that can be put in place to ensure they are safe…”

And further, that “Each sporting event (organiser) will have to apply for approval… so they have to go through the Ministry of Local Government, work with the minister of sports, as their advocate, and the minister of health to put together a package”.

In other words, it won’t be easy. Those sporting associations, with the highest perceived levels of organisation, will most likely find themselves at, or close, to the front of the queue.

There is plenty of talk that within a matter of weeks the local football premier league will get going in a much shorter and tighter format than previously. And that the iconic Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships could take place in March or May.

Much has been said about the importance of a return to organised activity across a wide range of sporting disciplines.

However, the threat posed by COVID-19 requires that administrators, event organisers, coaches, etc, will have to bring levels of attention to detail and meticulous execution to their work, like never before, in order to ensure safety.

At bottom line, it must not be said that a resumption of organised sport across disciplines endangers participants and the wider population.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Below average rainfall in 2025, despite Hurricane Melissa’s torrential showers
Latest News, News
Below average rainfall in 2025, despite Hurricane Melissa’s torrential showers
Above normal rain predicted for February to April 2026 period
Kelsey Thomas, Online coordinator, thomask@jamaicaobserver.com 
March 9, 2026
Jamaica recorded 5.67 per cent below average annual rainfall in 2025 despite the excessive amount of rainfall experienced in October due to Category 5...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Cardiovascular disease more threatening than many believe, Heart Institute warns
Latest News, News
Cardiovascular disease more threatening than many believe, Heart Institute warns
Carlysia Ramdeen, Observer Online reporter, ramdeenc@jamaicaobserver.com 
March 9, 2026
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading health threats to Jamaicans, yet many people still believe it only affects a select group or present...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Man City to face Liverpool in FA Cup quarter-finals
International News, Latest News
Man City to face Liverpool in FA Cup quarter-finals
March 9, 2026
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP)—Manchester City will face Liverpool in a blockbuster FA Cup quarter-final, while quadruple-chasing Arsenal travel to Sout...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
West Ham reach FA Cup quarters after Ouattara’s penalty howler
International News, Latest News
West Ham reach FA Cup quarters after Ouattara’s penalty howler
March 9, 2026
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP)—West Ham moved into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 5-3 penalty shoot-out win against Brentford, who paid the price for ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
King Charles speaks of great challenges facing the Commonwealth
Latest News, Regional
King Charles speaks of great challenges facing the Commonwealth
March 9, 2026
LONDON, United Kingdom (CMC) -Britain’s King Charles says Commonwealth Day is being observed on Monday at a time of great challenge and great possibil...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
All hotels expected to fully reopen by December 2026
Latest News, News
All hotels expected to fully reopen by December 2026
March 9, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica—Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has announced that all hotels are expected to be fully operational by December 2026, following the ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Trump says Iran war will be ‘short-term excursion’
International News, Latest News
Trump says Iran war will be ‘short-term excursion’
March 9, 2026
DORAL, United States (AFP) —United States President Donald Trump said Monday that the war against Iran would be a "short-term excursion," while insist...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
ECJ writes to three mayors regarding by-elections
Latest News, News
ECJ writes to three mayors regarding by-elections
March 9, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) says it has written to the Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby, Mayor of Morant Bay Louis Chi...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct