Children can’t play – but sportsmen can?

I AM not a critic of the present government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis. This pandemic is highly contagious, swift moving and totally new to scientists and our politicians have been hardworking and diligent in their exhaustive attempts to overcome it.

In general, the British public have obeyed all directives, regulations and advice in full co-operation – everyone ever anxious to beat the virus by all means possible. Masks and social distancing and isolation have all become part and parcel of our everyday lives and we have submitted to various lockdowns in a joint effort to eradicate it.

That being so, I am puzzled, however, about the position of professional sport. We, the public, are restricted to a limited number of exercise options to be conducted strictly near our homes. Sports grounds, swimming pools and gyms are all closed. Children gaze longingly through the bars of locked gates at their empty playgrounds and most active entertainment areas remain shut. Meanwhile, professional footballers, rugby and cricket players, golfers and netball and basketball players continue with their sport – several of which have direct or very close contact, and in which all players still mob and wildly congratulate each other whenever a goal or point is scored, and, which, they have promised to stop.

Are they immune to the virus? Not judging by the way that several teams have struggled to fulfill fixtures due to being contaminated and the requirements of isolation.

Surely, if it is not safe for us to play in case we spread the virus then it is not safe for anyone to play?

Perhaps their efforts and very large salaries, in some cases, would be better directed at helping to stem the pandemic rather than contributing to it?

Geoffrey Allen

Bristol