Let’s keep eye on the ball

It is evident the sporting world will not witness any major action in the first half of this year as countries continue with the battle to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The world has for the first time seen major sporting events postponed or cancelled altogether, with the Tokyo Olympic Games rescheduled for next year.

The domino effect has seen the World Athletics Championships, initially planned for next year, moved to 2022 to make way for the fresh Olympic dates.

Locally, the World Athletics Continental Tour, initially planed for May 2, and the July 7 to 12 World Athletics Under-20 Championship — both to be held at Kasarani — have also been put on hold, indefinitely.

It, therefore, follows that, naturally, the Safari Rally pencilled for July 16 to 19 will also suffer the same fate, with the International Automobile Federation (FIA) expected to announce fresh dates next week.

While we are assuming that the pandemic will be exorcised quickly enough to welcome normality in the second half of the year, the reality is that with no vaccine at hand, the uncertainly over the duration of Covid-19 lingers on.

Credit goes to Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, Principal Secretary Joe Okudo and motorsports and athletics officials for keeping their eye on the ball even as uncertainty still shrouds the three major events Nairobi prepares to host.