… Players must curb event’s ‘party culture’

By Clifton Ross

HERO Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2020 will be much different from previous editions, as the tournament will be played in a ‘bubble’-like setting due to the increase in COVID-19 cases and organisers should look to the National Basketball Association (NBA) for guidance on how to pull off such a delicate plan.

NBA boss Adam Silver along with stakeholders invested hundreds of millions recently to ensure that the 2020 basketball season, which is currently in its play-offs phases, is played under the strictest of guidelines at their ‘bubble’ which is situated at Disney Land in Orlando Florida.

While a few of their stars were eventually cleared for action after contracting the virus, prior to leaving for Orlando, NBA has so far managed to resume its season with a number of scrimmages and is currently progressing nicely into its play-offs; without any interference from coronavirus.

The concept of Bubble is basically geared towards containing and monitoring player’s activities and interactions during the pandemic. The main area of concern is keeping those inside the invisible effervesce, safe from any threats or means of contracting the virus; thus ensuring the overall safety and success of the sport.

Players will be away from friends and family for an extended period while day-to-day customs like food, training, socialising with teammates and fans will come at a huge risk due to the restrictions likely to take effect. Also, cricketers will need to show more responsibility as it relates to curbing the West Indian culture of partying and hanging following games.

Among the challenges CPL officials will likely face throughout this season, is keeping all the cricketers on one page with regard to following safety guidelines and adhering to restrictions. Recently, NBA has been hit with a number of outside blows which in turn saw a number of teams being without a few of their key players as they had to leave the bubble to attend important family issues etc.

Recently, LA Clippers star Lou Williams became the star of global attention after he was given permission to leave the bubble to attend what he told officials was a funeral of a relative but later it turned out to be a father of a close friend. After attending the funeral service, Williams then ventured to a local club for food before returning to the NBA bubble.

As a result, Williams was subjected to 11 days mandatory quarantine upon return, missing the Clippers crucial opening season game against the LA Lakers which his side narrowly lost.

Williams also became subject of debate in the sports world as player monitoring as well as trust among athletes and teams became biggest concern of trying to keep players safe during the pandemic.

One major pre-season scare was the confirmed positive diagnosis of Jamaican Tallawahs middle-order batsman Andre McCarthy and spinner Jeavor Royal. The pair will miss this season’s festivities after allegedly being exposed to a person who had been tested positive for the virus, days before leaving for the bubble.

Both McCarthy and Royal had tested negative and were due another test in seven days which runs after the date for the next flights bound for Trinidad and Tobago. The pair were replaced by cousins; Jermaine Blackwood and Ramaal Lewis.

Now with CPL preparing to kick-start their bubble, it is likely that, given the culture of cricket in the Caribbean and the identity CPL has undertaken over the years being dubbed as the ‘Biggest Party in Sport’ or ‘Summer’s Biggest Party’; officials will have their hands full to capacity as they seek to make this year’s event safe.

As of July 31, the Twin Island Republic has recorded 169 cases with eight deaths with 29 current active cases. Part of entering into the bubble, squads and team management of the six franchises, along with organisers and the respective crews, will be subjected to self-quarantine for two weeks before entering the country.

Upon arrival, persons will then go on lockdown for a further 14 days. As for the international lot of stars, they too will undergo COVID-19 tests before and after arriving in the country, with additional tests being carried out prior to the August 18 start of the tournament.

PM Keith Rowley recently said that the move is to ensure that players and those who are involved in the day-to-day operations of the tournament are well protected and remain that way. Rowley also cautioned those about falling victim to the culture of partying and imbibing after games, something he said will be met with repercussions.

Although the CPL Bubble blueprint seems foolproof, it will be interesting to see how they handle situations with players having to leave for emergency or what type of punishment will be dished out to anyone who bravely breaks any of the tournament’s bio-security rules; thus possibly jeopardising the entire season.