This archive report was first published on 19 May 2020.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, it's heartening to see sportspersons from around the globe taking proactive steps to raise funds and awareness for the cause.
On Monday, the Fifa Foundation announced that it would organize a special football match to raise funds for the battle against Covid-19. The match aims to accelerate the development, production, and equitable global access to new coronavirus essential health technologies, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino said, 'It is our responsibility to demonstrate solidarity and continue to do everything we can to participate and support the efforts in the combat against the pandemic.'
Meanwhile, in Ethiopia, the country's running legends, led by multiple world and Olympic champions Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba, staged a virtual race to help raise funds for Addis Ababa's fight against Covid-19. The athletes ran in empty stadiums, on treadmills, and in gardens at their homes, and were joined by fans worldwide in the virtual race.
These initiatives demonstrate that while sport is one of the industries worst hit by the pandemic, sportspersons can still chip in, be innovative, and bring about some cheer. And raise some cash too.
It's uplifting to see marathon stars Eliud Kipchoge and Lawrence Cherono lead, from personal resources, in distributing food to athletes worst affected by Covid-19, thus supplementing the government's stimulus efforts.
However, it's also heartbreaking to see athletes take up different jobs to make ends meet. Seeing potential marathon and road running champions toil at construction sites to eke out a living isn't exactly the fallback plan we expected, but at least it's better than sitting idle with begging bowl in hand.
Footballers and athletes from other sports are suffering too, and even the government stimulus plan won't entirely be enough consolation with equally drained landlords cemented at their doors.
As Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe tells us, 'if we treat this disease normally, it will treat us abnormally.'
It's certainly not business as usual, and it won't be for a reasonably long time to come. And the more we sit and wait for government stimulus, the gloomier the future of Kenyan sport will be.
Yes, we pay taxes through the nose, and indeed we expect the government to cushion us in the hour of need. But should it always be serikali saidia?
