#TurksandCaicos, March 19, 2021 – After a long-hold on sporting activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, sporting activities finally breathe back into life, but with a phased approach. This was after the earlier efforts were thwarted with a raft of restrictions aimed at suppressing the virus’s spread.
“We were making our way to resume. We did
resume. I guess sometime in last September,” said Jarret Forbes, TCI Sports
Director, in an interview who adds the Fall season incline of the coronavirus
force again a decline in sporting activity.
“We believe that with the guidelines
established by the Ministry of Health, oversight by the National Federations
and the Sports Commission. We were able to implement a plan where we can resume
the sports in a safe manner.”
According to Mr. Forbes, the recent Cabinet
approval to resume sports training for the CARIFTA ad FIFA teams while
implementing the guides prescribed by the Ministry of Health aims to keep the
participants safe. He added the decision was necessary to stay on the regional
calendar of sports activities since the athletes are right now preparing for a
wide range of competitions.
“Just, for example, our football programme
is preparing for FIFA World Cup. But they have competitions for qualifiers starting
as early as this month.:
The TCI National Football team, on Monday
left for the Dominican Republic for intense practice ahead of FIFA matches with
Nicaragua and Belize; both in March.
The Sports Director explained the resumptions
of sports amid the Covid-19 pandemic is key to ensuring that anyone who
represents the TCI in any sporting competition stands a good chance of
performing well.
“We are eager to resume sports in TCI,” he
added.
Mr. Forbes revealed this re-boot resums regional
and international competition practice; with other sporting activities
progressing in phases, from the first phase which encompasses contactless
training to the final phase where the fans can attend events while adhering to
the strict guidelines.
“The decision for Phase One is to resume
training in our national programs, which includes only non-contact training.
Phase Two, once we’re able to follow the guides and transition properly, will
be assessed by the Ministry of Health and recommendations made whether we can
move to phase two,” he added.
If phase
two, which involves contact training goes according to plan, phase three will be rolled out. Phase three will allow national
competitions, but without fans.
Phase four will allow national
competitions, wihich includes international teams travelling to the TCI to
compete.
Finally, phase five will allow fans to attend the events while keeping
social distancing and high-level sanitary measures.
This is good news for TCI sports teams and
participants as the possibility of ending nearly a year of dormancy, mimics the
season and springs to life an essential pass time and profession for islanders.