Hampton Athletic Club president Noel Hyland passed away on Wednesday.
National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) president Ephraim Serrette told the Express Hyland was very committed to athletics, and will be remembered for his passion for the sport.
Hyland, who was described by Serrette...
Brian Lewis is the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC). He has 32 years’ experience in sports leadership, and has established a reputation as a creative and insightful thought-leader.
Prior to assuming the presidency of the TTOC, Lewis served on several committees, including marketing and finance, and worked hard to secure sponsorship opportunities. A strong advocate for diversity and gender equality, the TTOC launched the “Future is Female” programme under his leadership, which champions and advocates for gender equality at all levels of Olympic and Commonwealth sport in Trinidad and Tobago.
Lewis holds an Executive Master’s degree in Sports Organisation Management (MEMOS).
TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Brian Lewis has called on national sporting organisations (NSOs) to brace for a further reduction in financial investments from private, corporate and Government agencies following Monday’s presentation of the National Budget.
The covid19 pandemic has crippled the international economy forcing the closure of several multi-national corporations and medium to small businesses.
Sport continues to be one of the biggest financial losers since the majority of tournaments which have resumed, after several months of postponement and cancellations, have done so without spectators.
While Lewis anticipates a challenging future for sport globally, he remains confident the Tokyo 2021 Games will get under way. However, he believes TT is expected to face a lengthy period of unwelcome change, owing to the covid19 pandemic.
“Sports in TT is in for a very difficult year, maybe even two years. With regards to the budget, I forecast some NSO’s will struggle more than others. It’s really going to be the strong who will survive.
“But I’m anticipating a tough, difficult budget. It’s not just only sport, it’s the entire country and all sectors. But I think that the NSO’s will be in for a very difficult period. Nobody anticipated covid19,” said Lewis.
Qualifying and preparing for an Olympics is very costly. Qualifier events, equipment, international travel, world-class training and experienced staff are just a few critical assets needed to equip an Olympian, much less produce a podium place.
According to Lewis, if there are dire financial situations regarding national Tokyo-bound teams, the Inter-national Olympic Committee (IOC) steps in to aid National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to offset costs towards athlete participation.
The TTOC, however, continues to develop multiple creative and innovative means of marketing and attaining sponsorship to help finance its national representatives.
“It’s also a sense of comfort from our (TTOC) part that the IOC will try to support the NOCs and their team athletes as best as they could with Tokyo 2021 in mind. The IOC will do what it can.
“The TTOC is very cognizant of the economic challenges the country is facing. We will be focusing a lot of effort, notwithstanding the challenges, on our marketing and working with our sponsors. It is a challenging environment,” he added.
Before the pandemic, several NSOs were already cash-strapped. The TT Football Association epitomizes this financial struggle having been indefinitely suspended by FIFA for failing to adhere to its statutes. Football and its stakeholders are now left to suffer while the rest of the globe presses on.
Lewis thinks the novel virus is testing the leadership capacity in TT and our creativity and innovation. He said the TTOC will continue focusing on finding opportunities amidst the medical crisis.
Although the future seems bleak, Lewis remains “confident.”
“I know the circumstances have proven very difficult for our athletes, those preparing and those already qualified for the Summer Games. The nature of sport is rising above adversities, failures and setbacks. I remain confident that we possess the necessary spirit, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit to rise,” Lewis stated.
He reiterated the TTOC has been very creative and innovative in their marketing efforts and must implement new strategies to capture the attention of the corporate world. The Lewis-led fraternity is still going ahead with several fund-raising events in the near future destined to churn out finances in aid of TT Olympic athlete development.
“Our (fund-raiser) events must be in accordance with the public health guidelines. We are working on a number of initiatives, some out-of-the-box ideas that are necessary given the current circumstances.
“In context of the budget, some NSOs will make it and some won’t. It reorders societies, communities and markets and shapes the new normal. Our priority remains the athletes. We will continue to work with the Ministry of Sport and Community Development and NSO’s, in particular the ones likely to make up the Tokyo 2021 Olympic team,” he concluded.
For sports to survive and thrive in Trinidad and Tobago, there needs to be a significant re-framing of the way how sports is perceived, toward an overarching belief that individual participation in sports is service to the country.
And to begin this shift, there must be a strategic pivot of the measure of sporting excellence not only from National Sport Organizations (NSOs) but also Community-led Sports Organizations (CLSO).
Magnifying the role, the amateur or recreational enthusiast has to play will greatly assist the achievement of that overall objective.
Sport is often viewed from a very narrow perspective, over-simplified to the pursuit of excellence through competition.
Do not get me wrong - the desire and aspiration of an individual to represent his or her village, club, school, and their country at regional and international level topped off by the pursuit of medals has an important role in instilling pride and acclaim.
But sports with such a singular focus on competition will only truly benefit select groups rather than the masses.
Now, it may sound cliche but there is a wider perspective that sports - by its very definition - can play a bigger role in the development of a society.
Sport: all forms of physical activity that contribute to physical fitness, mental well-being and social interaction. These include play; recreation; organised or casual sport; and indigenous sports or games. Participants may be motivated by internal or external rewards, and competition may be with others or themselves (personal challenge).
Let's differentiate and take an honest look at sport beyond competition at two basic levels.
The first is sports performance while the second is sports participation.
Numerous organizations operate under the mandate of sports performance. Rightfully or not, a large majority of NSOs fit this mould and their mandate can be recognised by their programmes, often geared towards identifying the next talent and qualifying that talent for the different stages of elite competition.
However, the number of well-run and active sports clubs and groups with a more grassroots and community development mandate has dwindled significantly today. Over the course of several years, many have suffered due to poor support and administration, but more so, wrongfully adopting the focus of exclusively developing talent for elite participation or sport for performance.
Through this approach young people are inevitably fed a narrow narrative, resulting in crushed dreams if no scholarship is attained or an innate feeling of failure if they do not achieve representation at the highest level. In turn, this often guides them away from the many more fulfilling and beneficial experiences available through prolonged participation in sport. - Good Health.
Involvement in sport is not an entirely euphoric endeavour. Issues of governance, abuse and corruption have plagued sports systems globally and T&T has not been immune. Therefore, the delivery of community sports programmes is required to be intentionally planned, designed, and executed to achieve the maximum positive impact.
Creating access to sport and sporting programmes for human and community development.
Like many businesses in the world, sports has not escaped the wrath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sports activity in its traditional sense came to a complete halt with team sports taking the hardest hit with Government-imposed restrictions. However, physical activity such as walking, hiking, cycling continues to be the go-to activities for most. The more pro-active and innovative sports organisers among the population may find tremendous opportunity to successfully coral these participants - many of them totally new to these activities - into structured community-based “weekend warrior” type of groups.
While this period has restricted organised sport severely, it has simultaneously been a reminder that sport and physical activity is a celebration of what the body can do, overcome and excel in and is not reserved for athletes. Honestly, once you can move your body, you're an athlete. An athlete of life.
Sport has an undeniable role in assisting communities in developing healthy habits, inclusive of community connection, social inclusion and relationship building.
A monumental shift in our approach and mindset to the role of sport could lead to a healthy society, pushing it to the forefront of our country's national policy. This way, there will inevitably always be opportunities for elite performance.
In the recent reread of “Who moved my cheese”, Spencer Johnson, MD, tells a story of two little people and two mice, with NSOs being represented as the little people - slow to change and adapt to their environment - and perhaps community sport organisations as the mice - moving and adapting quickly to the changing environment.
This wave of change, the development of our sports industry, will swell through social entrepreneurship and grassroots innovation of community sports organizations.
Community sport organisations can maximise the talents of the university graduates being churned out at our university sports programmes over the decades and employing their ability to provide quality services and products for the communities.
A robust look at social entrepreneurship in sport provides an opportunity to build a healthier society through sport and physical activity.
Social entrepreneurship for sport requires 21st-century leaders - courageous and persistent in their pursuit to use sport as a tool for development and investments to enable such an environment to see economic benefits for our country.
I was elated to see the merger of sport and community development at the national level and hope it will increase the inherent value of sport to the community, making it more tangible to everyday people.
In that way, sports can play a dual role in evoking national pride, developing heroes but also serve the development of a very healthy society.
I am very curious and passionate about sports and physical activity as a tool for social development and will continue to offer a perspective to promote and advocate for the power of sports in the community.
Editor's Note:
Kwanieze John - IOC Young Leader & Sport Educator IBIS Sports Hub. The views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and they do not reflect the views of any organisation of which she's a stakeholder.
Introduction
Sport is a major contributor to economic and social development. Its role is well recognized by Governments, including in the Political Declaration of the 2030 Agenda, which reflects on “the contribution sports make to the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities, as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives.”
Since its onset, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread to almost all countries of the world. Social and physical distancing measures, lockdowns of businesses, schools and overall social life, which have become commonplace to curtail the spread of the disease, have also disrupted many regular aspects of life, including sport and physical activity. This policy brief highlights the challenges COVID-19 has posed to both the sporting world and to physical activity and well-being, including for marginalized or vulnerable groups. It further provides recommendations for Governments and other stakeholders, as well as for the UN system, to support the safe reopening of sporting events, as well as to support physical activity during the pandemic and beyond.
The impact of COVID-19 on sporting events and the implications for social development
To safeguard the health of athletes and others involved, most major sporting events at international, regional and national levels have been cancelled or postponed – from marathons to football tournaments, athletics championships to basketball games, handball to ice hockey, rugby, cricket, sailing, skiing, weightlifting to wrestling and more. The Olympics and Paralympics, for the first time in the history of the modern games, have been postponed, and will be held in 2021.
The global value of the sports industry is estimated at US$756 billion annually. In the face of COVID-19, many millions of jobs are therefore at risk globally, not only for sports professionals but also for those in related retail and sporting services industries connected with leagues and events, which include travel, tourism, infrastructure, transportation, catering and media broadcasting, among others. Professional athletes are also under pressure to reschedule their training, while trying to stay fit at home, and they risk losing professional sponsors who may not support them as initially agreed.
Sports IndustryIn addition to economic repercussions, the cancellation of games also impacts many social benefits of global and regional sport events, which can cement social cohesion, contribute to the social and emotional excitement of fans, as well as their identification with athletes leading to greater physical activity of individuals. Sport has long been considered a valuable tool for fostering communication and building bridges between communities and generations. Through sport, various social groups are able to play a more central role towards social transformation and development, particularly in divided societies. Within this context, sport is used as a tool for creating learning opportunities and accessing often marginal or at-risk populations.
Major sporting organisations have shown their solidarity with efforts to reduce the spread of the virus. For example, FIFA has teamed up with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and launched a ‘Pass the message to kick out coronavirus’ campaign led by well-known football players in 13 languages, calling on people to follow five key steps to stop the spread of the disease focused on hand washing, coughing etiquette, not touching one’s face, physical distance and staying home if feeling unwell. Other international sport for development and peace organizations have come together to support one another in solidarity during this time, for example, through periodic online community discussions to share challenges and issues. Participants in such online dialogues have also sought to devise innovative solutions to larger social issues, for example, by identifying ways that sporting organisations can respond to problems faced by vulnerable people who normally participate in sporting programmes in low income communities but who are now unable to, given restriction to movement.
The closure of education institutions around the world due to COVID-19 has also impacted the sports education sector, which is comprised of a broad range of stakeholders, including national ministries and local authorities, public and private education institutions, sports organizations and athletes, NGOs and the business community, teachers, scholars and coaches, parents and, first and foremost, the – mostly young – learners. While this community has been severely impacted by the current crisis, it can also be a key contributor to solutions to contain and overcome it, as well as in promoting rights and values in times of social distancing.
As the world begins to recover from COVID-19, there will be significant issues to be addressed to ensure the safety of sporting events at all levels and the well-being of sporting organizations. In the short term, these will include the adaptation of events to ensure the safety of athletes, fans and vendors, among others. In the medium term, in the face of an anticipated global recession, there may also be a need to take measures to support participation in sporting organizations, particularly for youth sports.
The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity and well-being
The global outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in closure of gyms, stadiums, pools, dance and fitness studios, physiotherapy centres, parks and playgrounds. Many individuals are therefore not able to actively participate in their regular individual or group sporting or physical activities outside of their homes. Under such conditions, many tend to be less physically active, have longer screen time, irregular sleep patterns as well as worse diets, resulting in weight gain and loss of physical fitness. Low-income families are especially vulnerable to negative effects of stay at home rules as they tend to have sub-standard accommodations and more confined spaces, making it difficult to engage in physical exercise.
The WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical
activity per week. The benefits of such periodic exercise are proven very helpful, especially in times of anxiety, crisis and fear. There are concerns therefore that, in the context of the pandemic, lack of access to regular sporting or exercise routines may result in challenges to the immune system, physical health, including by leading to the commencement of or exacerbating existing diseases that have their roots in a sedentary lifestyle.
Lack of access to exercise and physical activity can also have mental health impacts, which can compound stress or anxiety that many will experience in the face of isolation from normal social life. Possible loss of family or friends from the virus and impact of the virus on one’s economic wellbeing and access to nutrition will exacerbate these effects.
For many, exercising at home without any equipment and limited space can still be possible. For those whose home life can involve long periods of sitting, there may be options to be more active during the day, for example by stretching, doing housework, climbing stairs or dancing to music. In addition, particularly for those who have internet access, there are many free resources on how to stay active during the pandemic. Physical fitness games, for example, can be appealing to people of all ages and be used in small spaces. Another important aspect of maintain physical fitness is strength training which does not require large spaces but helps maintain muscle strength, which is especially important for older persons or persons with physical disabilities.
The global community has adapted rapidly by creating online content tailored to different people; from free tutorials on social media, to stretching, meditation, yoga and dance classes in which the whole family can participate. Educational institutions are providing online learning resources for students to follow at home.
Many fitness studios are offering reduced rate subscriptions to apps and online video and audio classes of varying lengths that change daily. There are countless live fitness demonstrations available on social media platforms. Many of these classes do not require special equipment and some feature everyday household objects instead of weights.
Such online offerings can serve to increase access to instructors or classes that would otherwise be inaccessible. However, access to such resources is far from universal, as not everyone has access to digital technologies. For individuals in poorer communities and in many developing countries, access to broadband Internet is often problematic or non-existent. The digital divide has thus not only an impact on distance banking, learning or communication, but also on benefitting from accessing virtual sport opportunities. Radio and television programmes that activate people as well as distribution of printed material that encourages physical activity are crucial in bridging the digital divide for many households living in precarious conditions. Young people are particularly affected by social and physical distancing, considering sport is commonly used as a tool to foster cooperation and sportsmanship, promote respectful competition, and learn to manage conflict. Without sport, many young people are losing the support system that such participation provided. Currently some organizations, and schools have begun using virtual training as a method for leagues, coaches and young people to remain engaged in sport activities while remaining in their homes.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The COVID-19 pandemic has had and will continue to have very considerable effects on the sporting world as well as on the physical and mental well-being of people around the world. The following recommendations seek to both support the safe re-opening of sporting events and tournaments following the pandemic, as well as to maximize the benefits that sport and physical activity can bring in the age of COVID-19 and beyond.
The impact of COVID-19 on sporting events
1. Sporting federations and organizations.
Governments and intergovernmental organizations may provide sports federations, clubs and organizations around the world with guidance related to safety, health, labour and other international standards and protocols that would apply to future sport events and related safe working conditions. This would allow all stakeholders to work cooperatively as a team with the objective to address the current challenges and to facilitate future sports events that are safe and enjoyable for all.
2. Professional sport ecosystem.
The sport ecosystem, comprising of producers, broadcasters, fans, businesses, owners and players among others, need to find new and innovative solutions to mitigate the negative effects of COVID19 on the world of sport. This includes finding ways to engage with fans in order to ensure safe sport events in the future while maintaining the workforce, creating new operating models and venue strategies.
The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity and well-being
1. Supporting physical activity.
Governments should work collaboratively with health and care services, schools and civil society organizations representing various social groups to support physical activity at home. Enhancing access to online resources to facilitate sport activities where available should be a key goal in order to maintain social distancing. However, low-tech and no-tech solutions must also be sought for those who currently lack access to the internet. Creating a flexible but consistent daily routine including physical exercise every day to help with stress and restlessness is advisable.
2. Research and policy guidance.
The United Nations system, through its sports policy instruments and mechanisms such as the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport,7 as well as through its research and policy guidance should support Governments and other stakeholders to ensure effective recovery and reorientation of the sports sector and, at the same time, strengthen the use of sports to achieve sustainable development and peace. Scientific research and higher education will also be indispensable pillars to inform and orient future policies.
3. Technical cooperation and capacity development.
Governments, UN entities and other key stakeholders should ensure the provision of capacity development and technical cooperation services to support the development and implementation of national policies and approaches for the best use of sport to advance health and well-being, particularly in the age of COVID-19.
4. Outreach and awareness raising.
Governments, the United Nations and the sporting community, including the sporting education community, should disseminate WHO and other guidance on individual and collective measures to counter the pandemic. Measures must be taken to reach communities that have limited access to the Internet and social media and that can be reached through cascading the sport education pyramid from the national/ministerial level down to the provincial/municipal level, from the national physical education inspector down to the teacher, from the national sport federation down to the clubs. In turn, escalating the pyramid provides for important feedback to identify needs and share specific solutions. Athletes, while deeply affected by the pandemic, remain key influencers to ensure that – especially young – audiences understand risks and respect guidance.
5. Promoting positive social attitudes and behaviour.
Sport education is a powerful means to foster physical fitness, mental well-being, as well as social attitudes and behaviour while populations are locked down. International rights and values based sport education instruments and tools, such as the International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport, the Quality Physical Education Policy package and the Values Education through Sport toolkit remain highly relevant references to ensure that the many online physical activity modules that are being currently deployed comply with gender equality, non-discrimination, safety and quality standards.
Read the full UN DESA policy brief on “The impact of COVID-19 on sport, physical activity and well-being and its effects on social development”.
The UN DESA COVID-19 policy briefs can be found at bit.ly/UNDESACovid.
Covid-19 has created numerous challenges for sport here in Trinidad and Tobago and across the globe.
The response in certain quarters to the global pandemic has been very encouraging, bio-secure bubbles facilitating a Test cricket series between hosts England and West Indies, completion of the National...
