Coronavirus and Gambian football: gripping insight into the daily realities some main actors are faced with
BANJUL, Muhammed Lamin Drammeh Reports:
Football fanatics in The Gambia are finding it hard to assimilate themselves into the new condition of the world without the game.
This is because the European Leagues head to their third week in suspension and there is no domestic football in The Gambia due to the novel Coronavirus, called Covid-19.
A deserted football match at the Independence stadium in Bakau
Football, the world’s most popular and most-watched sport game, has changed and continues to shape the life of many people surrounding the beautiful game both in pleasure and in finance.
The Covid-19 pandemic will cause weeks hiatus before normalcy returns in the world of sports and football in particular. And for the time being, players, fans and followers of the game in The Gambia are finding life boring without the game.
Ebrima KB Sonko, freelance sports reporter, said his source of income has hold due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Sonko gets money through the stories he writes in football to earn a living. He said since the Gambia Football Federation announced the banning of the domestic leagues, freelance sports journalists would have to stay home. KB, as he is fondly called, said no football games in the domestic leagues means no pay for him.
"It affects my financial status," he told Fangbondi news.
"I depend more on sports and football in particular to gather information and write my news stories to get paid. And Corona forced me to miss watching the Gambia Football Federation league games where I earn money because I write report after each game," KB said.
Fighting A Lost Battle
To many football fans, life is no more normal without the beautiful game. Watching football and talking about the game is a skill that others are endowed with.
Kakai Sanyang is a resident of Brikama Berewuleng and works as an Associate Editor at Insight Sports, a Facebook page that reports on sports only. A great football fan as well, Kakai told Fangbondi that it is like fighting an already lost battle as he sits at home without watching or talking about the game.
"I feel like I’m fighting a lost battle knowing I won’t be able to watch football for weeks. It is so meaningless to look forward to weekends now because the one thing you love to do during weekends is taken away from you by the Coronavirus. Football has been the one thing that keeps me going, playing or watching," he said.
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a panic and the viral disease is yet to have a specific vaccine. Started off in Wuhan, China, the virus has killed hundreds of thousands of people and has raised its head in every continent forcing millions of people in self-isolation.
For Tijan M. Marr, Gambia’s youth team (under 20) midfielder, being at home without playing football for two weeks is boring.The 18-year-old talented player who plays for Fortune Football Club, said football shapes his life, thus, he feels abnormal with the game on hold.
"Football gives me life and helps me to abstain from so many negative things. It boasts my morale and confident, it helps me to forget all my sorrows and pains. I devoted all my life to football so if I’m not playing for a week, it makes me uncomfortable in life,” he said.
Marr wished Covid-19 is contained as soon as possible so that they can return to the pitch to play football. For now, he stays at home in Brusubi.
Father of Two Penniless
The negative impact of Covid-19 also hinders the operations of the video clubs owners.
Musa Fatty, in his 30s, told Fangbondi that he's running out of cash as his source of revenue has not been in operation for three weeks. Mr. Fatty, a father of two, said the effect of the temporal suspension of all public gatherings has done more harm than good to him.
On average, Fatty earns over D1, 500 weekly through his football channel.
"I am penniless. I depend on this football video club to feed my family. This has brought more sorrow than joy for me. What is the joy of being home without money?" he asked melancholy.
Another player of Fortune FC, Modou Lamin Darboe said the world is boring without football, and not playing or watching football means there is nothing to do for pleasure at all. His teammate, Bernard Sylva, also a young star and football fanatic echoed similar remarks noting not doing what they like doing means doing nothing at all. Hawa Mbowe, a resident at Yundum and a keen follower of both European and domestic league games said her weekends would no more be the same without football.
"I feel bored at home during weekends without football. It is bizarre for me being at home throughout without watching football" Miss Mbowe said.
For Kalimang Camara, Covid-19 has tamed his social interaction with colleagues. He said football binds them together. Camara said after he retires from work and during the weekend, he follows the football world. But the current hiatus has limited the social interaction he used to have with neighbors and workmates has gone.
“Those crazy arguments and fanatic supporting moments are what I'm missing."
Meanwhile, The Gambia currently confirmed three (3) cases of the deadly disease with one announced dead and over hundred people are under quarantined. Since President Adama Barrow made a declaration suspending all public gatherings, both the National Sports Council and the Gambia Football Federation released statements suspending domestic football. Football games in European countries were called off a week before President Barrow’s announcement.
Source : Fangbondi.com