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Sunil Chhetri on Covid-19 impact: Every decision to push sporting events, irrespective of the magnitude, is the right call
The ace footballer feels that several decisions amid the pandemic may be crippling the economy, but that is not more important than human life.
Indian national football team captain Sunil Chhetri feels fortunate to be in a position to “help human beings and animals” as much as possible during these “unprecedented and strange” times of Covid-19. The Indian team skipper urges those who are “blessed with enough to do whatever they can” because that’s the least they can do for the frontl ine workers “risking it all”. Addressing them as “heroes in every sense”, he says we all “owe them a debt”.
Chhetri, who is using social media to reach out far and wide, says, “For all the pitfalls that social media brings with it, it has turned out to be a platform that’s helping many. I’m glad I can do my bit to raise awareness. For one, I turn to purely official information from news sources that are responsible for putting them out. All it takes is a bit of effort to read up and be sure when you know what you say has an impact on many.”
While staying positive during this worrisome situation might be tough, Chhetri says “our health is all we have”. And so, taking care of one’s “mental health is as important as the physical well-being”.
He adds, “Don’t ignore it, and make the most of this time catching up on things you’ve wanted to.”
For any athlete, staying fit is crucial. But being stuck at home, how are he and his teammates, keeping their health and morale high?
“We’re improvising a lot. I can’t use the lack of access to a gym or a football pitch as a reason to not do anything. I have a few very basic pieces of training equipment at home. I’m using them, and I’m also in constant touch with the lads. We all share healthy recipes and workout regimes with each other, play Ludo, and talk about things beyond football,” shares Chhetri, adding that he’s also doing household chores, besides reading and watching shows and documentaries.
The Covid-19 pandemic has also led to major sporting events such as Tokyo Olympics, Euro 2020 and Indian Super League, to be deferred. In his opinion, “Every decision to call off or indefinitely postpone an event — no matter what the magnitude — is the right call. Yes, it’s crippling the work and economy, but it’s the right choice when what you’re weighing it against is life,” opines the footballer.
Even when the lockdown gets over, people might take time to get back to their regular life, which would affect the footfalls for sporting events. How does he look at that? “To be honest, football is the last thing on my mind at the moment. We’re still in the middle of this situation. When it eventually does pass us, a lot of things will change. I’m sure everyone involved will come together and do what is best for people and for the sport,” he concludes.
