James Waindi

The successful hosting of the Africa Rally Championships (ARC) Equator Rally in Naivasha at the weekend is an indication that sports can actually go on with proper guidelines to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic.

It is a wake up call for President Uhuru Kenyatta to lift the suspension of all sporting activities in the country but with strict guidelines that have proved to work perfectly at the high-profile rally event that, apart from the local drivers, attracted foreign drivers from Uganda, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and South Africa.

The continental championships that acted as a precursor to the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally set for June 24-27, which is returning to the global stage after a 19-year absence, had proper organisation to ensure that Covid-19 does not spread and it is an eye-opener and an indication that it is possible to have sports without the risk of spreading the virus. 

At the Equator Rally, all the local drivers taking part were vaccinated at the beginning of the month together with all the officials, service providers and members of the media who were to be part of the event in one way or the other.

Fans were totally banned from all the stages with tight security being placed at strategic places to ensure there were no trespassers.

The service park was classified into two zones, the High Risk Area where the drivers and only tested officials and service providers could access, and the Low Risk Area where vaccinated and accredited members who had not been tested, were restricted in order not to mingle with the drivers and their crews. 

Several points of washing hands were designated and the social distancing rule was also adhered to right from the media centre where each scribe had his own working station to the cafeteria where outside catering was provided.

With about 90 per cent of sports persons vaccinated in the country in a rapid exercise that started at the beginning of the month, and the demonstration that protocols can be adhered to effectively, it’s prudent that the suspension be lifted under strict rules. – The writer is the Sports Editor, People Daily