The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sports Participants in Zimbabwe

Bibiana Ncube & Eberhard Tapera, M.^*

National University of Science & Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Dr. Eberhard Tapera, M., National University of Science & Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic; Lock-Down; Sports; Disciplines

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have affected sport negatively in Zimbabwe and the whole world. This descriptive study sought to investigate the effect of the lock-down, a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on sports participants in Zimbabwe. Data for the study were collected from ten respondents (5 coaches and 5 players) randomly drawn from the disciplines athletics, basketball, soccer, table tennis and volleyball, who each responded to a self-administered online questionnaire. The responses were condensed into frequency tables and presented graphically. The study found that most players have reduced their training load, and feel fatigued and depressed, as a result of the lock-down. The study further found that a substantial number of sports participants has changed their diet for the worse and have had their sleeping patterns disturbed as a result of the lockdown. It is concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic had negative effects on the mental health, sleep patterns, and training levels of sportspersons in Zimbabwe. Sports teams in Zimbabwe are therefore advised to implement programs that will improve the training status, eating and sleeping habits of sports persons in Zimbabwe, and address feelings of depression among them. Further similar studies could include sports participants in managerial positions.

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. (CC BY 4.0).