Managing sport and leisure in the era of Covid-19

In December 2019 the world was first informed of a new virus, called SARS-CoV-2 (hereafter Covid-19) spreading fast originally in China and quickly in the rest of the world, resulting in the hospitalisation and death of millions of people worldwide (World Health Organisation, 2020). The quick and almost unstoppable spread of the virus called for Governments to enact various levels of measures. Whilst these measures were taken to different degrees and time-points, they generally included the introduction of social distancing and lockdown procedures in numerous countries around the globe. As part of these procedures, work and social gatherings were brought to an abrupt halt, disrupting the operations and norms in numerous industries, including the wider sport and leisure industry. From the postponement of mega-sport events, to the stopping of sport leagues, and the closure of leisure centres, the sport and leisure industry adhered to the various Covid-19 measures taken by local and national governments, following the guidance of experts such as the World Health Organisation (World Health Organisation, 2020). As the spread of the virus and our ability to respond to it progressed, these measures changed since they were initially put in place in the spring of 2020, with some forms of more laxed measures in place until the autumn of 2021 when this editorial is being written.