An escape from the gloom of pandemic

The world is still a gloomy place. Some time in the next week, we will have officially lost four million people to Covid-19. Tens of thousands are still getting infected by the virus everyday as new variants scythe through the unvaccinated in different parts of the world. And the one uplifting mood music that’s carried on in the background is sport. It not only acts as the perfect escape from reality for a few hours everyday, but it also genuinely touches people. The events happening - Wimbledon and the Euro Cup to name two—is the perfect escape from reality. Psychologists have frequently spoken about the power of sport to heal and that was on full public display on Monday when four teams scored 14 goals between them in two pre-quarterfinal matches at the ongoing Euros. Adults were giggling like kids in a candy store, looking at all the goals with excitement. Even if it was heartbreak for Kylian Mbappe and the highly fancied French side, their role in the 3-3 thriller against Switzerland will be remembered for many moons to come.

Staying in the same continent, Roger Federer took his first steps across the freshly manicured grass of SW19 to send tennis fans into a frenzy. He’s no longer the favourite to win Wimbledon. Forget that, he doesn’t even retain the same kind of aura about him, but the chance to see Federer at Wimbledon—one of the sport’s greatest sights—perhaps for one last time once again reemphasised the power of sport in these grim times.

Of course, sport isn’t the most important thing, especially when there is a pandemic raging. But people do look up to it and get lost in it. One only needed to look at the England vs Germany encounter in Wembley on Tuesday. After living in lockdown for more than a year, the country’s iconic stadium came together as one to celebrate their football team’s greatest triumph this century. Ultimately, that’s what sports is all about. It spreads an explainable joie de vivre. And the entertainment won’t stop as the Olympics is just around the corner.