When the first COVID vaccine was announced last year, people around the world let out a sigh
of relief. Unfortunately, vaccinations were not as effective as we all expected due to the
increasing resistance to the jabs. This means that we are once again heading into uncertain
times that may impact sports for the rest of the year – maybe even into next year. How will the
situation impact the world of sports? Will there be a disaster comparable with last year, when
the list of events available at V9bet and all other bookies was pretty much nonexistent?
The Top 5
Vaccination rates around the world are very different. In the United Kingdom, home of the
English Premier League, more than 80% of eligible adults are fully vaccinated. If everything
continues at the same pace, we can hope for an uninterrupted Premier League season going
forward.
In Spain, home of La Liga, vaccinations are also going well, with 76% of the eligible population
having received the jab already. The average number of cases reported daily is also
decreasing, so – hopefully – La Liga will continue as planned for the rest of the season.
In France, the numbers are not so reassuring, with only 63% of the eligible recipients getting
the jab so far – not to mention the repeated protests against the strict measures planned by the
local authorities. To date, Ligue 1 continues with no interruptions or issues caused by the
disease – let’s hope this remains the same going forward.
In Italy, the share of fully vaccinated people is similar to that in France, and there are protests,
too – but to a far lower extent. Recently, a series of “train station” protests fizzled out as the
government promised to crack down on them. For now, there’s nothing to threaten Serie A –
hopefully, it will remain the same for the rest of the season.
In Germany, the percentages are similar. Here, too, COVID measures are questioned by
hordes of people – and the numbers are growing. The question is, where will they stop? Fans
are cautious, with many stadiums not filled to capacity. If the rest of the country will be just as
cautious, the Bundesliga season might continue uninterrupted this year.
And the rest?
In many Central and Eastern European countries, COVID is returning in full force. The numbers
are growing in several countries – coincidentally, the same countries have low vaccination rates,
so this shouldn’t really be a surprise. It also shouldn’t be a surprise for fans to be once again
locked out of the stadiums or access to be conditioned by vaccination in full. The infrastructure
is certainly there – there are rules in place, and it’s up to the stakeholders to enforce them.
If everyone does their part – the fans and players get their jabs, and the authorities impose and
enforce strict rules – we can hope that even in the countries with the lowest vaccination
numbers, COVID will not interfere with the ongoing football leagues.
