COVID hits referees, umpires and other sports officials hard
Umpiring and scoring are professions for many full-timers in the cricket circuit
As the world battles to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic for the past 12 months, developing countries have been pushed to the corner with economies struggling to stay afloat. Sri Lanka is one of them, though all looked for a smooth sail about a year ago.
With no positive breakthrough in sight, most Sri Lankans of all walks of lives, have been forced to survive on a meagre income. In general the whole network of trades that generate income to the state, including tourism, industries, production, businesses and many more, have been forced to take a defensive stance. Sports in general paves way to attract global recognition and foreign investment, that more individuals have become full-timers as athletes, officials, coaches or administrators.
The pandemic has treated them equally or worse than other ordinary citizens. The most affected out of the lot are coaches, team and match officials, and support staff of sports clubs and teams.
The Sunday Times has gathered adequate information that most sports teams, mainly in schools and individuals engaged as match officials and support staff are the most affected out of the lot. In rugby, athletics, football and cricket, where many have turned full-time professionals, it is a gloomy prospect for a small group.
After talking to top individuals connected to these four sports, it’s evident that most of the coaches, umpires or referees, scorers and other support staff, are part-timers with permanent jobs.
“Most of our referees are part-timers and they have full-time jobs at government or private institutes. Some run their own businesses. During the period of lockdown we managed to conduct online training sessions to engage our members in activities and when restrictions were lifted we managed to engage in physical training too. At the same time the Referees’ Society managed to settle two sets of due payments to its members from the previous season. The referees actually are not in a bad position,” a top member of the Sri Lanka Society of Rugby Football Referees stated.
Even full-time professional coaches, managers of leading clubs and masters-in-charge of school teams have been receiving full or a percentage of their monthly payments during the inactive period since March 2020. But the most hit out of the lot as understood after inquiring into the wellbeing of these individuals, are cricket umpires and scorers, who have been relying on the sport full time.
It is confirmed that a number of cricket umpires, mostly members of the Association of Cricket Umpires in Sri Lanka (ACUSL) are forced to take up odd jobs unwillingly, to support their families. With no matches to stand in since March 2020, around 80 umpires from a total membership of over 800 across the country, are financially desperate.
Some from the ‘les miserables’ have gained some respite because their spouses are employed and taking on the breadwinners’ role while others have been pushed to the limits to take up an unimaginable path. Some members of the ACUSL have turned into security guards at leading supermarkets while some have become door-to-door vendors.
An umpire can be found driving a cab, after borrowing a car owned by a friend. A few have even become helpers or daily paid labourers at construction sites. According to Saman Hewavitharana, the Assignment Secretary of ACUSL, one of its members has become a successful vegetable merchant after having committed himself fully to his new-found trade.
“This member even called me to inquire if he can contribute a good portion of vegetables to members really affected by the lack of income. The ACUSL managed to gather some funds and distribute them among members really in need. But we managed to do it only a few times,” Hewavitharana stated.
ACUSL’s membership is scattered across Sri Lanka and are separated as district branches. Out of the 25, in Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Kandy, Kurunegala, Kegalle and Galle districts alone they are over 100 each. Most umpires are based in these regions with the busiest schedule of matches, mainly school cricket.
Without any assignment since March 15, 2020, the ACUSL has tried its level best to protect its hapless members by even raising funds through its own membership, who are employed part-time or are business owners. That too has been restricted to a few occasions.
“If you take the situation overall, today you find people selling prepared food and other amenities by roadsides in luxury cars. What some of our members are also doing only shows that they care about their families. The only setback is that we, as a governing body, must come out with a comprehensive plan where our members are benefited,” he outlined, while pointing out the importance of having comprehensive package plans of insurance, health and retirement.
Joining the fate of the umpires are cricket scorers, where out of 200, almost 50 are full-timers. Even they had to experience a similar fate, but with most of their spouses being employed individuals, the situation within their families have been managed to some extent. But a handful had to undergo the same fate as some of the umpires.
“Some of our members had to experience the worst circumstances they would ever face in life, due to lockdowns and lack of assignments. But we did receive support from different parties from time to time, like sponsors, members of the Mercantile Cricket Association, the national cricket team and Sri Lanka Cricket. Yet, it was not constant and we had to look after each other when needed. We are now in need of a system where our members are looked after during difficult times,” stated Chinthaka Munasinghe of the Sri Lanka Cricket Scorers’ Association.
Though the depression created by COVID-19 pandemic has affected umpires and scorers of lower categories, it has also impacted some of the elite panel umpires and scorers who come under Sri Lanka Cricket. Overall Sri Lanka is yet to prove that even the country’s topmost professional sport, cricket, has overcome lapses in its lower echelons. This could be a red alert to other sports that are aiming to become semi or full professional.