Routledge Handbook of Sport and COVID-19

This book examines the initial impact of the coronavirus pandemic on global sport and the varying consequences of the sport shutdown on all levels of society. It also considers the many lessons that have been learnt so that sport stakeholders can successfully adjust and operate under the "new normal." Featuring authors, cases and examples from around the world, the book explores the impact of COVID-19 on sport at all levels, from community sport – where local clubs, gyms and development programmes had to find ways to survive with pitches closed and projects cancelled – to the major professional sport leagues and sport mega-events, with events postponed and teams playing in empty stadia. It considers the economic, social and developmental impacts of the pandemic, including physical, mental and social wellbeing, and looks at how key professional and community sport organisations have reacted to the crisis, reflecting on the lessons learnt and preparations for future pandemics and challenges of similar size and significance. With COVID-19 now endemic in the global population, this is an essential reference for anybody working in sport, from students and researchers to managers, policymakers and development officers.