After more than two years of waiting, the Basketball Africa League (BAL) is finally here. The highly anticipated competition kicks off on Sunday, May 16, in Kigali. All 26 games will be played at the iconic Kigali Arena. The two-week tournament will run through May 30. To hold a safe and successful showpiece, robust protocols have been employed to prevent any risks of contracting or spreading the Covid-19 virus. Weekend Sport’s Damas Sikubwabo looks at some of the key preventive measures to be observed before and during the competition. ‘Bubble’ environment For safety reasons, all the 12 clubs are currently staying in protective bubble at the Radisson Blu Hotel, strictly keeping themselves isolated from the public. Before entering the residential ‘bubble’ camp, all teams first went through a Transit Center at Park Inn Hotel where they spent 24 hours while waiting for their covid-19 test results. After returning negative tests, they had to undergo a four-day quarantine at Radisson Blu. Daily PCR tests After completing the four-day mandatory quarantine, everyone inside the bubble takes a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test every 24 hours. This is expected to be the order of the day until the end of the competition. BAL officials also abide by bubble rules On top of the players and team staff, also the referees and other officials of the tournament have been instructed to abide by the bubble guidelines. They are not allowed any movement outside or guests inside the bubble. Fans to follow safety instructions Every fan will be permitted inside the Kigali Arena for any game will need to present a Covid-19 negative test. More common measures like properly wearing facemasks, hand-washing and social distancing will also be applied.
