The COVID- 19 has left people with nowhere to go and for those die-hard sports fans, nothing to do at home either. Being that everyone is quarantined, now would have been a good time to sit back, relax, and watch some good ol’ ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network). However, any sport that was to take place during this season has been cancelled. Tragedy struck when Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz basketball team tested positive for COVID and after that it was a downward spiral.

The next day, Donovan Mitchell, also on the Jazz, tested positive for the virus. Associations such as the NBA (National Basketball Association) and FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) were trying to find a middle ground to not have the virus spread anymore and at the same time give viewers at home a chance to watch. Their solution was to not have any spectators come and watch the games.

The seats would be empty, but the game continues. That idea was short-lived when the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention advised everyone not to gather in groups of 10 or more. Teams in general would not be able to play in the same space, forcing these associations to cancel their seasons. As the days passed, more and more athletes in the United States and other countries like Italy, were being diagnosed everyday with this fatal virus. The President of the United States has advised everyone to stay indoors until they can get this virus under control, but the numbers keep going up in new cases and deaths.

April 30th seems promising with hopes that the virus dies down a bit and they see fewer cases. With this information, it is likely that seasons that begin in the Fall may be pushed back a couple of weeks. Kelly Cohen, a reporter for ESPN, said in an article in early March, “Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach agreed to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by about one year.” It has been 80 years since the last time the Olympics was cancelled, coincidentally, it was also supposed to take place in Tokyo (bad luck or what?). Although it is postponed to no later than summer 2021,the name will still be “Summer Olympics 2020.”As for NJCU, the athletic department has  made the decision to cancel the remaining season leaving six programs behind.

Athletes that play for the school are disappointed including senior Baseball outfielder, Juan Peña. Peña says: “It’s very disappointing my senior year has come to an end due to the COVID. Although we get eligibility for one more year, that isn’t the case for other seniors that are graduating this May. Any athlete shouldn’t have to end their career like that. Some of us will end up in debt because we love what we do so much, that we want to stay another year.” Not many seniors need to stay an additional year considering they will have fulfilled their credit requirements, but some are willing to stay full time students.