The coronavirus pandemic has been a devastating blow for many industries in Da Nang, and the city’s sports industry is no exception.  

Da Nang increasingly won the trust of sports event organisers from both home and overseas after gaining the control of the Covid-19 pandemic and successfully hosting the National Rowing and Canoeing Clubs Championship 2020 in June

The two waves of Covid-19 infections in April and late July have decimated the sporting schedule and affected some of 2020’s biggest sports events in Da Nang.

Amid growing concern about the spread of the virus, most major sporting events at international, national and municipal levels have been cancelled or postponed - from marathons to football tournaments, volleyball to basketball championships and more.  

Da Nang’s social distancing restrictions in April and July have resulted in closure of gyms, stadiums, pools, dance and fitness studios, parks and playgrounds. Many athletes were therefore not able to actively participate in their regular physical activities outside of their homes.

Under such conditions, the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports took appropriate measures to ensure that athletes seriously practiced the city's social distancing rules whilst keeping up their fitness levels to improve their physical strengths and professional skills during the social distancing periods.

In particular, during the restriction period, semi-professional athletes who are natives of Da Nang and are living at the Da Nang Athlete Training Centre’s hall of residence for athletes were allowed to come back home. Meanwhile, around hundreds of professional athletes in the city and from other localities nationwide were required to strictly practice the city's social distancing rules when staying at the Centre’s hall of residence for athletes.

All of the centre’s staff, coaches and athletes were required to seriously follow the city's social distancing rules, including wearing face coverings, washing their hands regularly with soap and water, and avoiding gatherings and crowded places.

Members of the city’s Dong Nghe Boat Racing Club, and the Diving and Swimming teams, were allowed to attend indoor training courses in their dedicated training areas, whilst other athletes were asked to focus on home workouts or using Zoom to join online classes delivered by foreign coaches.

After coronavirus restrictions were lifted in Da Nang on 25 September, athletes have returned to training in full swing whilst some national-level sports events have resumed in the city.

As planned, Da Nang will host the National Billiards and Snooker Championship 2020 and the Youth National Sailing Championship 2020 in November.

In addition to annual national-level sports events, such basketball, pencak silat and wushu tournaments at national and international levels will be organised in the city next year. This proves that Da Nang remains a reliable and safe destination for national and international-level sports events.

By NGUYEN AN - Translated by M.D