Covidiots in sport and on the balconies

Covidiots, as you may have heard, is the name coined for those acting like complete fools during the coronavirus pandemic. You’ll have seen their antics on the news, often getting a fine, a major row, or both, for their stupidity. And there are plenty in the world of sport, of course. The first to earn himself the moniker was, of course, Mourinho, taking several Tottenham players to train in Hyde Park. The competent authorities made him send them back to their houses to continue with lockdown, with Mou getting no more than a warning. He said sorry, and pretty much got away with trying to be too clever by half at the same time as making himself a pioneer of sporting covidiots.

 The gold medal though has to go to Hertha Berlin player Salomón Kalou. Mourinho’s nonsense was undercover, and looking to get a leg up on his opponents. Kalou’s was an act of stupid exhibitionism, similar to those who film themselves doing 180 miles an hour without looking at the road, making the traffic cops life easier. Kalou decided to film himself breaking all the protocols, recording his teammates without checking. One of them and a medic had to force him out of the treatment room, where he’d gone in without heed to the distancing rules. His pathetic moment in the limelight as a complete fool comes with a suspension handed down by his club.

Djokovic too decided to film himself training at the Puente Romano facilities in Marbella with his coach. Maybe, being generous, we could call this a case of covidistracted. The rules changed for top level athletes that day, but they weren’t allowed to use facilities, only to exercise outdoors in public spaces. Either way, the Serbian star had to stop and apologise. Where there have been no end of covidiots has been among the balcony police, who have shouted abuse at top level athletes out exercising during the time period allowed for the over 70s, which restriction doesn’t apply to them. Before abusing anyone else, make sure you really know the rules.