More than a month after it was first imposed, the ban on all sports activities in Cambodia remains in force.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), the government agency in-charge of sports in Cambodia, first imposed the ban on April 7 as a means to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
The ban covered all sports activities and gatherings in both public and private spaces.
Prior to the blanket ban, the MoEYS ordered the temporary closures of gyms and sports clubs in response to the escalating health crisis at the time.
While the ban was in place, sports federations were limited to having their players practise online or remotely. While useful, this is not as effective as field training, according to many experts.
Since then, Cambodia has recorded very few cases of coronavirus. So far, the Kingdom has 122 cases of coronavirus infection, with the number remaining constant in the last two weeks.
Because of that, life is slowly getting back to normal, with many restaurants, hotels, retail shops and other businesses once again opening their doors to customers.
This has led to some sectors clamouring for the return of sports activities, though on a limited basis, with preventive measures in place. The coronavirus pandemic and the resulting ban has greatly affected popular sports events like the Metfone Cambodian League (MCL), Hun Sen Cup and KMH Cup. Before their temporary suspension, these events regularly drew thousands of fans.
