IPL 2021: Details into the bio-bubble breach in the tournament

The bio-security bubble in the 2021 Indian Premier League, well and truly, has been breached. In the last three days or so, a number of people has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. From Varun Chakravarthy, Amit Mishra, Wriddhiman Saha to Michael Hussey, the coronavirus has gotten in its stranglehold a number of people, who were busy with their respective duties in the IPL.

After all sorts of chaos, the BCCI pulled the plug and postponed the tournament for an indefinite time period. Though the Indian board is looking for a window in the month of September to complete the tournament, an official call is yet to be taken. The bio-bubble was deemed safe and the players were assured of their safety. However, things have gone array ever since, to say the least.

Probable loop-holes in the IPL 2021 bio-bubble

In the 2020 IPL, the bio-bubble was managed by Restrata, a professional company versed in bio-secure solutions and tracking devices. This time around, the IPL went local, meaning the testing labs and hospital vendors had to take charge in the critical scenario. The fact that the tournament was taking place across six venues, made air travel one of the biggest worries going forward.

As per reports in NDTV, one team coach and two players contracted the virus while travelling through the airport terminus. The players were at a fair amount of risk since the state governments had denied the request for tarmac access. In the United Arab Emirates, the players didn’t have to go through air travel. The tracking device for coronavirus turned out to be faulty as well.

The device was from a Chennai-based company and it couldn’t quite live up to the expectations. There were also question marks over the quarantine protocols of people outside the bubble. They include net bowlers, hotel staff, ground catering, ground staff drivers and DJ’s. The management process was much more robust in the UAE, without much of a doubt.

Food delivery from outside was also allowed until last week. The Indian board left it to the franchises to create their own bubbles, instead of letting a central agency like IMG take charge. Despite the rising number of coronavirus cases in India, BCCI decided to hold the IPL in India. The IPL governing council proposed for the IPL to take place in the UAE, but their request was turned down.