Whether Ebola outbreak or Coronavirus, Hornets won’t let it stop them from reaching fans
There’s a big difference between taking precautions and letting a communicable disease rule your actions.
That’s how Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo views the Coronavirus concern, and he speaks from firsthand experience. Two summers ago, Biyombo was discouraged from traveling back to Africa for charity work because of concerns over the Ebola virus. He didn’t let that stop him from traveling for a delivery of mobile medical units and to do clinics and appearances with youth there.
“When Ebola was happening, I had to do a lot of work for my foundation. We got an email from the U.S. Embassy that you can’t travel” to Africa, Biyombo recalled.
“No, I have to travel — there are thousand of kids waiting for me. I have to go and help. We can’t stop working just because Ebola was there.”
The first outbreak of Ebola — a potentially deadly disease which can cause internal bleeding — was in Biyombo’s native Democratic Republic of the Congo. He felt staying away, when he’s a prominent success story for African youth, would send a message he had to avoid.
That does not mean Biyombo was oblivious then or now to the risks. As the Coronavirus has spread from Asia into Europe and now to the United States, various sports institutions have had to take rare steps. Italy’s government has barred spectators from games for at least the next month
The NBA recently issued recommendations to players about interaction with the public. On Friday, the league told teams to form contingency plans in the event its determined necessary to hold games without fans.
Biyombo, who has served as a vice president in the players association, says precaution is mostly common sense: Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Greet fans with fist bumps instead of handshakes to limit germ exchange. Maybe bring your own pen with you pre-game when signing autographs.
“It’s important to get the message across to people that this is real and we need to prevent it from spreading,” Biyombo told the Observer on Thursday morning.
“You’ve got to take care of yourself like washing your hands — common sense. At the same time, you can’t just stop kids from playing with other kids because there is a virus. Life goes on.”
Canceled game
Hornets guard Nic Batum got a glimpse at the potential financial and logistical effects if Coronavirus continues to spread: Batum and former Hornet Tony Parker own a French pro team that had to cancel a game recently, in part because of proximity to Italy, where there have been numerous reported cases.
“We were about to play a big game!” Batum said. “We had to cancel three hours before tipoff.”
Batum said that for another game, the team was advised to keep attendance below a certain number as a precaution.
“I’ve been walking through this,” as a team owner, Batum said, “and it’s kind of getting scary now. It’s spread all over the world.”
As the father of a young child, Batum said this hits a personal cord, particularly with the first reported case in North Carolina this week.
“We’ve been keeping in touch with the school (his son attends). It’s here now and we’ve been communicating,” Batum said.
Sports is entertainment and entertainment means interacting with the public. Has Batum thought about that as he crosses fans’ paths at games?
“Don’t be rude, but be smart,” Batum described. “Last game, we signed autographs, but I think people understand it’s going to be different for a while. Hopefully not a long-term situation.”
A squirt every bus ride
Hornets guard Devonte Graham believes the Hornets’ medical staff was on top of infection control long before Coronavirus was in the news.
“They give us hand-sanitizer squirts every time we get on a bus,” Graham said. “They did a good job here of keeping guys clean before all this started.”
Graham said he might start bringing a pen courtside for autographs, but he sure isn’t going to let a virus keep him from being social with Hornets fans.
“I always sign — every game. I haven’t overreacted,” Graham said.
“The fans come to see us. I’m going to do what I’m supposed to do — sign autographs and interact with them.”
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 3:53 PM.
