10 *** Thursday 29 October 2020 The Daily Telegraph The Daily Telegraph Thursday 29 October 2020 *** 11 Sport LTA warns ‘catastrophic’ Exclusive interview closures are loooming

Tennis By Jeremy Wilson

At least a third of indoor community current Tier 2 and Tier 3 lockdown From rucks and mauls to tennis centres face the “cata - rules “severely limit millions of ten- strophic” prospect of closure with- nis players in terms of who they can out government support, the Lawn play with indoors, despite the Tennis Association has warned. socially distanced nature of the Scott Lloyd, the LTA’s chief exec- sport”. utive, has also called for a review of Toby Perkins, the chair of the all- front line of the Covid war lockdown restrictions in Tier 2 and party parliamentary group for ten- Tier 3 areas of the country, which nis, said that it was “completely allow adults to visit gyms but pre- illogical” for adults to be taking part vent indoor tennis between people in indoor fitness classes of as many from different family bubbles. as 30 people “but can’t hit a ball over By Oliver Brown The consequences of the Covid- a net to someone outside of their 19 pandemic on public leisure facili- household or bubble”. Chief SportS Writer “I was more scared than them, because it spell in the national team’s Covid bubble ties has been especially severe and, Ukactive, which represents gyms was all new for me. I wasn’t used to seeing so denied him the chance to receive the award in in tennis, the LTA has forecast and leisure centres, believes that many people suffering together, but the person at the Quirinal Palace in . potentially dire consequences for its indoor sports facilities have shown volunteers reassured me that we were saving “I think about my family with this, and what network of 54 community indoor that they can operate safely. their lives. When I forced myself to think they can think about their son now,” says tennis centres, which often provide  along those lines, my way of working Mbanda, who this week also won the Pro14 a vital route into the sport. Italy’s Maxime Mbanda has become changed.” Chairman’s Award in recognition of his work A total of £800 million was Stark warning: LTA chief a knight and national hero after Mbanda’s contribution would become one for the critically ill. Mbanda resists straying requested to save public leisure executive Scott Lloyd says of the pandemic’s most captivating examples into the past tense here, conscious that Italy’s facilities in July, but last week the tennis facilities around undertaking 17-hour shifts comforting of an athlete supporting his society in its hour battle with the virus is again at a precarious government announced £100 mil- the country will close patients at the height of the pandemic of direst need. point as winter approaches, with triple-digit lion of additional funding for local without urgent support Where before he had led a relatively peace- daily death counts. councils to be spent specifically on t was in the grim haze of mid-March, when ful life as a flanker for , Parma’s home- “I play rugby because I love sharing public leisure, including gyms and Italy’s Six Nations date with England was town club, he learnt in June that he was to be feelings, victories, even these awards. But I swimming pools. “This money will The latest data showed that, of postponed indefinitely by a raging epi- made a Knight of the Republic, one of Italy’s cannot be too happy because of the situation be spread thinly across a huge range five million visits to gyms and lei- demic, that Maxime Mbanda typed three highest civilian honours. Only his enforced that still exists. We can’t forget that.” of publicly-owned sport and leisure sure centres between Oct 5 and Oct Iwords into Google: “Help. Parma. Coronavi- Mbanda’s powerful sense of civic duty owes facilities,” said Scott. 11, 156 customers that had visited rus.” A few hours later, he was at his local much to the influence of his father, Luwa, who “As it stands, a large proportion of sites reported testing positive branch of the Yellow Cross, the country’s emigrated to Italy 45 years ago from the community indoor leisure centres within a 14-day period. That worked medical transportation service, who asked if Democratic Republic of Congo. Today he still face the very real prospect of out at 2.88 cases per 100,000 visits he could assist in the ambulances. works as a general surgeon in Milan, having closure, which would be cata - compared to a UK case rate of 150.88 For the next 70 days of 17-hour shifts, he just completed his fourth degree and strophic for tennis players up and per 100,000 during that same week. would assuage the extremes of human performed a leading front-line role as the down the country. We are therefore “It is very clear from the evidence suffering as the virus inflicted its terrible toll city’s overstretched hospitals shifted almost also calling for government to that gyms and leisure facilities are on the elderly. to a war footing. deliver a comprehensive sports not responsible for the increasing “I wasn’t driving the ambulance, I was “The importance of helping others was one recovery fund, which is needed to prevalence of Covid 19,” said ukac- inside, being the equivalent of a son, nephew, of his lessons in how I was raised,” Mbanda protect these facilities and other tive chief executive Huw Edwards. brother, cousin,” Mbanda says. “People were says. “He tried once, when I was 14, to make venues with indoor tennis courts.” “What this shows is a highly-con- scared because they thought they were being me work for a Milan ambulance service. But The LTA said that the status of trolled environment in which staff taken to die. But we were doing the exact when you’re a teenager, you just think about many indoor facilities was “peril- and customers treat safety guide- opposite. We were moving them from a full having fun. You don’t realise how much only ous” but stressed their pivotal role lines with the utmost levels of hospital to an empty one, so that the medical one hour a week can help people. Then, it in supporting the physical and men- respect and diligence in order for staff could try to save their lives with greater maybe wasn’t my time, but now I’m trying to tal health of local communities. people to keep using these services energy and less pressure.” find the right balance. This work with the RUGBY WORLD The governing body also said that safely. For all Mbanda’s physical might as a ball- Yellow Cross didn’t stop when the emergency carrier, which has earned him 20 caps for his finished. I swore to keep on going.” thought in particular of all the Italian and Call of duty: he is a knight and a national hero. “Perhaps I country, there were moments when he found Perish the thought that Italy should soon be ‘I was inside the ambulance, non-Italian lives that his father had saved. Maxime Mbanda is could write a book about my 2020,” he smiles. the experience emotionally shattering. As plunged back into the nightmare it confronted “It hadn’t happened to me for a long time. preparing to face “My life has changed completely in this Europe reeled at the sight of military trucks in March, but if it was, one senses Mbanda being the equivalent of a son, We know that there is racism, but we can fight England on period. While I was with the Yellow Cross in removing coffins in Bergamo, he was playing would be first in line to do whatever was against it, not with aggression, but by encour- Saturday; (left) April, my girlfriend told me that we were Agar fears Super League season his own vital role at the centre of the required. At 28, he has made it his abiding nephew, brother, cousin’ aging the world to talk about it. We can sensi- working for the expecting a baby. So, soon I will have even maelstrom. quest to define himself by his actions off the tise people. That case in Milan had made me Yellow Cross, more responsibility. I just hope that the future “Even though you had to act as the patients’ field. Take the assistance he has provided to team, united and kind. Two of them work for suffer, but a lot of people still made me under- assisting will be better for everybody.” has reached virus ‘tipping point’ family, you knew they were infected and so Tre Rose Nere, an amateur team in nearby the Red Cross. Their lives have been changed.” stand that they loved me. I’m not just Italian, ambulances, during For now, his pride at wearing the Italian immediately you would go behind them to Casale Monferrato consisting almost entirely Mbanda understands acutely what it means I’m not just Congolese, I’m both. And there’s lockdown jersey will serve as tonic enough, even in the Rugby League sanitise your hands,” he says. “That was one of of refugees. Beyond mentoring the players, he to struggle for a sense of acceptance. Last nothing wrong with that.” emptiness of Rome’s . “When the worst things. The first days were so hard, has also furnished them with fresh kit. November, he was cut up by a fellow motorist As Mbanda prepares to face England on Sat- the stadium is full, it will be much better, Leeds coach Richard Agar has called although the matter has been because I just didn’t realise what was going “With this, volunteers had thought about when driving in Milan. On approaching the urday after a 7½-month delay, he shakes his because it will mean that the virus has passed for strong leadership from the referred to the RFL’s Compliance on. Even the people who had been in the Yel- how to take the refugees off the streets and to other car to remonstrate, he was told, in the head in astonishment at how fundamentally away. We can’t wait.” In the meantime, the Rugby Football League as the con- Department for further considera- low Cross for 20, 30 years were frightened, put them on the pitch, to teach them rugby vilest terms, “to go back to your country”. The this year has redrawn his life. One minute he emergency services will know exactly where clusion of the Super League season tion. Warrington will now play Hud- because they had never seen anything like it. values,” he says. “Now they have created a real indignation boiled inside Mbanda, who is being racially abused in the street, the next to find him. threatens to descend into chaos. dersfield tomorrow night in a hastily Two matches scheduled for rearranged match. tomorrow night have been can - Castleford’s testing was carried celled due to the coronavirus pan- out one day after they were beaten to one side when the two coaches Edwards has helped transform the last weekend’s 50-17 rout of Italy, place in the championship, has been isolate due to responsibilities to demic and Agar says the competition by Leeds, but there have been no Farrell relishing the opportunity to meet at the Stade de France. French defence since being drafted stepping in for , who Ireland game off cancelled due to an outbreak of their families and employers. is reaching a “tipping point”. positive results at the Rhinos, “As a young kid Shaun took me in by head coach Fabien Galthie. is out with a broken jaw. Covid-19 in the French camp. The Six Nations was contacted Huddersfield’s clash with Castle- although four of their players are under his wing. He looked after me “You can see the difference will become Ireland’s sixth centu- It is understood that several but made no comment. ford was called off after the Tigers self-isolating. Rhinos coach Agar, pit wits against old mentor Edwards and showed me what professional- [Edwards has made] straight away,” rion joining Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan after French hit members of the French backroom It is unclear whether France will reported 12 positive coronavirus whose side take on Wakefield ism is because he was ahead of his said Farrell. “He brings so much O’Gara, , Paul O’Connell staff, led by head coach Annick Hay- forfeit the match or it will be post- tests. The match between Salford tonight, said: “We are reaching a tip- By Kate Rowan time as far as that is concerned,” he energy and he would be unbelieva- and John Hayes. raud, have tested positive. poned until December. However, and Warrington is also off after the ping point. We have to find the fair- said. “I was privileged to be involved bly clear in what he what he wants by positive tests The game had been moved to Ireland are already due to play in a Red Devils informed the authorities est way, we would hate to be in a Ireland (v France, Stade de France, Saturday 8.05pm, A meeting of rugby minds from tored by Shaun Edwards – now the with him as a player. Shaun is a win- from the players.” BBC) J Stockdale (Ulster); A Conway (Munster), after the French agreed to Rugby World Cup 2021 qualifying they only had 13 players available. position with the percentage points almost 30 years ago will play a cen- France defence coach. ner and a fighter, and that is why I Ireland have their destiny in their R Henshaw (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), H Keenan Exclusive By Kate Rowan sacrifice home advantage as Irish tournament then, where they will Although Salford did not cite any system where teams are trying to tral role when Ireland face France in know the French will be ready. (Leinster); J Sexton (Leinster, capt), C Murray (Munster), government rules meant the Ireland When the Ireland head coach, own hands, but will have to beat C Healy (Leinster), R Herring (Ulster), A Porter (Leinster), be vying with Italy, Scotland and further positive tests, they have had contrive a fixture list. We have had their Six Nations decider on Satur- now 45, made his Wigan debut as a “He will probably snarl at me and France by a bonus point if they are T Beirne (Munster), James Ryan (Leinster), C Doris The Women’s Six Nations fixture players would have had to isolate for Spain for a place in New Zealand. to play four games in 11 games due to to field under-strength teams in day night. At just 15 years old, when 16-year-old against Keighley, ignore me for the first 10 minutes to claim a fourth title out of the past (Leinster), W Connors (Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster). between Ireland and France has 14 days on their return from France. England will have a keen eye on fixture congestion brought about by important games. Replacements D Heffernan (Connacht), E Byrne was making his first Edwards was captain and it is with and we will probably shake hands seven Six Nations Championships. (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht), U Dillane (Connacht), been called off. As amateurs, the Irish Rugby the developments, as they are due to the crisis. Competition rules deem “We need strong leadership and steps into a stellar rugby league fondness Farrell describes the bond afterwards.” starts at outside P O’Mahony (Munster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster), R Byrne The Daily Telegraph can reveal Football Union said many of the Ire- play France in a two-Test series on that Warrington will be awarded a have got to work out what is best for career with Wigan, he was men - the pair developed, but it will be put The admiration extends to how centre in Ireland’s sole change from (Leinster), C Farrell (Munster). that the match, to decide second land players could not afford to self- Nov 14 and 21. 24-0 win due to a forfeited fixture, the competition from here on in.”