Welcome to the COVID Sports Project interactive timeline.
This timeline traces the chronological trajectories of COVID/sport nexus through video clips, news coverage, and social media posts.
The timeline highlights major events from the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 to March 2022). Media coverage of the COVID/sports connection was most prominent during these first these first 24 months, after which there was a steep decline in public narratives linking sports to COVID-19 (with some notable exceptions such as the 2024 Paris Olympics).
Click the link below to begin exploring the timeline or scroll down to see previews of each year.
In 2020, sports were integral to public understandings of the COVID-19 threat. This page includes an hour-by-hour timeline taking you back through the events of March 11, 2020 when the NBA suspended its season after one of its players tested positive for COVID (and most other elite sports leagues followed suit shortly after).
You can also explore other major developments from 2020 including:
- The police murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd that sparked global protests and powerful moments of athlete activism.
- Leagues such as the NWSL, NBA, and WNBA start or resume their seasons inside quarantined “bubble” environments while other major tournaments begin taking place with COVID protocols in place.
Click here to visit the 2020 timeline.
In 2021, the sports world continued to grapple with fast-changing pandemic circumstances. Relaxed health measures meant that COVID outbreaks disrupted league seasons early in the year as fans were gradually welcomed back into stadiums. The advent of vaccines was a major development throughout 2021 as sporting events and leagues offered incentives to encourage vaccination and limit COVID spread among athletes, coaches, and staff.
Other major story lines from 2021 included:
- The postponed 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics take place in Tokyo during a substantial COVID wave across the city and amidst public opposition to the Games.
- A handful of high profile athletes refuse COVID vaccination and make public comments sparking widespread controversy and media debates.
- The rise of the pandemic’s severe Omicron wave begins in December leading to the cancellation of major events.
Click here to visit the 2021 timeline.
The beginning of 2022 was dominated by sporting events taking place while the hyper-contagious Omicron variant continued to spread worldwide. The year began with controversy as tennis star Novak Djokovic was unable to compete in the Australian Open since he did not comply with Australia’s vaccine requirement and was denied entry into the country. The Winter Olympics and Paralympics also take place in Beijing with strict COVID measures in place that isolate Olympic participants from the Chinese public.