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If there's one thing that we have learned in the past 13 months is that the coronavirus pandemic's impact on the world of football created a situation in which clubs, associations and governing bodies were forced to adapt. 

It's as simple as that. 

There is no room for negotiation when you deal with a virus and we, as soccer fans and human beings, have been forced to  acknowledge that the most important priority is the health and wellbeing of our communities. The light at the end of the tunnel, which can be seen in certain parts of the world, specifically the richest parts, is possible because science was respected and promoted, regulations were implemented and we, as citizens, followed the necessary, if painful, guidelines in order to start to find normality again.  We saw crowds at the FA Cup final, Champions League final and for the final games of the Premier League. So that normality is returning. 

The problem is that this is not the case in many other parts of the globe, where they have not had the resources and, frankly, wealth, to take the steps to start putting the coronavirus in the rearview mirror. As the summer begins and international competitions take over the calendar, South America finds itself in a difficult position. For CONMEBOL, however, it seems that their reaction to it all has either been incredibly slow or misleading, and frequently both. Either way, as June welcomes World Cup qualifiers and Copa America, the alarming rise of COVID-19 cases throughout the continent begs to ask the question, which led to the first sentence of this article, has there been enough to suggest that South America's soccer governing body has indeed adapted? Should these games be happening in the first place? And why, as this was something I and others have been talking about since last year, has this not been treated in a more urgent manner? 

Why is Copa America even happening?

Let's begin with the most pressing point. Copa America. Why we're having another one, I'll never know. Yes, the tournament was set for 2020 prior to the pandemic, which was immediately following 2019's tournament but as the fight against the pandemic continues, the same issue as last summer remains, and it seems that CONMEBOL refuses to understand that the coronavirus in fact remains a developing country pandemic. 

Colombia, the other original co-host, has also been dealing with a nationwide month of protests, guided by the fight against social, economical injustice and of course, the coronavirus. This escalated after demonstrators were killed by police. Plans for them to co-host were dismantled, following the increased protests and a combination of internal and external pressure. News that only came a few weeks ago. 

So let's go back to Argentina, the original co-host up to 24 hours ago. Third in highest rate infections in the world. Nearly 80,000 people have died in the country due to the disease as the virus continues to spread. Most citizens have been under a strict lockdown and limited in activity except for essential workers, which also included a 6 p.m. curfew. Though May 31 marks a return to a less restricted protocol with restrictions finishing on June 11. With around 45 million citizens, Argentina reports around 550 deaths from Covid-19 per day, and some 35,000 cases.  

The nation's president Alberto Fernández, however, said only last week that his country was ready to host, following Colombia's exit. A political move, directed by the mere hope of gaining popularity points at a time when the national economic situation is dire. The Ministry of Health remained the ultimate decision maker. 

In a recent interview with Argentina's Ole, Lionel Messi said about playing in the tournament, 

"Yes, the whole group is excited to be able to play in Copa America. It's been a while since we have been together, the last time we couldn't go because of the virus so we were even more eager to be together. It's a special cup, different, as surely there won't be fans. But personally, I really want to be [in one] once again." 

So when the biggest star on the planet stands behind it, then the theme changes and CONMEBOL felt they had the upper hand.

Who will host Copa America now?

Surprisingly, the tournament is now set to take place in Brazil. 

Up until two weeks before the tournament was supposed to start, Alejandro Domínguez, CONMEBOL president, felt confident and believed last week that Argentina was still in a good spot to host but only if the tournament followed very strict protocols (reducing each nation's squad size, including playing and coaching staff). Sunday night, however, the tide turned as CONMEBOL realized the requests from Argentina's government, in their opinion, were too much. Quite simply, according to Chief of the Cabinet and member Fernandez's administration Santiago Cafiero, the protocols that were being asked by Argentina were simply too much for CONMEBOL to deal with. 

"They [CONMEBOL] were surprised by the requests," said Cafiero. "They said the Euros don't even have these many guidelines. But these are the conditions the country has placed."  

So, as the rules couldn't be met, the government in Argentina finally called it quits. "It is very hard that Copa America is played in Argentina due to the epidemiologic alert situation," said Wado de Pedro, the country's interior minister, in an interview to TV C5N. Moments later, CONMEBOL removed the competition from the country. 

Replacing Argentina with Brazil came as a shock, as several other options seemed to be presenting themselves. Chile is doing well in terms of immunization, but despite the success in vaccinations (more than 50% of the Chilean population have been vaccinated) there has been a 21% rise in cases of COVID-19, as the ones who have not been vaccinated remain vulnerable. Paraguay was also a choice and of course, the U.S, though had that been the case, then the competition would have to happen at a later date due to the logistical complications that come with hosting the tournament outside of South America. Even Qatar has now emerged as a possible emergency solution.

Let's not forget that before the tournament comes World Cup qualifiers which means more matches, so the packed calendar also takes a physical and mental toll on players, managers, coaches and everyone involved. Most importantly, however, this is about their nations. As the continent continues to struggle with the virus, should CONMEBOL have done more to anticipate the needs of the communities that host these games? 

As the summer competition becomes jeopardized by the elevated presence of the coronavirus, it further brings into question CONMEBOL's decision announced in April to distribute 50,000 vaccine doses (donated by China) to players among the continent's federations for the purpose of participating in the summer. When the majority of the general population in certain countries remain vulnerable, was it right to prioritize those players, especially when the pandemic means perhaps they won't be able to play on the continent at all this summer anyway?

Money, of course, is the driver of all things, and there is no naivety from my part, but at some point, it has to come secondary to the well being of a society because its consumers, its people, the fans, are the ones who ultimately suffer. 

The love I have for World Cup qualifiers and Copa America is gigantic. As a Peruvian, watching these games fill you with so much pride and joy, and the excitement of watching these matches (some of the most competitive in the world) is unrivaled. I have covered this tournament for multiple organizations, including one of the biggest networks in Spanish-speaking television.

But in these times, when this beautiful continent continues to struggle amidst the rise of cases, fútbol means very little. 

CONMEBOL had an opportunity to anticipate and prepare for what was to come Now they're stuck scrambling to find last minute solutions, with the pressure of an entire continent on their shoulders to get it right. South America is suffering, and quite simply, before it can even contemplate to host and celebrate a tournament, it must revitalize itself, and that begins with its people.