Taylor Wilkerson, the American professional in the Sharjah basket, preferred to stay with his family in the Emirates, in light of the current situation due to the Corona pandemic, despite the expiry of his contract with the team last May, and Taylor described the Emirates as the safest, and that the precautionary measures taken by the state to protect citizens and residents on its soil A global model to follow.
Taylor said to «Emirates Today», that «the cessation of sports activity last March, due to the pandemic of the new Corona virus, and the approaching the expiry of my contract with the team in May, did not prevent me from making my family and my decision to stay in the UAE, and not to leave for the United States of America, and that Because we found precautionary measures on the ground at the highest level, through which the UAE provided a global model to follow in how to deal with various crises, and the keen interest of all state agencies in providing safety, care and protection for everyone who lives on this good land, whether citizens or residents Or visitors alike, in a country where 200 nationalities from different countries of the world live on it, constitute a unique global mixture ».
He explained: «Despite the fact that most professionals in the other clubs resort to travel to their country in light of the cessation of sports activity and the expiry of their contracts with their teams, I chose my wife, and my child’s decision to stay in the Emirates, because it is safer than traveling to America, where my older daughter is, especially since The decision to stay came after advice given to me by the national coach and coach of the Sharjah Men’s Team, Abdul Hamid Ibrahim, not to travel, in addition to the family atmosphere, and the encouragement and support provided to me by my colleagues in the team, all of which were factors that helped me make the decision to stay ».
He added: “Figures and statistics are always the compass that athletes resort to in building their decisions, not only in terms of developing their performance and levels, but also that these statistics and numbers become the indicator on which the athlete builds in his other decisions, so that the language of numbers reaffirms how the competent authorities deal with In the country with the Corona pandemic, limiting its spread, providing protection and care for all without exception, and succeeding in controlling and dealing with all challenges, compared to other countries, where the statistics came as shocking in terms of numbers and numbers of injuries, including my country of America ».
He added, “The UAE is a pioneering global model, despite the challenges posed by the Corona virus pandemic, which were severe to various countries of the world, but the hand of goodness did not stop here, after the UAE provided aid and medical assistance to many countries, which confirms once again the size of confidence That are born to residents of this country ».
Record
On his ambitions and sporting future, Taylor said: “I look forward during the coming period to renew my contract with Sharjah, and put my services again at the disposal of the team with an ambitious victory in the Basketball League title, which is likely to be completed in August, especially since the King’s basket has been absent for some time from local titles, after its brilliance. Externally, my team won the last two championship titles in the Champions Clubs of the Gulf, with a record unprecedented in the history of the tournament, with 11 consecutive victories without defeat, as winning the league will give us an additional opportunity to return and defend again in the Gulf title in an optimal manner.