PBA plans to return in September
USING the decision of a number of countries worldwide which had allowed the return of sports as barometer, the Philippine Basketball Association ( PBA) is looking forward, too, to a gradual return of activities it had PREVIOUSLY POSTPONED INDEfiNITELY DUE TO THE outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic more than two months ago.
League commissioner Willie Marcial on Tuesday expressed hope of at least giving member clubs back the opportunity to practice like what South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, the Unites States, to mention a few that’s had, the past week, decided to grant such chance with the end in view of resuming play.
“These countries had given us a hint that we can still save our 45th Season, which was abruptly
aborted last March to continue even with only a single conference,” Marcial told this writer in a phone interview.
The PBA commissioner even suggested that if the situation continue to improve, and the restrictions are finally lifted, say in August, “bakamakapaglaro
natayong (we might be able to resume the games) September.”
“Unti-unt in gang bali kn a ga ga win( the resumption should
be gradual),” Marcial said. “That’s also the plan of the government, gradual return to normal, at‘yun din an gs in usu nd anna tin( we’ re following the same plan).” “And the first thing we in the PBA should do is set first the guidelines for the return to practice, which we have to recommend,” Marcial pointed out.
“As I have been saying, mahirap nam anna is ab a kn at in gaga dag adan gating
teams sal aro(i tis not advisable to just let the teams resume games). They’ve been idle for quite sometime nahalos zero ang activity," he said.
“Our teams also need to prepare themselves, first to avoid injuries and to satisfy the craving of the fans for good, interesting games,” Marcial explained.
“Under the new General Community Quarantine, allowed na ang gathering ng small group, puwedenatingi- suggest nabaka na ma np wed en arin mag-work
out ang teams ng four or five players
per session,” said Marcial. “But before we allow our teams to use their practice venues, we have to make sure those places are disinfected. All the equipment na hahawakanngmga players natin,
dapat disinfected din,” Marcial further said.
The commissioner disclosed that he has been in constant talks with league chair Ricky Vargas and several other members of the board of governors, precisely, to map out moves they will make.
“Another must is that all our players and personnel involved in practices, must, likewise, undergo Covid-19 testing,” he said.
“It’s to make sure that we have a clean bubble, and we have to protect that bubble,” Marcial stressed.
The league’s celebration of its 45th season had actually been started March 8 only to be suspended when the coronavirus threat had blown into pandemic proportion.