How to provide athletes adequate training despite pandemic

WHAT would’ve been the country’s participation in th the postponed Tokyo Olympic G Games had SenN Christopher Lawrence re “Bong” Go not intervened in the confusing situation where Fi Filipino Olympic qualifiers could not ev even train due to the total lockdown pr prompted by the Covid-19 pandemicN

At a time when everybody is confined fi at home, Sen. Bong came from n nowhere to call on sports leaders; th they, too, have the responsibility to p prepare our athletes in carrying the co country’s flag pursuant to the mandate d of no less than the ConstitutionN Se Section 17 of the 1987 Philippine C Constitution titledZ Declaration o of Principles and State Policies, p provides thatZ “The state SHALL G GIVE PRIORITY ( emphasis this O OUTSIDER) to education, science en and technology, arts, culture an and SPORTS to foster patriotism, an and nationalism, accelerate social p progress and promote total human li liberation and developmentN”

Section 13, on the other hand, m mandates the state to “recognize th the vital role of the youth in nationbuilding b and shall promote and p protect their physical, moral, intellectual, le and social well- being. It sh shall inculcate in the youth patriotism ti and nationalism, and encourage ag their involvement in public and ci civic affairsN”

Do I sound like a broken record? H How many times have I implored th these Constitutional provisions in se several stories I have written?

Maybe yes, but I’m glad somebody b like SenN Bong understands as he called on sports leaders to provide athletes adequate training in their quest for honors for the country in the immediate international competitions the Philippines is committed to participate, including the OlympicsN

And I’m sure our Olympic qualifiers, four so far — boxers Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno, pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo — welcome this "intrusion" coming from the chairman of the Senate sports and youth committeeN

And those no less than a dozen yet to make the trip to Tokyo in 2021, like weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and fighters Nesthy Petecio, who both are almost there; Carlo Paalam and Ian Clark Bautista and others’ both Philippine Sports Commission ( PSC) chairman William “Butch” Ramirez and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) head RepN Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino are counting as would-be betsN

“Maraminamangmgapasilidad napwedenggamitin for training basta monitored and supervised ito ng PSC at POC,” Go even assured as quoted by TheManilaTimes story that appeared in this same section on Saturday, June 13.

And there are many ways to achieve the desired purpose like

Identifying and selecting sports; which athletes could train individually, observing all required protocols — proper hygiene, no body contact ( for physical distancing) and daily temperature screeningN

The POC and the PSC can also identify and select the deserving national athletes and coaches who will be allowed to undergo special training and physical conditioning on specific days, alternatively with other athletes to minimize crowding the venuesN

They should be given special IATF — Inter-Agency Task Force for the management of Emerging Infectious Diseases— passes to commute to their training venues, which should be secured, regularly sanitized, and exclusively for their use.

Another suggestion was guidelines must be formulated and approved to ensure safety while conversing during instructions/briefing, eating, and using of comfort and dressing roomsN Use of personal sports equipment and uniforms must be encouraged, and these not shared with othersN

These proposals, which the POC and PSC can ponder on, by the way, aren’t mineN It came from somebody who claims to be a “friend” of sports who doesn’t want to be identified for reasons known only to himN

As former POC president and PSC commissioner Celso “Cito” Daytir once said: “National athletes are also our sports ‘ frontliners’ who serve our country in their own battlegroundN”