7 NSA leaders collate safety, health plans for athletes

OFFICIALS from seven national sports association (NSA) agreed to pool their minds in drawing up training protocols for athletes who have been unable to train as a group during the more than two months of quarantine.

The leaders—dr. Philip Ella Juico (athletics), Sonny Barrios (basketball), Mariano Araneta (football), Ada Milby and Jake Letts (rugby), Ariel Paredes (volleyball), Richard Lim (karatedo) and Cynthia Carrion (gymnastics)—stressed the need for their athletes to go back to training and even competition amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

But they agreed to keep the transition in a slow and calculated pace until a vaccine is available.

“Better safe than sorry,” said Barrios, executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, during the virtual meeting on Friday.

“Prolonged lack of training and practice sessions, and actual competitions would take their toll on the competitive edge of athletes to the detriment of national interest,” said Juico, head of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association who initiated the meeting.

“The total absence of competition would in turn undermine the momentum created by our success in the 2019 SEA Games,” Juico added.

The leaders’ intention is to formulate protocols for athletes, officials and fans of the various NSAS when they finally return to training.

Juico forwarded a summary of the meeting to Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez, Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham Tolentino and Games and Amusements Board Chairman Baham Mitra.

The athletics chief said they intend to secure the approval of the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases before implementing the protocols in their respective NSAS.

Juico also stressed the need to address the livelihood—especially allowances from the PSC which were cut in half—of athletes.

“The livelihood benefits of athletes and teams’ support staff in sports like basketball, volleyball, and football, which have substantial fan and sponsorship bases, in many instances were drastically reduced,” Juico said.