Daily Tribune (Philippines)

PFL bats for virus-free season

- BEA MICALLER @tribunephl_bea

The Philippine Football League (PFL) seeks to have a safe and healthy competitio­n when it resumes its fourth season this Sunday at the Philippine Football Federation training center in Carmona, Cavite.

PFL commission­er Coco Torre said the recent incident in the Philippine Basketball Associatio­n in which a referee emerged as false positive should serve as an eye-opener on how they would restart their season.

Torre said their health and safety protocols are in place and all stakeholde­rs, including the players, coaches and staff, are on guard against the virus.

“We always have to assume that the virus is always present,” Torre said Thursday morning.

“In case there’s a positive case, the hotel has its protocols. We know that being inside a bubble is not a guarantee that there is no possibilit­y of contractin­g the virus.”

Most of the players, coaches and league officials from six PFL teams had formally entered the quarantine bubble at the Seda Hotel Nuvali on Wednesday. Upon their arrival, they underwent RT-PCR testing and were required to undergo mandatory quarantine while waiting for the result.

Torre said they are still open for latecomers, who also have to undergo the same process before being allowed to mingle with those who were already inside.

“Almost 98 percent of the delegates are already here. We would allow late entries provided that they were tested before entering,” Torre said.

“So far, the process of getting inside has been smooth. There are no concerns raised by anyone yet.”

The Azkals Developmen­t Team will make its debut when it faces Mendiola FC in the opening salvo at 9 a.m. while Stallion Laguna FC and Kaya Iloilo FC march to battle in the 4:30 p.m. encounter.

 ?? PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PFL ?? PFL commission­er Coco Torre rolls out the red carpet for the fourth season of the PFL.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PFL PFL commission­er Coco Torre rolls out the red carpet for the fourth season of the PFL.

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