WITH PREPARED HEALTH GUIDELINES, PFL EYES RETURN TO ACTION BY MID-JULY

The Philippines Football League (PFL) is targeting a return in the middle of July in the event that the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) gets the go signal from the government to allow the sport to be played under relaxed quarantine rules.

PFF president Mariano Araneta said they have already prepared safety and health guidelines that will be presented to the government for approval as Metro Manila transitions into general community quarantine starting June 1.

Other leagues in the world have already restarted, including the German Bundesliga and the K League in South Korea and most recently, the Vietnam League.

The PFF is hoping to start practice sessions by June 15 and kick off the league a month later.

Araneta said the PFF is ready to shoulder expenses for the COVID19 testing of players and staff in the PFL, which will be played in a Pffcontrolled facility at the National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite.

Free testing

“The players will not also come into practice if they don’t feel they are safe,” Araneta said. “We will shoulder all the testing of the players and the officials prior to the practice and the games. As long as we practice safety for the players, I don’t see any reason why we cannot also open our league.”

The PFL was supposed to start in late March. But with the enhanced community quarantine imposed in Metro Manila after the COVID19 was declared a pandemic, the league was suspended indefinitely.

“Football leaders all over the world are joining forces in preparing guidelines for us to enjoy and play the sport again,” Araneta said. “We want to present our guidelines to [the Games and Amusements Board] and we’ve been working with consultants from the [Philippine Sports Commission] as well in creating these guidelines.”

The PFL will most likely shorten its season, which means that the Copa Paulino Alcantara will be shelved this year.

“We really want to start,” Araneta said. “The club owners have paid their players even without the tournament. It’s unfair to the club owners who are spending so much money. Also, the players are raring to go to practice and to play again as long as health guidelines are followed.”

Football leaders all over the world are joining forces in preparing guidelines for us to enjoy and play the sport again MARIANO ARANETA PFF president