NCAA succumbs to coronavirus scare, postpones all high school games

MANILA, Philippines – The new coronavirus scare has wreaked havoc in many sports events locally and internationally.

Count the NCAA among those.

The NCAA called off all its games involving its high school athletes starting Friday and will extend to an indefinite period until things die down concerning the deadly outbreak.

“Please be informed that after consultation with their respective Policy Board members, College of St. Benilde Lyceum of the Philippines University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Mapua University, Perpetual Help, Letran and San Sebastian moved for the indefinite postponement of all junior events effective February 7 2020,” the NCAA said in a statement circulated Thursday night.

There was no mention as to when the suspension will last, but if the nCoV menace persists for a longer period than expected, there is the high possibility that all high school events will be cancelled outright.

The remaining events in the league calendar that should be affected by the new memo are boys’ and girls’ volleyball, football, kiddies basketball, beach volleyball and track and field.

The seniors’ games, however, will push through as scheduled.

Meanwhile, Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella on Friday held back the national team from joining in the 2020 Asian Junior and Youth Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan also due to health reasons.

The day before, the Philippine Sports Commission has called off the national summit set in Manila late this month, the Philippine National Games slated in May also in Manila and all its children’s games nationwide.

The Philippine Paralympic Committee will also inform the ASEAN Federation about the host country’s plan of rescheduling the 10th ASEAN Para Games from next month to possibly in May or June.

And more were reset in the past weeks including the Asia Oceania Olympic boxing qualifier, which was transferred from Wuhan, China that was originally set this week to Amman, Jordan next month.