NSAs call for resumption of training

MANILA, Philippines — As the National Capital Region transitions to a relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ), a group of national sports associations (NSAs) initiated a unified effort to try to convince authorities to allow athletes to resume training soon.

Officials of athletics, volleyball, basketball, football, rugby, karate and gymnastics convened in an online meeting Friday to compare notes on restart plans and bond to lobby for training resumption.

“We agreed to draft a position paper asking the IATF to allow teams to at least conduct training prior to (eventual competition),” athletics president and Philippine Superliga chairman Philip Ella Juico told The STAR after the gab.

Juico initiated the meeting of minds with basketball’s Sonny Barrios, football’s Nonong Araneta, volleyball’s Ariel Paredes, rugby’s Ada Milby and Jake Letts, karate’s Richard Lim and gymnastics’ Cynthia Carrion.

The group, he said, will sign the position paper to be presented to the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission and Games and Amusements Board for endorsement to the IATF.

“We will follow all of the protocols for training, limited physical contact, things like that,” said Juico.

“Let’s try it for one month first. After one month, walang nangyari, ituloy ang training and eventually competition,” he added. “If not, ibalik sa dati.”

Tomorrow, NCR will ease into GCQ, where more activities will be allowed compared to the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).