Busy Para sked next year

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) president Mike Barredo said yesterday the cancellation of the 10th ASEAN Para Games this year is a temporary setback in line with the government’s healthy and safety measures but he expects a resurgence in 2021 with a busy schedule highlighted by the Tokyo Paralympics on Aug. 24-Sept. 5.

Barredo said International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Andrew Parsons of Brazil is set to reach out to country affiliates via video calls starting today for an update on the Tokyo Paralympics and a briefing on proposals stemming from a governance review which began in April 2018. The IPC Governing Board held a four-day video conference that ended yesterday to precede Parsons’ interaction with National Paralympic Committees (NPCs).

“The IPC is moving forward with Andrew and a new CEO Dr. Mike Peters of the US,” said Barredo. “There’s a 75-page document that details a proposed governing structure and policies based on nine principles and NPCs are being given a chance to comment. At the moment, the Tokyo Paralympics are a go. We expect to get an update from Andrew when he calls. Right now, our only para athlete with a clear shot to compete in Tokyo is swimmer Ernie Gawilan. Josephine Medina of table tennis has been given a bipartite wildcard invitation as an alternate but there could be new guidelines to qualify. We’re hoping Josephine makes it. Adeline Dumapong of powerlifting is another possibility but it will depend on the entries in her weight category. If we’re allowed to send an entry in athletics, which is a mandatory sport like swimming, we’ll be able to form maybe a team of possibly, four or five.”

At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, the Philippines was represented by long jumper Andy Avellana, Gawilan, Medina, Dumapong and another powerlifter Agustin Kitan. Medina brought home a bronze medal in table tennis singles class 8, only the second medal the country has garnered in seven Paralympics since 1988. The first medal was a bronze from Dumapong in women’s -82.5 kg powerlifting in Sydney in 2000.

The Philippines was supposed to host the 10th ASEAN Para Games this year but the event was cancelled due to the pandemic. “We’re disappointed and frustrated but we realize the national priorities are first, health and second, economy,” said Barredo. “When the PSC decided on the cancellation, the ASEAN Para Sports Federation Board was advised in an emergency video conference. There was talk that Thailand would offer to host instead but it was never pushed. At this point, no country could assure the participation of athletes. The Board understood the situation with concerns of community transmission of the virus. The focus is now to ensure the early preparation and coordination for the 11th ASEAN Para Games in Hanoi in December next year. The Board will convene a preliminary meeting this December to deliberate on the organization of the 2021 Games.”

Barredo said the fourth Asian Youth Para Games will be held in Bahrain on Dec. 1-10 next year and may conflict with the schedule of the Vietnam event. The Bahrain competition is expected to assemble 800 para athletes under 20 years old to compete in nine sports – athletics, boccia, badminton, goalball, para taekwondo, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis and wheelchair basketball. Barredo added that last month, it was announced that the 2022 Asian Para Games will be in Hangzhou, China, with a target participation of 4,000 athletes in 22 sports and 608 events, including taekwondo and para canoe.

“We feel for our para athletes,” said Barredo. “They were looking forward to incentives because we were sure medalists in chess, swimming, athletics and many more events. They’re naturally disappointed but our priority is to win this battle against COVID-19. Malaysia is planning a para sports competition of seven sports in March next year and if the situation permits, it may become an international event that we could join.”