AYG bets urged self-quarantine

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Sports Commission chair Harry Angping the other day advised the RP delegation bound for the First Asian Youth Games in Singapore to observe self-quarantine to avoid acquiring the Influenza (H1N1) virus.

 “I told them to be very careful these next few days. I particularly told them to go home after school, stay away from the mall and crowds just to be safe,”” said Angping during the RP team sendoff at the PSC canteen Wednesday.

The PSC chief stressed that extra precaution is needed to avoid acquiring the virus, which already claimed its first victim in the country recently.

A Filipino booter was also tested positive with the swine flu, forcing the Asian Youth Games organizers to drop the RP football squad from the roster.

The event, slated June 29-July 7, serves as qualifier to the first-ever 2010 World Youth Olympics, also set in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Angping disclosed that organizers of the games would have allowed the RP football team to go on and compete if not for the additional cases of swine flu or A(H1N1) virus involving players from Hong Kong.

“We only had one player who was infected with swine flu, and what really convinced them not to reduce the number of days of our quarantine was the case involving Hong Kong,” said Angping who tried hard pleading the case before the organizers along with RP football officials.

Angping said four players from Hong Kong tested positive for swine flu and the PSC chief added that there were also reports that two other players were left behind in Hong Kong after showing signs of the dreaded virus.

“If it was only us, meaning one case, then organizers would have accommodated us. But then came the cases involving players from Hong Kong,” he said, adding that the Singapore Ministry of Health, as well as the World Health Organization, had to step in.

Singapore has raised its alert level on the A(H1N1) following the cases involving players from visiting teams. – Abac Cordero