MANILA, Philippines — National sports associations (NSAs) preparing for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi in November will have to set up their own training camp in areas under a more lenient quarantine status.
SEA Games chef-de-mission Ramon Fernandez of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) yesterday said they can no longer hold bubble training at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and PhilSports Complex in Pasig due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases and extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
“We will have to ask them (NSAs) to hold their own bubble in places outside ECQ areas,” said Fernandez.
The basketball legend also suggested that NSAs would be better off if they find their own godfather to help defray the huge cost of their training under the current situation.
“The Olympic bubble training in Calamba (Laguna) by boxing, karate and taekwondo for two to three months is already worth P21 million, what more for 39 NSAs,” said Fernandez. “We will still support them but we should help each other also.”
The PSC had initially wanted to regain supervision of its sports facilities for use in the SEA Games training beginning on April 15. But the plan was shelved.