GAB pushes forward

MANILA, Philippines — There’s no stopping GAB’s push to promote sports in this pandemic and even as chairman Baham Mitra is ending his term which is co-terminus with the President, he continues to lay the groundwork for the protection of licensed professionals making a living as athletes.

“The situation facing our pro athletes is no play, no pay,” he said. “So with the help of IATF, DOH and other government authorities, we’ve been able to provide a pathway for pro sports to resume with strict health and safety protocols.” Since the pandemic struck last year, 20 boxing promotions have been held in the country with two world championship fights and GAB’s boxing division is in the process of inspecting 81 gyms all over the archipelago to make sure every fighter is given a “yellow booklet” to monitor his health condition.

Three years ago, Mitra initiated the program with DOH to offer free medical and neurological services to more than 1,500 licensed combat sports practitioners. Last August, GAB and DOH renewed its agreement to provide the same services which fighters avail of for their licenses. Free hematoma screening is now also given to fighters. Free MRI, CT-Scan, X-Ray, EEG, drug testing, screening for Hepatitis C and HIV, neurological screening and eye examinations are available for free at the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center.

The pro sports under GAB’s supervision are basketball, golf, cycling, billiards, dancesport, football, motocross, triathlon, jetski, 3x3, e-sports, chess, indoor volleyball, boxing, mixed martial arts, muay thai, kickboxing, horseracing (betting operations) and international cock derbies. Because the pandemic shut down sporting events, GAB sought approval from IATF to resume pro competitions for athletes who rely on tournaments for a living. Mitra offered Special Guest Licenses (SGLs) for collegiate athletes to participate in pro events without losing their amateur status as a way to keep them active. The NCAA agreed to recognize SGLs. Mitra said availing of the SGL is voluntary.

The PBA was a beneficiary of GAB’s push as it was allowed to play a bubble conference in Clark last year. The pro league is now staging the Philippine Cup in Bacolor, Pampanga. The Premier Volleyball League turned pro and held its open conference in Ilocos Norte under GAB’s supervision. Chooks To Go 3x3 completed its President’s Cup in five legs last October and is set to unravel this season’s first two legs on Oct. 19-20 and the final three legs, including the Grand Finals, on Nov. 17-20 at the Laus Events Center in San Fernando, Pampanga. In between the legs, there will be two qualifiers to determine the team to play at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Masters in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 29-30. Golf, e-sports, chess, horserace betting and football also got a lift from GAB to move forward.