PBA to ramp up COVID-19 measures as IATF gives green light for training

FILE – PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial during a meeting at the league’s office in Quezon City. INQUIRER PHOTO/TRISTAN TAMAYO

MANILA, Philippines—The PBA welcomed the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases’ decision to resume basketball practices Friday but the league will take a step further in introducing measures that would protect the teams better against COVID-19.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said he and the league are happy with the development but he said that he will still meet with the coaches to discuss the protocols that they would put in place.

Metro Manila is still under general community quarantine with COVID-19 cases surpassing the 40,000 mark and Marcial said that the league will implement its own contact tracing measures to protect the players, coaches, and team staff members.

“This is big deal for us,” said Marcial who had to stop the 2020 season in March due to the pandemic.

“I told the coaches that we will meet on or before July 10 to talk about the protocols so that they could also comment on it,” added Marcial in Filipino. “After talking with the coaches, there will be a Board meeting after five or seven days.”

Practices will be limited to four players and one coach or trainer for every session to minimize the number of people inside the practice facility.

Marcial said that players and staff members will be tested three days before the first practice then another round of tests for every 10 days once the training sessions start.

The PBA will also require the players and coaches to signify whether they went to places outside of their homes or if they received visitors before they are allowed to practice.

“This is the PBA’s own way of contact tracing,” said Marcial.