ARE NCAA teams training on a bubble or violating stringent health protocols?
No way.
A league insider told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday that NCAA squads are abiding by the government-imposed lockdown to curb the spread of the lethal respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
The insider said that NCAA 96th season Management Committee chairman Fr. Vic Calvo,
OP, of host Letran is collecting video clips from the teams’ online workouts done at home.
Calvo will release the compilation soon.
“We’re confident na walang team sa amin ang gumawa or gumagawa nang ganoon (bubble training),” the insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
“Actually, Fr. Vic is preparing a compilation of home workout videos of the teams. Nagtra-training ang players, but online and nasa mga bahay nila sila,” the source added.
The University of Santo Tomas men’s basketball team and the National University women’s volleyball squad are under scrutiny from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for allegedly breaching quarantine rules.
The Growling Tigers reportedly trained on a bubble at the hometown of coach Aldin Ayo in Capuy, Sorsogon since June, while the Norman Miguel-mentored Lady Bulldogs allegedly held workouts at their Sampaloc and Laguna campuses.
The Sorsogon bubble was pricked when former UST skipper CJ Cansino said he was booted out of the Tigers due to “defiance of authority.”
Cansino, 20, wanted to leave the place where Ayo is a three-term councilor and return to his home in Valenzuela but this led to a disagreement and his stunning exit from the team.
The 6-foot-2 Cansino has joined University of the Philippines.
Photos and videos that were deleted showed UST players playing allegedly at the ABC (Ayo
Basketball Camp) Ideas Gymnasium. A damning copy of a waiver that the players and their parents or legal guardians signed to be able to join the training camp has also surfaced online.
cPhotos and videos of the Lady Bulldogs doing workouts, including an Instagram picture
posted by NU libero Jennifer Nierva dated June 4 and located in Laguna, have also surfaced online.
The insider insisted the league is being careful not to violate the IATF guidelines.
“Hindi talaga gagawin ng NCAA iyon (bubble training) kasi we’re in constant communication with infectious disease experts,” the insider said.
“Sinabihan ang teams na we have to follow the government rules. Remember, kami ang unang nag-cancel ng season noong March.”
With the lingering health risks and uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA is eyeing to launch its 96th season early next year with only the four mandatory sports such as basketball, volleyball, swimming, and track and field in its slate.
Online chess has been added, while esports will likely be included in the calendar.
