BETTER safe than sorry.
That’s the attitude adopted by the PBA in its decision to put the Governors Cup games on a prolonged hold despite being given the green light to play on by both the Games and Amusements Board and an accommodating local government unit.
“Kahit meron tayong go-signal na maglaro ayaw pa rin namin,” Commissioner Willie Marcial said in an interview over the weekend.
“Ang gusto namin, iyung matitiyak kaligtasan, ‘yung safety ng lahat,” added Marcial. “Kaya ang naging thinking ng Board pababain muna mga kaso bago pag-isipang ituloy laro.”
Marcial also said the COVID situation next month would be the chief barometer for the PBA’s next move.
“Crucial ang February, kung pababa na o tuloy pa rin pagtaas,” explained Marcial. “Kapag bumaba na mga kaso, then puwede na tayong mag-isip na ituloy na mga laro. Kapag steady pa rin, mataas pa rin infections, then kailangan ng mag-decide ulit kung ano next move, hanggang kailan puwedeng i-extend ang postponement.”
Initially, the PBA postponed the doubleheaders set Jan. 5-9 when the government declared Metro Manila and nearby provinces under Alert Level 3 again from Jan. 3 to 15 following the rise in COVID cases after the holidays.
Cases continued to surge in the first week of the New Year, however, prompting the PBA Board, following a special meeting last Wednesday, to postpone the games indefinitely even if the league and other pro sports were allowed by the GAB to resume playing under Alert Level 3 provided games will be held under a bubble setup.
Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto also offered to host the PBA games anew at the Ynares Sports Arena like it did in the early stages of the last Philippine Cup and, most recently, from Dec. 8-12 before the Governors Cup games shifted to the Smart Araneta Coliseum starting Dec. 15.
“Sa flag ceremony ng Pasig (last Monday) sabi ni Mayor Vico: ‘Bawal po ang contact sports, hindi pu-puwede,’” related Marcial. “’Pero ang PBA po pinapayagan natin kasi may protocols sila.’ So, ibig sabihin, okay tayong maglaro ulit sa Ynares, whether bubble or semi-bubble.”
Marcial, however, wouldn’t risk it.
“Ayokong isugal ‘yung safety ng mga tao natin, players, coaches, utilities, para lang makalaro,” explained Marcial. “Sa experience kasi natin kahit naka-bubble or semi-bubble tayo napapasok pa rin tayo ng virus.”
Appearing in Radyo5’s Power and Play with former PBA commissioner Noli Eala last Saturday PBA chairman Ricky Vargas of TNT confirmed widely-circulating reports of infections within the pro league.
“Sa totoo lang, marami ring natamaan na players natin at saka referees ng COVID,” said Vargas. “But they’re recovering very well.”
The ill effects on the mentality of those infected could spill over to the games, added the TNT executive.
“We can’t continue to give exciting games kasi kung may kasamang takot na nasa isip nila, ang problema nu’n is we will have a half-hearted game.”
Marcial reiterated the PBA’s stance of playing a wait-and-see game for the meantime.
“Malaking sakripisyo na naman ito, pero naiintindihan naman ng mga governors,” he said.
“Hopefully, kapag by next month bumaba mga kaso then nag-Alert (Level) 2 baka makapag-resume na tayo.”
