THE Games and Amusements Board (GAB), the country’s governing body in professional sports, underscored the need to wait and follow the instructions of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) before allowing professional teams the to train in the National Capital Region (NCR).

GAB Chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra made the announcement even as the IATF-EID has allowed the opening of indoor non-contact sports venues with Safety Seal Certifications such as gyms, fitness studios, skating rinks, and racket sports courts in the NCR plus areas at 30 percent venue capacity.

“We’re still waiting for the formal communication from the IATF. We will follow their orders and when it’s published, teams can train already,” said Mitra during the monthly “Kumustahan sa GAB” online program last Friday.

Apart from the ongoing inspections of the different athletic bubbles in the areas of Region I and Region IV-A, Mitra also conducted his own surprise visit at the Splendido in Taal, Batangas, to ensure the compliance of the Cignal professional volleyball team with the health and safety guidelines.

” “We are much contented with the way they are conducting it. I am confident that the Cignal team and the entire Premier Volleyball League (PVL) will finish their training successfully,” added Mitra.

Aside from Cignal, other PVL member-teams are now holding their bubble training outside Metro Manila.

Perlas is now working out in Baguio; F2 Logistics is also training in Batangas, BaliPure, Choco Mucho and Creamline are all in Pampanga, PLDT is in Nueva Ecija and Petro Gazz is in Bulacan
“Under the JAO (Joint Administrative Order), players and staff are only limited to five for a total of 10 people. I previously had a surprise visit to Reyes Gym in Mandaluyong. I think it was Rain or Shine practicing. There were five players, one coach, one assistant coach, one trainer, and two ball boys,” said Mitra.

“Volleyball teams are requesting to have six. It was stated in the supplemental JAO, which when finally signed, they can have six players and four staff members.”

The PVL, the first-ever professional volleyball league in the country, will hold its inaugural season in July.

When the NCR Plus (Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna) was placed under the stricter general community quarantine (GCQ) in May, the IATF-EID also barred teams from holding training camps in NCR Plus.

NCR plus is still under GCQ until June 15.

Quarantine status in Batangas, Pampanga and Ilocos Norte are more relaxed, however.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ed Andaya