PSC, NSAs discussing training protocols for Olympic hopefuls

MANILA, Philippines, July 27 ------ The Philippine Sports Commission has been in regular contact with various National Sports Associations (NSAs), as they discuss the guidelines for the resumption of training of the country's Olympic qualifiers and hopefuls. Health professionals from the PSC-Medical Scientific Athletes Services (PSC-MSAS) started meeting NSAs on July 21 to discuss the updated protocols and minimum health standards of the training venues of each association.

The meetings are scheduled until July 29th. "The PSC recognizes that our Olympic hopefuls need to maintain momentum, and they do that by going back to focused training," said National Training Director Marc Velasco. Among the NSAs that have met with the PSC are: the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), represented by Secretary General Ed Picson; the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA), represented by President Richard Gomez; and the Philippine Rowing Association (PRA), represented by Secretary-General Jercyl Lerin.

Present during the July 22 discussion were: World Archery Philippines, Inc., represented by Secretary-General Rosendo Sombrio; Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines, represented by Secretary-General Atty. Billy Sumagui; and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, represented by Director for Operations Butch Antonio and Coach Jong Uichico. Present during the July 23 meeting were: Philippine Judo Federation, represented by President Dave Carter; and the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, represented by President Cynthia Carreon-Norton.

On July 24, the PSC met with officials from the National Association of Golf Philippines and the Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation, Inc. The Philippine Olympic Committee was represented by Secretary-General Atty. Edwin Gastanes. Meetings with NSAs of triathlon, skateboarding, table tennis, taekwondo, canoe-kayak, weightlifting, and wrestling are scheduled for next week. "This is to brief them on how they will formulate their updated protocol," Velasco explained. "This is also for submission to the IATF, to allow Olympic qualifying sports to start training." The PSC-MSAS will consolidate the proposals from the NSAs concerning the resumption of training, especially for Olympic sports. They will then submit a recommendation to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for approval. "The IATF is always the last say, and these will just be recommendations," said Velasco.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com/sports