PSC to solicit government help

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) seeks the government’s assistance should national athletes be required to undergo vaccination before the Tokyo Olympics in July.

PSC national training director Marc Velasco said they will ask for government’s help if vaccination will be necessary for athletes who are set to compete in major tournaments such as the Summer Games and the 31st Southeast Asian Games.

“Since the government is the one who will procure the vaccines, maybe they could assist the PSC once vaccination is required for Tokyo and other major games,” Velasco said.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and Department of Health (DoH) had already plotted their priority plan for the inoculation program against coronavirus disease.

Based on the IATF’s initial list, the priority beneficiaries are composed of frontline health workers, senior citizens, indigent Filipinos, and uniformed personnel.

Athletes, however, are not included in the list.

Still, Velasco clarified that it is never an issue as athletes are medically identified with higher resistance and healthier conditions.

“The PSC does not ask our athletes to be prioritized over frontline workers and elderlies,” Velasco said.

The PSC is also open to the possibility of getting help from the private sector to sponsor the vaccination program.

“For the PSC’s part, we appreciate any form of help from the private sector. Once they are involved in the dealings of sports, that would be a big help to us.”

So far, several Tokyo hopefuls from boxing, taekwondo, and karate have already restarted training under PSC-managed bubble camp in Calamba, Laguna while other Olympic-bound athletes like EJ Obiena of pole vaulting, Carlos Yulo of gymnastics, and Eumir Marcial of boxing are training abroad.

“Olympic sports already have go-signal for their training, but the other sports, we’re not yet sure,” Velasco said.