MANILA – The Games and Amusement Board (GAB) has invited club leagues not under its sanction for a consultation with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) regarding the practice protocols they will set amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
"Merong consultation yung IATF technical working group, PSC (Philippine Sports Commission), GAB, at saka DOH (Department of Health). It will be chaired by the DOH. In-invite na yung volleyball (leagues) at MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) (There is a consultation among the IATF technical working group, PSC, GAB, and DOH. It will be chaired by the DOH. The volleyball leagues and the MPBL have been invited)," GAB chairman Baham Mitra said during the Usapang Sports forum by the Tabloid Organization in Philippine Sports on Thursday.
The ongoing consultation serves as an avenue for such leagues, which function as professional but have yet to be sanctioned by GAB, to submit their training protocols for their member teams to resume practice.
According to Mitra, the meeting stemmed from inquiries on why the IATF approved only the protocols set by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philippines Football League (PFL), and the Chooks-To-Go Pilipinas 3x3.
"Kung meron kayong ma-submit na maayos na protocol, eh di okay na (If you can submit a proper protocol, then you are good to go)," Mitra said, disclosing what he told the so-called "semi-pro" leagues when they were invited for the consultation.
Already GAB-sanctioned, the PBA and the PFL sought its help for their protocols to be ratified by the IATF.
Meanwhile, GAB also endorsed those of Chooks-To-Go Pilipinas 3x3 even if it has yet to become a full-fledged pro so that its mainly backed national team competing in the FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year in Austria can resume training.
Mitra previously said the Chooks-To-Go Pilipinas 3x3 is seeking its sanction to become de jure professional.
On the other hand, he reiterated that even though he invited the semi-pros for the consultation, it remains their call if they want GAB to intervene and become formally pro.
"It's really up to them," Mitra said. (PNA)
