Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Willie Marcial reached out to the players and will hold a dialogue with representatives the 12 member teams. He will explain to the players measures the league will adopt once training and practices by group is finally allowed to resume.
Marcial will sit down with two players from each team on June 23 to discuss the said measures.
“Magpapatawag tayo ng dialogue, we’ll reach out to the players,” said Marcial. “Kukunin namin yung consensus nila, yung opinion nila, kung ano ang tingin nila doon sa mga gagawin natin.
“At the same time, mapapaliwanag ko rin sa kanila yung mga protocols na gagawin kung payagan na ang PBA teams na makapag-practice.”
The PBA submitted to the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases) the guidelines it drafted for implementation when training among teams are finally given a clearance.
Marcial hopes the IATF makes a decision on the request by the time he gets to meet with the 24 players.
The Board of Governors approved the measures which they hoped would ensure the safety of the players.
“I think the dialogue Commissioner Willie will do is to assure our players that we’re doing all we can to make (basketball court) safe,” said PBA Board chairman Ricky Vargas.
“We should assure the players that they will be safe and that proper testing will be done.”
Marcial will explain to the players the need for compulsory testing before they are allowed to practice. They will also be made to undergo rapid test, swab test, and another rapid test every 10 days before being allowed to practice.
Training sessions among teams will be held in batches of six persons at a time. It will consist of four players, one trainer, and a health officer, who will check their temperatures and observe if they are practicing social distancing and other health protocols.
All six will leave the gym premises after their practice session ends. The facility will then be disinfected before the next batch of players take their turn.
“Kung apat sila, walang dalawahan, walang scrimmages, walang game. Conditioning lang talaga,” said the commissioner. “Conditioning lang talaga. Biruin mo, apat kayo sa isang court. Kaya yung social distancing, magagawa natin.”
Marcial said hospital disinfecting procedures will be done on the playing venue.
“Ang hospital standard, apat na spray yun. May spray, may mist, may foam, may flooring, tapos may testing pa tayo, alcohol and others. Lahat ng pag-iingat, gagawin natin,” he said.