Bringing back national athletes training abroad for the Tokyo Olympics and other international competitions will be one of the top concerns of the Philippine Sports Commission once the enhanced community quarantine imposed by the government is over.
Senior Executive Assistant and National Training Director Marc Velasco of the Philippine Sports Commission said this as the government sports agency monitors the training and preparation national athletes for the Olympiad next year.
The PSC is specifically concerned on the status of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo, who have been staying put in Malaysia, Italy and Japan, respectively.
Lockdowns imposed by the said countries to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic have kept them from going home as they also undergo indefinite periods of self-quarantine.
“Umurong ang timetable ng Olympics. So we are hoping na pagkatapos nito, we’ll bring her (Diaz) back, and we’ll also bring the other athletes (Obiena, Yulo) back, para makapag-reset at makapagplano nang mabuti,” said Velasco.
Diaz has been training in Malaysia since January, after travel restrictions were imposed in China, following the initial threat of the pandemic that emerged in Wuhan.
Obiena is currently doing fitness training in a dormitory in Formia, a seaside town located between Rome and Naples.
Italy is among the hardest coronavirus-hit countries in Europe.
Yulo continues to train and study in Tokyo, Japan, which is limiting travel to residents and foreigners alike.
There are more than 800 members of the national team, whom the PSC is continuously monitoring.
So far, Velasco said they have remained healthy and free from any health issues related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
No signs of sickness and symptoms of having contracted COVID-19 have been detected from them.
The PSC is awaiting word from the Department of Health on the details of the COVID-19 tests that have yet to be done on the national athletes.
At the moment, many of the athletes are doing online consultation with doctors and medical personnel attached to the PSC.