The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF) gave the go signal for the Philippines to host some of the remaining games of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) thanked IATF on Friday, May 7, for giving its approval amidst the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
SBP president Al Panlilio also expressed gratitude to Philippine Sports Commission chairperson William Ramirez, and National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon for helping the process.
The national men's basketball teams of 12 countries, including the Philippines, will play in the games that will be held inside a bubble set-up in Clark, Pampanga from June 16 to June 22.
The participating countries include South Korea, Indonesia, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Guam, and Hong Kong.
Panlilio said that SBP has been working with FIBA, government agencies, and other partners to ensure a successful and a safe bubble.
"The SBP knows that Filipino basketball fans have waited a long time for this and we're just as excited as they are to have international basketball in our country again," Panlilio said in a statement.
As per IATF Resolution No. 114, the testing and quarantine protocols of arriving foreign participants shall be subject to the FIBA-required protocols as presented, to the extent applicable, without prejudice to the entry travel restrictions
Meanwhile, all non-player participants not otherwise covered by FIBA rules, whether foreign or local, shall self-isolate upon arrival in the venue until the testing on the sixth day before release.
IATF has tasked PSC, as the national government agency with the visitorial and supervisory authority, to assume responsibility for monitoring and supervising the compliance of the health and safety protocols for the sports event
The task force also prohibited hotels within the bubble from accepting other guests outside of the participants for the qualifiers.
