MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino personally doesn’t want leagues to resume yet until a coronavirus vaccine or treatment is available. 

“Personally, parang mahirap pa ‘yung team competition or what. Nakakatakot pa kasi testing natin ‘di pa kadami. Nandiyan pa lahat especially with the asymptomatics,” Tolentino said on Tuesday, June 2, during the weekly Philippine Sportswriters’ Association (PSA) forum. 

(Personally, team competitions are a tricky situation. It’s scary because we have not mass tested yet. All the asymptomatics are out there.)

Tolentino agreed with the Philippine Sports Commission’s “no vaccine, no sports events” position as some national sports associations took the initiative to formulate guidelines for restarting their respective competitions and leagues. 

But Tokyo 2020 Olympic hopefuls will be given priority in testing and returning to the sport if they have scheduled qualifying tournaments. 

“Puwede naman mag-antay unless ‘yung tournament na iyon para sa mga qualifying (We can always wait for the vaccine unless the tournament is an Olympic qualifer.)” 

The POC chief also promised that he will lobby to prioritize national athletes, especially the Olympics-bound Filipinos, once the vaccine becomes widely available. 

“Iilan lang naman ‘yan kung iba-base sa number of delegates at doon sa nag-qualify,” Tolentino said. “Hindi natin pababayaan ‘yung mga atleta natin. Sigurado ako na mapa-priority ‘yung sports because of the Olympics, and it could even be extended to the (2021) Southeast Asian Games.”

(There are only a few delegates who qualifiied for the Olympics. We won’t abandon our athletes. I’m sure that sports will be of priority because of the Olympics, and it could even be extended to the 2021 Southeast Asian Games.)

So far, gymnast Carlos Yulo, boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno, and pole vaulter EJ Obiena are those who already earned berths to the quadrennial meet. 

A host of other Filipino athletes are still vying for tickets to the Tokyo Games, led by 2016 Rio De Janeiro silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz. – Rappler.com