PBA Teams Might Resume Training in July

Even though there's a report that Metro Manila will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) after May 31, 5x5 basketball isn't going to resume as the guidelines released by the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) under the Philippine Sports Commission (PSCC) clearly states that 5x5 basketball cannot be held in areas under any quarantine level.

Fortunately, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is returning. Just not in the way we're all expecting.

The PBA Board held a discussion yesterday with regards to the manner of how teams can resume their respective training and eventually, the path the league will take on how they will resume the 45th season. As a matter of fact, the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City, primarily the workforce under the Commissioner's Office, is set to resume operations on Monday after their scheduled 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) test on Saturday to be followed by a disinfection procedure. Marcial said that only half of the office's personnel will be reporting to work starting Monday while the other half will undergo a rotation process. The commissioner also added that once the results at the tests are out and that, they already have made the necessary transportation arrangements, that's the only time when the PBA office will be back to normal operations. 

One of the important things that were tackled by the board along with PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas ais the protocols for the training of PBA teams under the relaxed quarantine. 

Starting July, teams may then undertake training sessions as long as it will be undertaken by small batches in gyms since under the guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases, some sporting events may be allowed as long as proper physical distancing is observed and willy use 50% of the usual personnel. And since 5x5 basketball isn't allowed yet, training in small groups should do the trick for now as Willie Marcial also pointed out that the league is hoping to resume the conditioning exercises of the players. 

In the end, it will all boil down to the new guidelines that the IATF will provide after May 31. 

Photo is from Manila Bulletin Sports