MANILA – League commissioner Willie Marcial said on Wednesday that the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is still on track for a return in October, especially if the situation improves this month (July).
In a published phone interview with the Inquirer, he said “We’re still okay. Our target to make a decision is really in August so we still have some leeway right now. We remain patient and optimistic.”
He complained though of some players who could not wait for the right time and seen on a recent video that was posted in social media playing five-on-five ball at a local gym, which could be a violation of the health protocols of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease IATF), particularly on social distancing and wearing of masks.
Earlier, the league commissioner had given all members of the PBA community strict orders to follow all health safety protocols ordered by the IATF. On their part, the league has already submitted its stringent health protocols on a possible return to training for all 12 ball clubs in anticipation for the return of actual games later this year.
On the other hand, bullish for the return to the hardcourt of all ball clubs, the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) has also sought an audience with the IATF and submitted various health procedures that may be applied to help restart the competition as soon as possible. The games board agreed that the ball is now in the hands of the IATF for the resumption of the country’s most popular ball game.
