ASEAN Paragames moved to October amid COVID-19 threat

The ASEAN Para Sports Federation has rescheduled the Philippine hosting of the 10th ASEAN Paragames to October amid the ongoing threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a statement, Philippine Paralympic Committee president Michael Barredo said the APSF board of governors decided to tentatively move the Games to October 3 to 9 with conditions that COVID-19 is “put under control and no longer a threat to humans.”

The Games were originally scheduled in January and later postponed to March 21 to 27. It was eventually suspended indefinitely in February as the COVID-19 situation alarmed many countries.

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In the meeting via video conference, Barredo assured the board that the Philippine ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee is prepared to host the Games.

The APSF board will meet anew in July to assess the COVID-19 situation before proceeding with the proposed new dates of the Games, where 17 sports will be played in the New Clark City, Subic and Metro Manila.

“The organizing committee will continue to prepare with the timeline that we will probably work on within the week or next week, then we will work backward from Oct. 3 in terms of where we are now,’’ Barredo said.

COVID-19 has forced the postponement and cancellation of several sporting events in the country including the University Association of the Philippines, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Philippine Basketball Association.

The Philippine Azkals' upcoming World Cup Qatar 2022/AFC Asian Cup China 2023 qualifiers have also been postponed to a later date.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the country reached 217 with 17 deaths on Thursday.

President Rodrigo Duterte has already placed the entire Philippines under a state of calamity, allowing the government to tap more funds to contain the spread of the virus. --Ma. Angelica Garcia/MGP, GMA News