ni Gerard Peter - @Sports | June 30, 2021
Hindi maitatanggi ng sports officials sa buong mundo, maging sa Pilipinas, ang panganib ng mapaminsalang COVID-19 sa national at professional athletes kahit na nabakunahan na ang mga ito ng dalawang beses.
Ito’y matapos na tamaan pa rin ng delikadong sakit ang mga pro athletes na sina Chris Paul ng Phoenix Suns, US Open champion Jon Rahm at isang Ugandan Olympic coach na hindi pinangalanan sa kabila ng pagiging ‘fully vaccinated’ ng mga ito.
Aminado si Japanese Olympic Committee president Yasuhiro Yamashita na hindi nila masisiguro na magiging “zero” ang kaso ng COVID-19 sa lahat ng koponan na papasok sa mula sa ibang bansa, ngunit hihigpitan nila sa iba’t ibang paraan na maharang ang mga papasok na may dalang sakit.
“No matter what measures are put in place, there is no way we will have zero positive cases arriving,” wika ni Yamashita. “Even if you've had two vaccine doses, it doesn't guarantee every individual will be negative. In order to make sure no clusters arise, we need to have thorough measures at the border at the time of entry to Japan.”
Ang ganitong sitwasyon ay naiintindihan ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) na tila dala na ng malaking panganib para sa mga athletes, coaches at sports officials ang 2020+1 Tokyo Olympics sa Hulyo 24-Agosto 8.
“Well these are chances we have to bear with during this pandemic. However, we are positive that everyone will be negative come Olympic Games,” wika ni POC Legal Affairs Commission chairman at Chief Legal Counsel Atty. Wharton Chan sa panayam ng Bulgar Sports sa online messaging. “We all know that despite the vaccine there are possibilities of still getting positive with the virus. However, you are a lot safer compared to non-vaccinated individuals. We have nothing to worry about as long as you take proper precautions and there will only be a small chance of getting severe symptoms,” dagdag ni Chan, na tumatayo ring secretary general ng Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas.