By Nick Giongco
Filipino athletes who have earned berths to the Tokyo Olympics will be tops on the priority list of recipients once a vaccine for COVID-19 becomes available, according to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) leadership.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino (MB File Photo / Alvin Kasiban)
POC president Bambol Tolentino said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum that was done online on Tuesday that there is going to be a mad rush in the event a vaccine is produced.
“Ilalaban natin. Priority ang sports because of the Olympics once a vaccine is produced. We can lobby for that. I am sure sports will be prioritized,” said Tolentino, who also represents the eighth district of Cavite.
Tolentino, who also heads Philcycling, insists that the first few recipients from the sports community won’t number in the hundreds, making it easy for him to secure the vaccines.
“Hindi naman marami yan,” he said, admitting that the initial allocation of the vaccine will likely be hard-to-get because of the immense demand.
So far, the Philippines has four qualified athletes to the Tokyo Olympics that will now be played from July 23-Aug. 8 after being postponed owing to the coronavirus outbreak.
From left, boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo and boxer Irish Magno are the four Filipino athletes who qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Handout photos / Yulo's photo courtesy of Janeth Tenorio)
First to make the Olympic grade was Italy-based pole vaulter EJ Obiena. He was followed by world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo and boxers Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno.
The POC expects the number to increase once the qualifying tournaments resume by January next year with lifter Hidilyn Diaz and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe on the brink of inclusion.
Still, Tolentino maintains that crucial in the Olympics future is the discovery of a vaccine.
“That will be the only solution (vaccine) for the Olympics to push through. It will be very risky if the Olympics push through without a vaccine,” said Tolentino, whose tactical genius enabled host Philippines to win the 2019 Southeast Asian Games overall crown.
With COVID19 still very much in the air, Tolentino is wary of seeing athletes go about their normal lives.
“Except for a few sports, there is still a high risk (of contracting) if we begin holding sports events,” said Tolentino.
“Personally, mahirap pa yung team competitions. Nakakatakot pa. Hindi tayo ganun kadami ang testing natin. Nandyan pa lahat. Di pa nakikita yung mga asymptomatic. We can wait.”
As the search for a vaccine rages on, Tolentino feels staying behind closed doors, heeding the government’s call to remain at home and practicing proper hygiene and social distancing and are the best weapons to combat the virus.
“Ang gold medal natin ay iyung manatili tayong buhay,” Tolentino added.
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