After basketball and football, pro boxing could be next to get the green light from the government to have its practitioners resume training.
And that would be good news to the likes of veteran local trainer Edito Villamor.
“Kung mapapayagan, e talagang good news yan,” said Villamor, one of the five trainers of the Ala Boxing Promotions based in Cebu. “Matagal-tagal na din talaga na walang boxing.”
Ala is among local promoters affected by the community quarantine implemented by the government because of the coronavirus outbreak last March.
More than 20 boxers were forced to stop training, resulting in pay cuts for most who opted to return home, while others stayed to do different jobs.
However, Games and Amusement Board chairman Abraham Mitra said Saturday that like basketball and football, professional boxing is also on its way back to training and eventually actual fights.
Mitra said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved boxing but under strict health protocols where boxers, and even referees, will have to undergo mandatory swab testing for COVID-19.
“Yung boxing pumayag na provided that both boxers and the referees are tested negative and after three days, laban na sila. After testing iko-confine sila,” Mitra said on The Chasedown.
“Sabi ng IATF papayagan lang namin ang boxing pag negative parehas (boxers). Even the referee will be tested because he will be in the middle,” added Mitra.
Mitra said the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) for boxing is being finalized.
Aside from GAB, the JAO also includes the Department of Health and the Philippine Sports Commission.