The bubble training of professional volleyball team Perlas Spikers in Baguio has been temporarily suspended after eight players tested positive of COVID-19.
Premier Volleyball League (PVL) commissioner Tony Liao confirmed this Monday, June 28, following reports circulating on social media.
The eight players are now in quarantine and isolated from the rest of the team pending the next RT-PCR results that will come out on July 6.
Liao said the team can still join the upcoming Open Conference scheduled on July 17 in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte depending on how many players are available to compete.
A team needs at least nine players to compete in the conference.
As per health protocols, every player entering the tournament bubble will be tested prior to the opening and those who will yield positive results cannot enter the bubble.
Games and Amusements Board chairman Baham Mitra said they are sending a team to Baguio with Safety Officers and medical staff to assess, test and recommend steps regarding the incident.
The assessment includes investigating whether or not there are health protocols that were breached during the bubble training that led to the situation.
The development came after several reports surfaced that several national volleyball team members training in Baguio tested positive for the virus.
Philippine Sports Commission’s National Training Director Marc Velasco denied the reports in a statement Sunday, June 27, clarifying that most national teams have yet to resume training on July 1.
“The PSC would like to inform you that the national volleyball team is not training in PSC Baguio,” the statement read.
Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Tats Suzara disclosed the other day that the men’s and women’s national teams are scheduled to train in Ilocos Norte on July 1.