MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved the hosting of the 2021 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup Qualifiers and the conduct of scrimmages of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) teams.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced that IATF-EID granted the request of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to host the qualifiers’ final window this June at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center in Clark, Pampanga.
Teams in Group A include Gilas Pilipinas, South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand while Group B is composed of Chinese-Taipei, Japan, Malaysia, and China. Group C, on the other hand, has Australia, New Zealand, Guam, and Hong Kong.
The third window was originally set to take place in Clark but SBP backed out due to travel restrictions. The hosting rights went to Doha, Qatar.
However, Qatar’s government canceled the cup due to spike of cases of coronavirus disease 2019 there. The hosting rights went back to the Philippines.
Furthermore, the IATF granted PBA’s request to allow its member teams to hold scrimmages in areas under the general community quarantine and modified general community quarantine, but subject to proper health and safety protocols of the Games and Amusements Board.
This was a positive development with the PBA planning to stage its Season 46 this June after the health pandemic hampered its supposed opening in April.
Last week, Batangas City allowed PBA teams to hold practices there. Ilocos Norte and Pampanga are other areas eyed for PBA scrimmages./PN
