SINUPORTAHAN ni Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) regional affairs chief Stephen Fernandez ang naging desisyon ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) na kanselahin ang lahat ng mga national sporting events dahil na rin sa coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“I’m with the PSC on (the move) since activities can wait and have their own time again,” sabi ni Fernandez sa panayam ng Inquirer. “Safety and health are first and most important for athletes, organizers, and spectators.”
“The PTA is adapting also. For now, we’re going with online training and programs while we can’t congregate [during] the ECQ and forthcoming GCQ,” dagdag pa ni Fernandez.
Ang taekwondo ay isa sa maraming sports na tinamaan ng husto sa pagkakansela ng mga malalaking sports events. Ang martial arts ay isa rin sa paborito ng amateur athletes sa kanilang school break.
Kaya naman si Fernandez, na dating Olympian, ay naiintindihan din ang damdamin ng mga atleta.
“It’s really tough that you can’t train like normal [days],” sabi pa ni Fernandez. “But just like in life, we have to be resilient.”
“Just like in a match, or a game, when things are not going as you like or planned, one has to change tactics and re-strategize in order to overcome and succeed.”
Patungkol sa mga national athletes, nauna nang sinabi ni Fernandez na ang mga atleta ng PTA ay binigyan ng programa para makapag-ensayo habang naka-home quarantine.
Sasandalan naman ng PTA sina Pauline Lopez, Sam Morrison, Dave Cea, Kurt Barbarosa at Kirstie Alora para makabalik muli sa Olympics.
Ang Summer Olympic Games na gaganapin sana sa Tokyo ngayong taon ay naurong sa 2021.