Amidst the uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the fluid government policies designed to keep it at bay, the stakeholders from the Philippines Football League remain optimistic that the country’s top-flight competition can still be held before the end of 2021.
“We (Clubs and PFL) are doing everything we can to make the League happen this year, despite the realities on the ground,” said PFL Commissioner Coco Torre in a statement, Wednesday.
“We owe it to the fans and stakeholders, but at the same time we must ensure the health and safety of our players.”
If all things fall into place, then the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite, shall serve as the main venue for the matches involving the seven clubs, which are reigning champions United City, Kaya-Iloilo, the Azkals Development Team, Stallion Laguna, Maharlika Manila, Mendiola 1991, while Dynamic Herb Cebu is joining based on the premise of a provisional license.
The said teams are set to meet during the first week of October to talk over the operation of the league with only three months left in 2021.
As of this writing, though, Torre is in deep conversations with the clubs about the current quarantine status of Carmona, Cavite, which is under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine, and whether or not its LGU will allow contact sports.
Aside from that, the league is also clarifying how feasible it is for the clubs’ personnel to be within semi-bubbles as prescribed by the Inter-Agency Task Force, which is in line with how the Philippine Basketball Association is currently finishing its conference at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Regardless if or when the PFL will push through this year, clubs are told to have training programs for their players so as to avoid injuries once the action starts on the pitch.
