10th ASEAN Para Games called off amid coronavirus threat

MANILA, Philippines – The 10th ASEAN Para Games was officially postponed Monday due to the novel coronavirus scare.

Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo personally got the recommendation from the ASEAN Federation in Thailand calling off the biennial event as an offshoot to the deadly outbreak.

The decision came several days after the Philippine Sports Commission, which will bankroll the games, recommended the postponement as part of the measures being applied by the government to prevent the pneumonia-like virus from spreading.

“Mike (Barredo) is writing a letter to inform the PSC,” PPC vice president Tom Carrasco told The STAR on Monday.

It is not yet certain though when the multi-sports events for differently abled athletes will be rescheduled.

“Possibly in May or September, as recommended by the ASEAN Federation,” said Carrasco.

It was the second time the Para Games was reset as the first one, which was originally slated last month, was called off and moved to March in Clark due to budgetary concerns.

The Para Games was just one of the many local and international events that was affected by the nCoV.

Last month, the Asia Oceania Olympic boxing qualifier from which the Philippines was joining was rescheduled from last week in Wuhan, China to Amman, Jordan next month.

A few days back, the PSC already scrapped the national sports summit late this month, the Philippine National Games in May and the Children’s games nationwide while the NCAA cancelled all its junior events.

Taekwondo’s Olympic qualifier in Wuxi, China in April will be transferred to another country while other international meets called off were women’s football’s Olympic qualifier in Nanjing, women’s basketball Olympic qualifier in Foshan, the Asian Indoor Athletics Championship in Hangzhou and cycling’s Tour of Hainan.