Opinion: Schools breaking quarantine rules shows blatant disregard for the danger this pandemic poses

MANILA, Philippines – The reports of quarantine violations by the University of Santo Tomas men’s basketball team and the National University women’s volleyball team are upsetting.

And then Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez has said they are also investigating reports of other schools that have also conducted illegal training camps.

You have to shake your head. Not once. Not twice. But several times.

Imagine the audacity to break quarantine rules to try and get a leg up on other school. This should be not be allowed. The violators should be punished from school and team officials to all the coaches involved. 

No. Not a slap on the wrist. These are lives they are playing around with.  Should a life be lost, then what?

Furthermore, what are you teaching these young men and women?

How the UST players made it to Sorsogon should be investigated. I am told they went there in various ways. And I don’t think they went all the way there to do fitness and conditioning. 

Apparently, the different parties did not think of the repercussions of former player CJ Cansino being kicked off the team.

I am told that the players wanted to go home and Cansino being team captain, spoke on their behalf.

As a result, UST is once more in the news for all the wrong reasons. Last year, it was the supposed and aborted departure of star forward Rhenz Abando. And before that it was some key players being let go or sanctioned for various supposed offenses or accusations. And before that, there were coach issues (both in the seniors and juniors divisions) and players departing for other schools.  

It is incredible how college sports has been the noisiest during this pandemic; even more than professional sports. If it isn’t all this recruiting here and there now you have quarantine violations. I can let the recruiting slide. Unless they are violating rules.

But breaking quarantine rules… no. The number of infected people including deaths due to COVID-19 is continuously rising. It is absolutely mind-boggling that some people believe they cannot contract this virus.

Look, it is this simple — no vaccine, then we still have a problem on hand.

The government has prescribed three very simple rules — stay home, and if you need to go out to buy essential goods, observe social distancing and proper and thorough sanitizing. 

Sadly, this isn’t followed. You see people going around in malls with their pets. You see cycling groups go around like it is an ordinary day. And worse, they converge in one place without a care in the world. They think just because they wear a facemask and a face shield that is enough protection.

In my own home, as much as possible, I do not let my children out of the house. Ninety-five percent of the time, it I who goes out to procure food and groceries and other basic necessities. I have this fear of my kids contracting the virus. I cannot believe that the children — these student-athletes — are put in harm’s way — bubble or not. 

It is terrible that all our lives have been drastically altered by this pandemic. That doesn’t mean people should take needless risks. And with regards to these schools, the corrupting of values just for the sake of winning.