Filipino canoe-kayak bets withdraw from Olympic qualifiers due to COVID-19

MANILA, Philippine – Olympic hopefuls from the canoe-kayak team pulled out from the Tokyo qualifying race they were supposed to join after one of their three members tested positive for COVID-19.

The results, which came out on the same day the team was tested Thursday, led to the decision by the Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation (PCKF) and paddlers themselves to just withdraw from the 2021 Canoe Slalom Asian Olympic Qualifier set April 30 to May 2 in Pattaya, Thailand.

“Three tested positive, one paddler, two coaches,” a source told The STAR.

The same source did not mention the names but the paddlers who were supposed to leave Friday for Pattaya are Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist Hermie Macaranas, Ojay Fuentes and John Paul Selencio.

There were reports that two of the three paddlers who were negative were still given the option to fly to Pattaya and compete but the PCKF along with the paddlers decided to pull the plug in the last minute.

The PCKF had already returned the money that was earlier released by the Philippine Sports Commission.

The new cases added to the two national athletes including one SEAG silver medal winner who earlier tested positive for the global health malady.

As these developed, PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez called for everyone to take extra care.

 “We sent all athletes home even before the imposition of the first lockdown last year,” said Ramirez explaining that there are no more athletes training or staying in any of the agency’s facilities.

The venues being referred upon are the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and PhilSports Complex in Pasig City, which are currently used as COVID-19 facilities and test centers.

About 80 PSC employees and staff tested positive for COVID-19 that resulted to the said areas being put to a 10-day lockdown that started Tuesday.