ILOILO City – The staging of the National Tchoukball Championships at the University of San Agustin Gymnasium here has been indefinitely suspended by the Tchoukball Association of the Philippines (TAP).
TAP president Raymund Jamelo said in a statement that they have defered the tournament – scheduled from April 21 to 24 – due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
“It is with the heaviest heart that they announce the indefinite postponement of the event,” Jamelo said. “The safety and well-being of all participants is our number one priority and given the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.”
“We have a responsibility to take precautionary measures in accordance with the guidelines issued by the authorities,” he added.
Jamelo, however, urged the participating teams to not be disheartened. Instead, they should take the opportunity to reach out their respective local governments to promote the sport and encourage other aspiring tchoukball athletes to continue playing.
During last year’s National Tchoukball Championships at the STI-West Negros University Gymnasium in Bacolod City, the Bacolod Ilahas Seniors and Christian Athletic Volunteers Butanding Cebu were hailed as the men’s and women’s champions, respectively./PN
