MANILA – As the number of the confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country day by day increase, the Philippine Superliga (PSL) formally cancelled the Grand Prix tourney.
According to PSL chairman Philip Ella Juico in a statement, they had no choice but to call off the import-laced conference as they place on the priority line the safety of the athletes, coaches, officials and other stakeholders involved.
“We encourage both local and foreign players to go home to be with their loved ones in these trying times,” Juico said. “We are putting the welfare of our fans and players above anything else.”
The decision came after President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine until mid-April due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Prior to the cancellation, the league
was having one of the best Grand Prix editions.
Juico added that the league will continue to monitor and assess the situation
in a bid to resume the Grand Prix to a later date, or once the window for
international transfer formally opens around October.
For his part, PSL president Ian Laurel said that to call the ongoing Grand Prix quits was not an easy one, but he vowed that the conference will be back once the situation normalizes.
“We needed to evaluate the situation and came up with this tough decision. We will call for a special team owners meeting as soon as the situation improves to plot the resumption of the centerpiece conference at the end of the season,” he stressed./PN
