Araneta brushes off virus impact

Not even the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus could stop Filipino athletes from punching tickets to the Tokyo Olympics this July.

Chief of mission Nonong Araneta remains confident that Filipino athletes would make it to the Summer Games despite the cancellation of some qualifying tournaments in China and other parts of the world.

He and Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez already met with national sports association (NSA) leaders to discuss their revised roadmap to the world’s biggest and most prestigious athletic conclave.

Various international federations like the International Basketball Federation, International Football Federation, International Amateur Athletics Federation and International Olympic Committee have either moved or called off their respective Olympic qualifiers.

But Araneta doesn’t see any problem with that.

“I met some NSA leaders and they submitted their revised budgets. I also talked to Chairman Ramirez to discuss how we should deal with their needs,” said Araneta, who is also serving as president of the Philippine Football Federation.

“Most of them were supposed to train or go to China. Some events will no longer have substitute matches so they have to attend other qualifiers or at least maintain their points.”

So far, only EJ Obiena of athletics and Carlos Yulo of gymnastics have punched tickets to the Summer Games.

But other athletes like Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Felix Marcial of boxing and Pauline Lopez of taekwondo were forced to take a detour to avoid the epicenter of the virus in China.