KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC) will seek clarification from the Asean Para Sports Federation (APSF) over the cancellation of the 2020 Asean Para Games (APG) in the Philippines following the Covid-19 pandemic.
MPC president Datuk Seri Megat D. Shahriman Zaharudin said if the news was true, it would surely be a disappointment to the nation’s athletes and sports associations looking forward to the biennial sporting event.
“(However) MPC respects the decision of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PHILAPGOC) if it is true. The safety and health of the country’s athletes and officials are of utmost importance, as the lives of individuals are worth more than anything else,” he said in a statement yesterday.
On Friday, Philippine media reported that the PSC had decided to cancel all sporting events this year, thus withdrawing the provisions, including for organising the 10th edition of the APG scheduled to take place from Oct 3 to 9.
PHILAPGOC president Michael Barredo subsequently said the committee concurred with the decision, and that the Philippines would most likely not be hosting the APG due to the pandemic.
The Philippine APG, originally slated to be held from Jan 18-24 this year, was postponed to March 20-28 due to budget and logistical issues, before being postponed again following the Covid-19 outbreak. – Bernama
