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ASEAN Para Games postponement hurts training for Paralympics
After previously being postponed to March this year, a regional sporting event for people with impairments, the ASEAN Para Games has been deferred indefinitely because of the coronavirus outbreak that has spread to more than 20 countries around the globe.
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Road to glory: Paralympic runner Sapto Yogo Pratomo, who has qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, trains at the Sriwedari Stadium in Surakarta, Central Java, in preparation for the ASEAN Paragames in the Philippines planned for March. However, organizers announced on Tuesday the event has again been postponed for indefinite time, citing concerns over the threat of the novel coronavirus. (The Jakarta Post/Dicky Christanto)
After previously being postponed to March this year, a regional sporting event for people with impairments, the ASEAN Para Games has been deferred indefinitely because of the coronavirus outbreak that has spread to more than 20 countries around the globe.
The announcement arrived on Monday as Southeast Asia’s main organization for para sports, the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF), informed Indonesia’s National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of the second postponement.
After careful deliberation among executive committee members regarding “the physical and emotional well-being of all participating para athletes and staff” APSF’s board of governors secretary Osoth Bhavilai said a majority of the members had agreed that the 10th ASEAN Para Games hosted by the Philippines should be postponed indefinitely, with possible reconsideration within the year should the coronavirus outbreak be effectively contained.
“The Philippines [as the host country] should notify the APSF and our ASEAN NPC members at least 60 days ahead before launching the 10th ASEAN Para Games,” the letter said.
The Philippines, the country that reported on Feb. 2 the first death from the novel coronavirus outside of China, previously moved the biennial event from January to March this year, citing technical difficulties in staging the event. Later, the host country expressed its readiness to hold the event from March 21 to 27.
Commenting on the delay, NPC deputy secretary-general Rima Ferdianto said most of around 300 para athletes had expressed disappointment upon hearing the news, as they had been preparing to compete in March.
