By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Host Vietnam has crafted unique health and safety protocols for more than 8,000 athletes expected to compete in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in May.
According to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Bambol Tolentino, organizers would only allow delegation officials to go from one distance are to another during the Games, while athletes and coaches will be confined to their respective areas and hotels for the duration of their stay.
Athletes and coaches, however, will be allowed to visit restaurants, bars, shopping centers and tourist spots within their areas.
Hanoi will host 22 sports in its main cluster and 11 sports in its secondary cluster where venues are located within a 100-kilometer radius.
Two other clusters are situation more than 100kms away from Hanoi and will host a combined 17 sports.
Interestingly, the organizers don’t include proof of vaccination against Covid-19.
Countries can also change an athlete or athletes who test positive for the virus before the Games start, but not when the competitions are ongoing except for football, because it allows teams to have extra players.
Organizers are also still studying if they will allow spectators at the venue, which will depend on the Covid situation in the area or cluster.
The wires indicated that Vietnam posted more than 92,000 new cases on Thursday.
The Philippines will be leaning on 584 athletes in 39 sports in its bid to retain its overall championship in the regional games.
Team Philippines will fly to Hanoi in batches with the main bulk departing on May 10.