Cup showing example

THE Digicel Cup has opened the door for other sports to emulate and manage their own competitions, says Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation (PNGSF) acting executive director Micah James.
“PNGSF is progressing well with its awareness and guidance of federations to resume their sports in a coronavirus-safe environment,” he said in a statement this week.
“The new normal that the pandemic has instilled has changed the way we do things.
“This has brought about positive changes and hygienic measures to protect all those involved.
Over the weekend, the PNG National Rugby League Competition (PNGNRLC) kicked off the Digicel Cup, making it the first sport to resume operations since the country went into lockdown over the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are proud of the administration of PNGNRL,” James said.
“It is not an overnight success, we know they have been working on getting this right for months.
“I am also proud of our venue management team at Sir John Guise Stadium, they too have prepared well.”
Meanwhile, other sports are still submitting their applications to resume operations. PNGSF’s pandemic management committee is tasked with approving the resumption of sports.
“The applications have been impressive,” committee chairman Dr Kapua Kapua said. “
“It shows that sports have taken the pandemic seriously and their administrations are prepared to protect the community from Covid-19.
“But we must not be complacent.
“Having a plan on paper is one thing but the implementation and maintenance of that plan is the real challenge.”
The committee so far has approved several sports via submissions from their federations and are awaiting others that are putting theirs together.
The approved federations to date are PNG Rugby Football League, PNG Football Association, PNG Rugby Union, Swimming PNG, PNG Volleyball and Cricket PNG.
“It is important to note that despite approvals from the committee on the grounds of running a coronavirus-safe competition, all sports associations and clubs are still under the administration of their federations,” James said.
“Thus, sports are encouraged to get their federations to comply with the (national pandemic) controller’s orders and apply for approval from the committee.”
James has also raised concern about some sports defying the controller’s orders.
“It has come to my attention that there may be sports that have started competitions but their federations have not been given approval to resume operations,” he said.
“Those associations must stop immediately.”
and the venues that are hosting these sports will be reported to the controller if they allow them to persist.”