PNGSF to start activities

By ROBINSON LEKA
THE Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation (PNGSF) kicked off efforts to resume all sporting activities nationwide with the launching of its Covid-19 protocol in Port Moresby yesterday.
PNGSF executive director Peter Tsiamalili Jr said the protocol would guide all sports and their national federations on how they could run their competitions after the state of emergency (SOE) which is due to be lifted on June 2. “This protocol will make sure the federations have a clear direction in terms of planning and how to capture the different phases that are required under the medical and Covid-19 protocols set by the SOE (controller),” he said.
“It allows federations to comply with and engaging with the numbers and the people who go to our facilities.
“In the next few months, we will engage with the federations on how they’re going to put their programmes together in line with the protocol in place. This will allow us to better understand when competitions are going to begin.
“I’m encouraged that the protocol we’ve developed for sports will give the SOE controller the confidence to allow sports to resume immediately.
“So that our young men and women can return to enjoying sports in the ‘new normal’.”
Tsiamalili said some venues may be subject to closed-door matches.
But he said PNGSF would be in talks with major sporting competitions to involve spectators through live streaming on social media.
Tsiamalili said although sports were subject to Covid-19 guidelines issued by their international governing bodies, PNGSF’s protocol would help with planning and monitoring.
He said stakeholders and staff members would be issued passes before using the facilities.