Ledesma asks IATF-EID to allow table tennis

PHILIPPINE Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) President Ting Ledesma is asking the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to include table tennis among the allowable activities under the general community quarantine (GCQ) that begins this June 1.

Based on current GCQ guidelines of the IATF-EID, biking, running, golf, swimming, skateboarding, tennis, badminton and equestrian riding are the only sporting activities allowed.

“On our part, we [were] just wondering why they did not put table tennis in the list of sports that can be played under the GCQ,” queried Ledesma, a former national table tennis player. “Our sport [complies with] social distancing [requirements in the] same [manner] as badminton and tennis [do].”

Ledesma assures the IATF-EID that the PTTF would provide appropriate guidelines and safety protocols to all member clubs.

“We just have to provide new guidelines for our safety measures to all table tennis clubs and to our future tournaments,” added Ledesma, who echoed that the Philippine Sports Commission has already recommended table tennis singles among the recreational sports to be played under the GCQ.

Ledesma, meanwhile, donated hundreds of face shields to frontliners and various hospitals in Metro Manila and in nearby provinces.