The Asean Para Games (APG) in the Philippines have been rescheduled to Oct 3-9, the Asean Para Sports Federation (APSF) Board of Governors announced yesterday after a two-hour emergency video conference meeting.
The federation's highest decision-making authority had convened to decide on the status of the APG and approve the new dates.
The biennial Games, initially scheduled for Jan 18-24, were first moved to March 20-28 owing to the lack of funds to stage the event.
Last month, the APSF and the Philippines Local Organising Committee announced that the multi-sport event would be postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus situation.
The disease has infected over 200,000 people worldwide and killed more than 9,000, with hosts the Philippines seeing 217 cases and 17 deaths.
Presidents and members of eight national Paralympic committees participated in the video conference and agreed on the new dates "with conditions that the Covid-19 pandemic is contained and no longer a threat", said the Singapore National Paralympic Council (SNPC) in a press statement yesterday. The board will convene at the end of July to assess the situation before confirming and proceeding with the October Games.
Kevin Wong, chairman of the SNPC and Singapore Disability Sports Council, said that the situation is "still a major concern" and that the focus of the two organisations is on the athletes' well-being.
Eric Tseng, the Singapore contingent's chef de mission, stressed that the top priority for the teams and athletes is to "adhere to the Ministry of Health's recommendations of social distancing, avoiding unnecessary travel and practising clean hygiene at all times".
National para swimmer Toh Wei Soong, who has won five golds at the APG, is unfazed by the prospect of competing back-to-back at the Aug 25-Sept 6 Tokyo Paralympics and the APG in October.
"It does mean that I can't rest as much after the competition in Tokyo, but I don't mind," he said.
"The APG is a major Games and it is an honour for me to race and represent the country. I look forward to racing there, whether it's in October or any other time."
