Pirmado ng Games and Amusements Board (GAB) at Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) ang Joint Resolution na direktang nagpapatibay sa pagkakaiba ng regulasyon at responsibilidad sa pagitan ng professional at amateur sports.

Sa bisa ng Joint Resolution No.2020-01 na may petsang Oktubre 16, 2020 at nilagdaan o nina GAB Chairman Abraham ‘Baham’ Mitra at PSC Chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez, pinagtibay at inilahad ang ‘guidelines on the definitions of professional athlete and professional sports or competitions.’

“The Joint Resolution is to guide sports stakeholders and help sports regulators in the performance of their functions and ensure the proper implementation of the PSC-GAB-Department of Health (DOH) Joint Administrative Order No. 2020-0001, the two agencies have decided to redefine certain terms related to professional sports and non-professional sports,” ayon kay Mitra.

Sinabi ni Mitra na kapwa nasa pangangasiwa ng Office of the President (OP) ang GAB at PSC – dalawang regulatory bodies sa sports na may magkahiwalay na panuntunan, gawain at responsibilidad.

Nabuo ang GAB sa pamamagitan ng Presidential Decree No. 871 at Executive Order No. 120, at nasa pangangasiwa at kapangyarihan nito ang lahat ng professional sports at mga kompetisyon, habang ang PSC ay binuo noong 1991 sa pamamagitan ng Repuiblic Act No. 6847 bilang tanging ahensiya na mangangasiwa sa lahat ng amateur sports development programs at institutions.

“This joint resolution fulfils a very long felt need in sports community—If an athlete gets paid and does not play for the flag, then he or she is a professional athlete,” pahayag ni Chairman Mitra.

Batay sa GAB-PSC joint resolution, ang professional sports at competitions ay tumutukoy sa individual or team sports, games, contest, bouts, tournament or competitions, ‘whereby the participating athletes are paid sums of money or other forms compensation as salary or prizes.’

“We must remember that the JAO only allows the resumption of professional sports competitions in areas classified as low risk during this time of pandemic. According to the JAO, the holding of actual games for amateur sports shall be suspended until such time effective vaccines or medicines are developed,” paliwanag ni Mitra.

Nakasaad din sa GAB-PSC JAO na amatauers ang sports competitions na nasa pangangasiwa ng PSC, schools, colleges, universities at athletic associations, maging sports organizations na isinasagawa ng colleges and universities.

“With this development, it is hoped that there will be no confusion of any kind among sports stakeholders and implementors in the future,” ayon kay Mitra.