ZCZC
BSP-21
ATHLETE-DEATH-PHILIPPINE
Philippine athlete’s death signal to push facilities rehabilitation:
Official
MANILA, Oct 1, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) -The Philippines should accelerate the rehabilitation of its sports facilities after the death of teenager Wushu athlete Rastafari Daraliay inside the dormitory of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, a senior Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) official said on Monday.
Rastafari Daraliay, the 11-year-old Wushu athlete, died after falling from the top bunk of a 4-feet high double-deck bed inside the athletes’ dormitory on early Saturday morning, September 29.
According to Wushu Federation of the Philippines, Daraliay had stayed on and off the dorm in Rizal Memorial Sports Complex for the past three years.
In an emergency press conference held on Monday, PSC chairman William Butch Ramirez said the agency will make the necessary changes in order to prevent such accidents that happened to Daraliay from occurring again.
“We’re more compelled to fix our facilities faster. We will beg them not to delay the process because we’ve been planning the rehabilitation for two years now. We are more convinced to fast-track that rehabilitation,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said the PSC has learned its lesson from the accident.
“Just to be sure, we should just go without the double-deck beds,” he said.
He added that the upgraded facilities in the future should be safe and secure and will add more dormitory attendants, increase security and add a doctor and nurse.
However, for the changes to come into fruition, the PSC needs funding first.
“I hope that what should be ours according to the law should be given to us so we can push for the rehabilitation,” Ramirez said on the press conference.
BSS/XINHUA/AU/17:55 hrs