Referees come out of isolation to officiate the Geneva-Magnolia match

ANGELES CITY – Four of the seven referees previously isolated for coming into contact with a suspected COVID-19 case have been selected to work in the PBA Philippines Cup match between Barangay Geneva and Magnolia.

All four officials tested negative after undergoing an RT-PCR test and spending five days in an isolation facility since the first probable case of the virus emerged within the league bubble on Tuesday.

An arbitrator emerged as a ‘probable case’ and was taken to the New Clark City (NCC) quarantine facility. Contact tracing showed that the official came into contact with seven other colleagues, leading to his isolation.

Since then, the suspected case has also tested negative for its antigen and RT-PCR tests, although it will have to finish its quarantine before it can reenter the bubble.

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“Right now the four referees will officiate the Manila Classic game because they already have negative results,” Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro said at a press conference prior to the Kings-Hotshots match at the Angeles University Foundation gym.

Just in case, the seven referees who officiated the previous games while the others were in isolation were also ordered to undergo antigen testing.

“Nag sila antigen before and they are all negative too,” Castro said.