TCA is ready to organize

TCA is ready to organize Thailand Track-Road-Mountain Bike Championships in the format “New Normal” and requests for Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Sports Authority of Thailand and "Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports, to urgently accelerate the consideration and signing the approval of the competition plan so that all sports associations can proceed with the competition in accordance with the proposed guidelines immediately.

General Decha Hemkrasri, President of Thai Cycling Association In the royal (TCA), under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King, revealed that in discussions with a representative from Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) and a representative from the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) with regard to the issuance of a sports management manual at the time of the latest infection. The Association is still waiting for an approval and signing an official announcement from Mr Pipat. Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports, in order to continue to organize the cycling race both Track-Road-Mountain Bike in the format of “New Normal”.

General Decha said that as far as the steps were followed, we now know that the competition guide as a New Normal format for “Queen Sirikit’s Cup Thailand Track Championships 2020, all 4 Rounds at the Velodrome Huamark, Bangkok and King Bhumibol’s Cup Thailand Road Championships as well as Thailand Mountain Bike Championships 2020, Round 3 in Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi province, are also awaiting an approval.

“From discussions with various sports associations, all have similar concerns. Each association wants the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Sports Authority of Thailand to accelerate the consideration and signing of the competition plan for each sport by Mr Phiphat. Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports urgently. If it cab be approved and signed by Friday, June 26, 2020. It will proceed to prepare for the competition according to the manual. Otherwise, the process will be further delayed which will affect riders and officials involved,” said General Decha.

The President of the Association also said that the Association has implemented public health preparation in a New Normal formal both no audiences and distancing measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic as per standards of the Ministry of Public Health in order to support the cycling competition for Queen Sirikit’s Cup, Round1field 1 between July 3-5, this includes King Bhumibol’s Cup Thailand Road Championships and Thai Mountain Bike Championships 2020, Round 3 during August 21-23 in Thong Pha Phu district, Kanchanaburi provinve.

However, General Decha has added that the Association has still concerned about hosting two international cycling competitions, namely “The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Tour of Thailand 2020” which has been postponed from April to October 6-16 and the international track race "UCI Track Asia Cup 2020" that has also been postponed to November 25-29, 2020 because the preparation of the invitation to the foreign team was not yet able to do due to the uncertainty of the global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.

“In this regard, the technical department of the Association has laid out the guidelines for inviting foreign teams by consulting with Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to request a relaxation of rules. Since most of them are teams from Europe and America. In Asia, it often comes from China, Japan or South Korea. It is likely that there will still be problems with travel restrictions from the epidemic that is still uncontrollable. The Association has already submitted a proposal to the UCI to ask for a leniency for inviting an amateur club to join the competition at a 2.1 class. It is currently awaiting approval from the UCI. At the same time, the Association has also coordinated the necessary public health information with the Ministry of Public Health and the CCSA to adjust the plan for real situations at all times.”General Decha added in the end.