GILAS Pilipinas won't be receiving its second dose of the COVID-19 vaccines until it comes back from Serbia.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) deputy executive director Butch Antonio confirmed that the federation has requested to have their second inoculation when the team returns from its campaign in the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade.
"The SBP has written a letter to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) regarding this matter. We have requested to reschedule the vaccinations of our personnel when the team gets back from Serbia and after finishing quarantine," he said.
The Gilas pool was among the national athletes who received their first dose of the vaccine last May 28 in the initiative spearheaded by the POC.
Sinovac was jabbed to more than 700 athletes, with all of them receiving their second doses on Friday.
Gilas flew out of the country on Thursday evening, first heading to Istanbul, Turkey before going on a connecting flight to Belgrade.
The Filipinos are bracing for a tough challenge against hosts Serbia and Dominican Republic for the June 30 to July 4 tilt, with only one ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics up for grabs.