SAD STATE OF RP SPORTS: Demoralized athletes to carry flag in SEA Games
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 01 Dec 2009
The sad state of Philippine sports can be gleaned in the Filipino athletes? participation in the coming 25th Southeast Asian Games slated to open seven days from today in the City Vientiane in Laos.
The biennial conclave is just around the corner and the chances are that the Philippines will be represented by a delegation made up of demoralized and discriminated athletes, if only to send their message across. It is not far fetch, too, that the country might be in for another embarrassment that could further taint its already tattered image in the international scene.
Thanks or no thanks to long-feuding sports leaders who think politics first than perform the job task them.
The Philippine Olympic Committee, the highest governing body in amateur sports authorized to send national delegation to the biennial meet and even to the Olympics and Asian Games, had approved a contingent made up of 251 athletes using the criteria of gold-silver-bronze medal harvest in the last Games held in Thailand two years ago.
The Philippine Sports Commission, mandated to fund all delegations that will carry the country?s colors in international competitions under Rep. Act 6847, the law creating the agency, however, claiming lack of funds, would only allow gold medal winners in Thailand numbering 153.
PSC, chairman Harry Angping reasoned out, the PSC can only work under the P30 million budget earmarked earlier by the previous leadership so that it can no longer accommodate additional personnel that will be entitled to meal, social, parade and competition uniforms, additional allowance of P2,500 each and other perks.
This situation created a scenario where the 251 athletes, while training together had to go separate ways at meal time with the 153 taking free food courtesy of the PSC, while the others looking for a place to satisfy their hunger.
?Nakakalungkot. Kahit na kami masaya sana dahil lahat ng pribilehiyo ay nakukuha namin, naaawa naman kami sa tammates naming na hindi entitled sa mga nakukuha namin,? several athletes who belong to the list approved by the PSC told sportswriters during a SCOOP (Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines) Sa Kamayan session.
Tomorrow, the PSC has scheduled a send off party but only for the 153 athletes plus officials the agency has approved to represent the country in the Laos Games, while the remainder will just be enviously watching in the sideline.
Why, even in departure scheduled on Sunday, the athletes will be flying to Laos separately via two Philippine Airlines chartered flights ? one to be paid by the PSC presumably for the 153 athletes and the other commissioned by the POC for the remaining 98 athletes plus officials.
If this is not an unhealthy situation at a time when the Filipino athletes will be doing battle for country and flag against the best in the region, they just wouldn?t know what is.
There are many more problems confronting the country?s participation. Controversies in leadership in many national sports associations that remain unresolved and, not only will surely hamper the athletes? participation, but, likewise, put the country in bad light in the international sporting arena.
A faction, for instance in the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines is recognized by the POC , while another is recognized by the International Cycling Federation. The team formed by the group recognized by the POC, naturally, earned the trip to Laos.
That?s the good news.
The bad news is, the UCI, which will be handling the cycling competition will only allow riders with license from the international federation, which the cyclists belonging to the group recognized do not possess.
Said cyclists will be joining the delegation when it flies to Laos hoping the SEA Games Federation, hoping, in a meeting before the opening day to tackle the cycling issue, will overrule the UCI and allow the Filipino riders to participate in the races.
If not, then expect the country to again suffer another international embarrassment.
This story also appeared in Dec. 1 issue of PHILIPPINE GAZETTE
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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