PATULOY na hinihintay ni Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) William “Butch” Ramirez ang desisyon ni Asian pole vault record holder Ernest John “EJ” Obiena hinggil sa alok na “mediation” ng ahensiya.
Nauna nang pumayag ang Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) sa PSC mediation, at tanging sagot ni Obiena na lang ang inaabangan ng national sports agency.
“We are just waiting for EJ (Obiena) to send to us the signed mediation form,” ani Ramirez sa Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum online kahapon.
“We want it resolve as soon as possible. Kung nasa amin na sana ang signed mediation form ng dalawang kampo, puwede na natin agad simulan ng Lunes, and then Miyerkoles ang isa, and then by Friday magkaroon na tayo ng resolution, makamove-on na tayo sa mga responsibilities and have peace in our sports.”
Tatayo bilang chairman si Ramirez kasama ang mga miyembro ng Philippine Dispute Resolution Center at sina PDRCI President Atty. Edmundo Tan, PDRCI Executive Director Arleo Magtibay Jr. at PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr.
Sinabi ni Ramirez, nakausap na niya si PATAFA chairman Rufus Rodriguez at ibinigay nito ang lahat ng pagdedesisyon sa mediation.
Nagdesisyon ang PSC na mamagitan na sa gusot ng PATAFA at ni Obiena, na nag-ugat sa aksusasyong falsification of liquidation at hindi pagbabayad ng atleta sa sweldo ng kanyang Ukranian coach na si Vitaly Petrov.
Samantala, nakatakdang sumailalim sa left knee surgery si Obiena, ayon sa kanyang mentor na si American businessman Jim Lafferty, sa interview ni Dyan Castillejo ng ABS-CBN News.
“The MRI was not clear on some of the other parts of his knee, it’s quite unique what they’re gonna do. EJ is gonna be conscious during the surgery,” pagsisiwalat ni Lafferty.
“They’ll go in and clean up the meniscus, which is a quite straightforward procedure. Now, the doctor’s gonna take a look around. If he sees something else that has to be fixed, he wants EJ conscious, so that he can literally ask him on the spot, ‘Do you give me permission to do x or y?'”
Inaasahang makakarekober si Obiena sa loob ng isang linggo para mag-compete sa Init Indoor Meeting sa Karlsruhe, Germany sa Enero 28. (ANN ENCARNACION)
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