Ni ANN ENCARNACION
NAMAGITAN na ang Philippine Sports Commission sa away ng Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) at atleta nitong si Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena.
Kahapon ay naglabas ng pahayag ang PSC na mamamagitan sila sa kaso at nanawagan sa dalawang panig na magdayalogo.
Nagbanta rin ang national sports agency na kapag hindi naresolba ang isyu ay maaaring maapektuhan ang nakukuhang pinansyal na tulong ng PATAFA.
“While we wish for the matter to be handled with confidentiality, we are bound by duty to mediate and call both parties to the table in the interest of truth and arresting the damage this tussle has done on our country’s image in the international sporting world,” ayon sa PSC.
“We now demand the parties to refrain from issuing statements to the public and on social media. We hope the imposition of this moratorium will allow this proposed dialogue a chance to help all of us arrive at a proper resolution on this matter.”
“The PSC believes that alternative dispute resolution is an efficient tool and alternative procedure for conflict resolution between the federation and the athlete.”
“Should this option fail, we regret that the PSC shall be constrained to implement actions that would negatively redound to the concerned federation with regard to financial assistances,” pahayag ng sports agency.
Nauna rito, nagsagawa ng imbestigasyon ang PATAFA kaugnay sa umano’y kabiguan ni Obiena na bayaran ang sweldo ng kanyang pole vault coach na si Vitaly Petrov kaugnay sa training nito sa nakaraang Tokyo Olympics.
Mariing pinabulaanan ni Obiena ang akusasyon at hiniling sa PATAFA na itigil ang imbestigasyon na nakasisira sa kanyang pagkatao.
Nagbanta pa ito na tuluyang tumigil na lang sa sport.
NATAKOT MAWALAN
NG BUDGET
NAGDESISYON ang PSC na huwag makialam noong unang pumutok ang istorya.
Ngunit ikinagalit ito ng mga senador at ni-recall o binawi ang 2022 budget ng ahensiya.
“The PSC took a hands-off approach. Sabi lang nila work it out. How can you do that to your national athlete? Pakialaman mo naman! Bigyan mo naman ng halaga ang ating national athlete na inakusahan na lang ng ganun ganun na wala pang basis cause no less than the coach said that he was paid,” dismayadong pahayag ni Senator Pia Cayetano.
“Ang sa akin lang po, this is a young man who has a beautiful career ahead of him. Anyone who has ever tried to participate in sports can just imagine the emotional and mental anguish that this young boy is going through because of these accusations of PATAFA, where the coach himself is saying na binayaran siya.”
Ipinaliwanag ni Cayetano, base sa Republic Act No. 6847 o “The Philippine Sports Commission Act,” may mandato ang PSC na makialam sa problema ng national sports association (NSA) gaya ng PATAFA.
Paglilinaw naman ng PSC, inaaksyunan na nila ang naturang kaso at tiniyak na tinutugunan nila ang suliranin ng mga atleta.
“On this issue between the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) and national athlete EJ Obiena, we assure everyone that we at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) did not take the matter lightly.
“Even before issuing our previous statement that ‘we shall intervene when appropriate,’ we have already quietly started a series of separate dialogues with each of the concerned parties, with the quick and just resolution of the issue in mind.”
“The PSC is hoping for a resolution of the issue on the year where the country made history in all fronts, including the Olympics where it won its first-ever gold medal.
“We shall not allow this to spoil the successful gains of the Philippine in sports. Let this year remain with the glorious glow of the golden victories of our sports heroes,” giit ng PSC.
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