Only in the Philippines.
That hackneyed phrase is still very much alive. The latest one is the case of Filipino world no. 5 pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena whose request to be endorsed to compete in the World Indoor Athletics Championships was refused by the very national sports association handling Obiena’s sport.
Obiena was denied his request by the Philippine Track and Field Association (PATAFA) for his refusal to submit to sports mediation with the sports association stemming from moneys given to him for his training expenses overseas specifically for his coach’s salary. Patafa, which is under the country’s Olympic body Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has been declared persona non grata by the latter for mishandling the Obiena issue to the detriment of the athlete. The accusations go to and fro without a conclusion seen in the near horizon.
So the Philippines will be denied of its best bet in the elite competitions all because of the unbending stand of the association. We recall that in the last Olympics, Russian athletes were allowed to compete under a special Olympic squad after the country was penalized with a ban due to alleged government-sanctioned doping. Before that, Timor Leste was also allowed to compete under a special IOC-backed delegation.
So in this mess, Obiena’s only hope is for the Philippine government to pursue his participation before the independent body. The case with the World Indoor Championships is that it is run by the International Track and Field Association which recognizes only the PATAFA. Hence, there is now way the government can intervene as these “like-minded” sports bodies will try to protect each other.
Poor Obiena and the Philippines will be denied of the chance to take part.
Now, where’s the sense of nationalism of PATAFA?
It doesn’t even deserve the country’s name attached to it.
