The trio sporting these initials are not siblings nor blood relatives.
They are related because that’s the way it was fixed by law (RA 6847 that created the Philippine Sports Commission).
EJ is Enest John Obiena, the Pinoy Tokyo Olympian pole vaulter who is rated number 5 in the world. His training here and abroad is funded by the PSC and supervised by Patafa.
Patafa stands for the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association, the NSA (national sports association) under which EJ belongs to. Patafa is an NGO which, like all NSAs, receives financial assistance from the government (taxpayers’ money).
PSC is the government sports agency that takes care of the overall administrative needs of national athletes (including funding) and parlays the grassroots program nationwide where potential athletes for the national team are discovered and identified.
Recently, EJ, who stays in Italy for most of the year and competes in prestigious European tournaments against the best to stay in shape and prepare for the Olympics, was accused of – how should you call it – delaying the payments for the salary of his foreign coach Vasily Petrov who is paid 2,000 euros monthly.
Just to simplify, I watched EJ interviewed on socmed about his dilemma. And he hinted about retiring if the allegations against him – embezzlement or theft – are not withdrawn and the Patafa offers an apology.
You see, if this allegation were not leaked to the press, the problem could have been solved peacefully and without fanfare.
Petrov has since admitted that EJ has paid him his salary in three tranches – on Nov. 3, 4 and 5. So, he has kept quiet and has refrained from making any more statements.
There are three main concerns that are in focus here.
First, EJ sadly remarked that he should not be tasked with the administrative burden of paying the salaries of his team (coach et al) and preparing the accounting paperwork which takes a lot of his time, I agree. Ideally, national athletes should have nothing to do with the administrative burdens that the NSAs and the PSC are incumbent upon them.
This should be clear to all.
Second, this is regretful but EJ cannot escape from the fact that he accepted this arrangement because it paved the way for his smooth training stint and participation in the European circuit. Petrov, a world-renowned maker of pole vault champions, stays in Europe the whole year round.
Third, I am sorry to say that while Patafa and the PSC dutifully fulfilled their task to support their athletes’ training, they are also equally guilty of acquiescing to the awkward arrangement instead of directly making the payments to Petrov, which is a COA requirement.
EJ may have – again regretfully – committed forgivable mistakes not of his own liking.
But, for all intents and purposes, this should not lead to an irreparable verdict where a lose-lose and vexing catch 22 situation can result.
EJ, I heard, is being offered passports by countries interested to adopt him as their own.
The harm has been done because the press voraciously feasted on what I thought was a minor internal spat – not rift nor conflict – that could have been quietly resolved without hurting anyone’s ego.
The PSC should save the day. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yaho.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
