The lights are off, the seats at the stadium are all empty, the athletes have returned to their respective countries but the sad experience of our golfers in Paris Olympic lingers on. No amount of sugar coating and flowery words can appease a broken spirit as excuses after excuses were blurted out by our sports officials regarding the latest uniform brouhaha committed in the international stage.
“As a woman, our primary concern when we go out in public and especially on a sporting engagement is our attire. We can’t perform well if we feel something regarding our attire” said Milou Babol, one of Davao’s top lady golfer, a member of known golfing family, the Dacudao clan.
The ladies are so particular with their attire. They are concerned of how they look and the more comfortable they are with their outfit, the more they are confident.
One of our top professional golfer Dottie Ardina cannot hide her sentiment and displeasure over the non-availability of a decent golf outfit. Left to tend themselves in the middle of the games, without a presentable of uniform bearing our national flag, Dottie improvised and recalled her elementary days in making a remedy for the situation. Alone by herself.
The double sided tape attached in the national flag patch have a lot of tale to tell. Seen worldwide by audience thru the social media, it tells about the ineptitude of our sports officials. It tells about how our officials treated our athletes, our unsung heroes in such a big international event to be witnessed by the world thru TV screen.
I said in jest that I am willing to volunteer my month’s SSS pension to shoulder our lady golfers attire had I known that they’ll suffer with that humiliation and embarrassment big time at the center stage but I was beaten to the draw by my friend Paul Garcia. “All the golfing officials should have done was request a uniform from Monchit Mackay of Nike Davao and presto the problem is solved ‘said Garcia jokingly about the matter.
What else could we say but treat the matter lightly and root for Bianca Pagdanganan instead as she steadily climbed into the medal race but fell short of podium finish ultimately. Same with Dottie who jumped several notches from the bottom to finish in the top 15.
Corruption is not the main issue as the POC and the NGAP issued on a statement. Fine. But poor planning, mismanagement and ineptitude is unacceptable and much worse when the event is known months ahead already.
Our Filipina golfers went to Paris not only to represent our country but to fight for honor, to fight for our flag (though it was taped in their uniform) and they fought gallantly side by side with the world’s best.
After the motorcade in Manila for Caloy’s gold and our boxers’ bronze, and after all the accolades and hosannas have subsided, one by one our athletes will be left alone once again, left alone to tend their lives, continue their training and the fiasco created by these officials will be forgotten into oblivion.
This systemic sporting debacle cycle in the Philippines have survived through ages. And will continue to survive if no efforts would be done to stop it. The noises made in social media platforms are now catching fire and have caught the sports officials’ attention. It will somehow create a ripple in their vast ocean of influence.
I still long for the day that a new system and patriotic leaders will arise and lead this country’s sports program with dignity and pride. Yes, it will happen; maybe not in my lifetime but for the future generation. I’ll bet my month’s pension on this. Any taker?
