by Moses Billacura
The first batch of national players seeing action in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China leaves on November 7. Followed by the next batch on November 10.
A total of 190 athletes are China-bound, excluding Compostela Valley’s pride Jho-An Banayag who was handed down a six-month suspension by the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa).
Banayag, the Milo Marathon champion, reportedly disobeyed Patafa’s orders not to join an international competition in Camarines Sur as the national runners will not be allowed to compete three months before the Asian Games.
What made Banayag defy the Patafa order?
For one, the prize money in Camarines Sur could have been very tempting.
Two, she needed extra money to be sent to her relatives in Compostela Valley.
Third, she may have done it on purpose as a show of defiance against Patafa officials.
What we can read are the sports officials’ statements. What about Banayag’s?
Maybe, Patafa regional director and my physical education mentor at Holy Cross College, ma’am Belen Kempis-Taala can tell us the “real” story.
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The United Nations General Assembly recently renewed its support for sports as a “vehicle for positive social change, underlining the potential of athletics to promote such issues as development, education, health, gender equality and conflict prevention”.
Wilfried Lemke, special adviser to secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, in a report by UN News Service said that the continous commitment by the members to promote sports as an efficient policy tool and its capability to be used as a catalyst for development and peace is key to the success of the initiatives at the grassroots level.
The resolution also includes the well-being of persons with disabilities, or who prefer to be called “differently-abled”.
That’s good news.
But how will the national government under President Noynoy, the Philippine Sports Commission under chairman Ritchie Garcia and the Philippine Olympic Committee headed by president Peping Cojuangco respond to this?
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Happy birthday to Raf Presbitero of the Ateneo Grade School basketball team, my cousin. Dr. Bam Fernandez of Cebu and dear friend Tiny Sarabia, the loving son of coach Boy and Dr. Phoebe.
