In what International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines Frank Elizalde describes as ?ridiculous,? the National Southeast Asian Games delegation left for Laos, site of the 25th edition of the biennial event, yesterday in two flights.
Not because the 317-strong contingent was too big to be accommodated in single plane, but because the 251-athlete group chosen to carry the country?s colors is divided into two ? one made of 98 athletes is sanctioned by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the other by the Philippine Sports Commission.
?This is a ridiculous situation, imagine having two delegations. This a first in the history of the Philippine participation in any international competitions, which, I believe is very embarrassing, ? Elizalde rued during last Friday SCOOP Sa Kamayan special session held at the POC headquerters in the Philsports compound in Pasig City.
The POC had actually, sanctioned the 251-athlete composition using a criteria it promulgated of gold-silver-bronze medal finish in the last Games edition in Thailand in 2007, but the PSC reduced the number to 153 bawled on a separate norm of gold and silver medal only.
A situation both athletes, coaches and simple observers of the local sports landscape to politics. POC president Jose ?Peping? Cojuangco and PSC chair Harry Angping belong to different political factions.
Such a situation however can create havoc on the country?s campaign to at least improve on its worst finish in the once every-two-year conclave because since the PSC policy was implemented, members of the delegation had been training under a gloom of discrimination and demoralization.
The PSC had been pampering the athletes under its wing with additional perks in the course of training as free meals, extra incentive, separate sets of uniforms, among others, which those under the POC did not enjoy.
The POC, in fact, had to scrounge for funds from the private sector just so it can fund the 98 athletes under its wings both in terms of plane fares and allowance
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