Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 24)— The Philippine Sports Commission has ordered pole vaulter EJ Obiena and the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) to refrain from issuing public statements for now as it seeks dialogues to help resolve the parties’ rift.
“We now demand the parties to refrain from issuing statements to the public and on social media,” the PSC said in a statement on Wednesday. “We hope the imposition of this moratorium will allow this proposed dialogue a chance to help all of us arrive at a proper resolution on this matter.”
“While we wish for the matter to be handled with confidentiality, we are bound by duty to mediate and call both parties to the table in the interest of truth and arresting the damage this tussle has done on our country’s image in the international sporting world,” it added.
Obiena and PATAFA have hogged the limelight in the past days after the federation alleged that the athlete failed to pay over ₱4.8 million of coaching fees to his Ukrainian mentor Vitaly Petrov. Obiena said PATAFA also accused him of “stealing the money” and “falsifying liquidations.”
Both Obiena and Petrov denied the allegation.
READ: EJ Obiena denies not paying Ukrainian coach, threatens to ‘immediately’ retire
On Tuesday, Obiena admitted that he made late payments to Petrov, citing that he has been trying to manage his training workload and other commitments. He also slammed PATAFA for burdening him with the task of directly paying the coaching fees of his coach— when he is alone in Italy spending many hours in training.
PSC, for its, part, expressed hope that the discussion will help settle the feud.
“Should this option fail, we regret that the PSC shall be constrained to implement actions that would negatively redound to the concerned federation with regard to financial assistances,” the body said, adding it will be issuing an update once a “positive outcome” is reached.
Aside from the social media outburst, the issue also earlier reached the Senate floor. Senator Pia Cayetano warned she will push to remove PATAFA’s funds for next year if there would be no efforts to “rectify the grave injustice” done to Obiena, the current pole vault record holder in Asia.
JUST IN: The Philippine Sports Commission has ordered PATAFA and EJ Obiena to refrain from issuing public statements pending resolution of their rift | @PaulineVerzosa pic.twitter.com/3kaBIFtEkg
— CNN Philippines Sports Desk (@sportsdeskph) November 24, 2021
