Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17) – The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Executive Board has suspended two troubled national sports associations for 90 days.
Nine POC Executive Board members voted for the suspension of the controversial Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) and the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) during their special meeting on Thursday.
Two members—netball chief Charlie Ho and gymnastics boss Cynthia Carrion—abstained from the voting. POC chairman Steve Hontiveros and International Olympic Committee Representative to the Philippines Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski were absent from the special board meeting.
PATAFA was suspended by the POC for “failing to serve their purpose as a national sports association” in light of the national athletics federation’s ongoing conflict with Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena.
“Our constitution states that POC may suspend for any reason. However, it’s transparent that PATAFA has deliberately and intentionally disregarded our basic principles of promoting sports and development,” said POC president Bambol Tolentino.
Tolentino recently questioned the motive of PATAFA in elevating their standoff with Obiena to the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, days after agreeing in a Senate hearing last February to settle their issues with their prized pole vaulter in a Philippine Sports Commission-led mediation process.
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The PATAFA did not endorse Obiena in major tournaments this year such as the World Athletics Indoor Championships this weekend in Belgrade, Serbia; the 31st Southeast Asian Games in May in Vietnam; the World Pole Vault Championships in July; and the 19th Asian Games in September in Hangzhou, China.
“PATAFA prioritized its pride, and it saddens (me) to look closely on a chance slowly gripping away. They have withheld an opportunity of the Filipino people to have another world record,” said Tolentino.
The POC president said he will lift Patafa’s 90-day suspension if the national athletics body will complete their mediation with Obiena.
Tolentino added the POC’s move to suspend PATAFA will boost Obiena’s chances of competing in the upcoming SEA Games, after he included the pole vaulter’s name in the roster of athletes last week.
If the POC General Assembly ratifies the suspension of the two national sports federations on March 30, Tolentino said PATAFA will not have an authority on the national athletics team for the Vietnam SEAG and will enable Obiena to defend his title.
Meanwhile, the POC also suspended Philta for failing to comply with an order from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to amend its charter and hold elections for a new set of board members.
Philta has been serving a two-year suspension by the ITF since late 2020 and their sanction may be extended if the national tennis federation does not comply with the world tennis body’s instructions.
“If Philta complies with the ITF order, and the ITF accepts Philta’s compliance, the suspension of the tennis association will be lifted immediately,” Tolentino added.
