When the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) declared Philippine Athletic Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Popoy Juico a persona non-grata, president Bambol Tolentino expected repercussions.
And they anticipated that Juico will eventually expel EJ Obiena from Team Pilipinas.
“I expected EJ will be dropped from the national team by his NSA as a vengeful act,” lamented Tolentino.
But now the ball is on the court of the Philippine Sports Commission. Will they allow Obiena to no longer represent the country moving forward?
According to the International Olympic Committee charter, National Olympic Committee’s are allowed to endorse who comprises the national team.
Big is the year for Philippine sports once more as both the Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games are to be held this year.
“The ball is now with the PSC, will the PSC allow EJ to be stricken off from the national team? Will the government allow a world-class athlete to be out of the national team?” wondered Tolentino.
“Being the Asian record holder, number six in the world, and number three best performer in 2021, will the PSC allow one gold medal to be lost in Huangzhou long before the Asian Games?”
The court of public opinion is clearly on the side of Obiena. And of course, the POC will also side with the athlete.
And they will fight for Obiena’s place in Team Pilipinas.
“The action of Mr. Juico in removing EJ Obiena from the national pool is an expected result of his expose — a vengeful act that shuts down the chances of the Philippines from its Olympic dream.
“The POC has made an early evaluation of this and, I am sorry that we cannot make our cards shown in public. Suffice it to say that we are created for the Olympic dreams of our athletes and we will support our athletes in achieving their dreams,” said Tolentino.
“We in the POC will make sure EJ will be in Hanoi and Huangzhou and in all other major world competitions, we’ll fight for EJ,” he continued.
Tolentino hopes that his PSC counterpart Butch Ramirez will also side in favor of Obiena.
“Will the PSC turn its back on this mandate? I don’t think so. This is precisely why the PSC is created — to act as the final caretaker of athletes when an oppressive NSA is apparently shutting its doors to world class athletes.”
