MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said that the exclusion of award-winning Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena from the World Indoor Championships in Serbia is a missed opportunity due to sports politics which took place amid athlete's spat with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA).
"EJ Obiena: a case of missed opportunity because of sports politics. Sayang," Lacson said in a tweet on Sunday.
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He was referring to Patafa's non-endorsement of Obiena which resulted to the World No. 5 pole vaulter not being able to compete in the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
The competition is the global championship for athletics held every two years. Obiena would have been the first-ever homegrown Filipino athlete to compete in the games, had he received Patafa's endorsement.
"Unacceptable! We just threw away a golden opportunity to showcase our world-class talent - all because we cannot get our acts together," Lacson, who is running for president this year, said in a separate statement posted on the Senate's website on Monday.
Over the weekend, Obiena said he was saddened by Patafa's decision to not endorse him even if he was in "prime physical and mental condition."
"[Our] country has not been put first by all. Country comes after personal considerations for some. This is more than unfortunate. The nation pays the price," Obiena said on Facebook.
"I have not been endorsed for the Worlds. Registration is now closed. I won’t be attending. I am the only top-ranked vaulter not participating," he added.
Obiena has been engaged in a spat with Patafa since late last year. The sports association has since then dropped him from the national team pool and cut off his funding to join competitions.
On Monday, Sen. Bong Go, who chairs his chamber's sports committee, urged the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the two parties (Obiena and Patafa) to continue mediation talks.
"Ayusin na ang dapat ayusin. Gawin ninyo ang tama, isantabi ang pansariling interes, at resolbahin ang mga hindi pagkakaunawaan," Go said in a statement.
("Fix what needs to be fixed. Do what is right, set aside your own interests, and resolve misunderstandings.")
Earlier this month, Sen. Pia Cayetano blasted Patafa's rejection of Obiena's request to be endorsed to compete in the SEA Games, Asian Games and other world athletics events.
"PATAFA has chosen to deprive Filipinos of being represented by this talented young man who holds the Asian record, has reached Top 3 [sic] in the world pole vault rankings, and was #1 recently in the Orlen Cup and Orlen Copernicus Cup in Europe. The Philippines deserves better than PATAFA," Cayetano said in a statement issued March 5.