The blood in their veins

GMA7 anchor Arnold Clavio has been roundly criticized for supposedly committing a racial slur against some members of the Philippine Azkals, whom he allegedly described as non-Filipinos. The network is defending Clavio, saying he did not commit any racial slur as alleged. 

I will not go into whether Clavio committed a racial slur or not since I did not actually hear the statement in question. Suffice it to say that if indeed there are some Azkals who are not Filipino citizens, then what could be wrong in pointing out that fact? 

This little problem with the Azkals is actually part of the larger phenomenon involving the use of foreign imports in a growing variety of national sports disciplines, especially, but not limited to, Olympic events. 

By importing foreign athletes, I do not refer to professional leagues like the Philippine Basketball Association where players are merely contracted to play but are not required to give up their citizenships. 

What I mean is the practice in a growing number of countries to offer citizenships to foreign athletes so as to claim them as their own when it comes time for them to compete in flag competitions such as the Olympics. 

Thus it has become quite common to see, for instance, athletes of African descent compete under the flags of countries that have, for centuries, been historically uni-racial. Of course this could be just a case of racial integration. But more likely it is not. 

We cannot, however, dictate on the immigration policies of other countries. If they open their borders and offer citizenships to outstanding foreign athletes for no other reason than to strengthen their sports programs and initiatives, then that is their prerogative. 

The problem is that we here in the Philippines can only watch with envy. We do not have the incentives that other countries can offer to attract outstanding foreign athletes to help in our national sports endeavors.

The best we can hope for is to court the “nationalism” of foreign athletes with a little trace of Filipino blood in their veins but a lot of superior training going into their physical skills to come over and make “saklolo” to our flagging sports endeavors. 

That, I think, is the underlying factor in the Azkals story, which Clavio pointed out without really meaning to do any harm. If some of the Azkals are citizens of other countries, then that fact cannot be glossed over by the simple expediency of national sports fervor. 

On the other hand, if none of the Azkals are holders of foreign passports and the only thing not pure about them is the dilution of their Filipino blood, in whatever degree, by the blood of one of their parents, then they should be fine as far as flag and uniform go. 

This is not to say that I would not prefer a team, in whatever sport, being composed of pure, full-blooded Filipinos who can make participation in any competition truly worthy of my undiluted patriotism, regardless of whether that participation ends in glory or defeat. 

For this is how I personally feel about sports. To me, victory will never be complete if I know that such victory was aided by athletes recruited not for the blood in their veins but for what they can do to achieve a win. 

I would rather see my compatriot lose than see him win and bring his medal home to where he actually lives. I still see as the only way for us to excel is to give our sports development programs the support they need instead of taking the easy way by importing athletes.