Olympic Charter on Literal’s side?

Athletics chief Go Teng Kok yesterday said that Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Celso Dayrit has no choice but to recognize the legitimacy of Quinteliano "Tiny" Literal as Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) president.

Go, who used to be a chairman of the POC membership committee, said that one of the conditions set by the Olympic Charter is for a national federation to be recognized by its international federation (IF).

"To be recognized by an NOC and accepted as a member of such NOC, a national federation must exercise a specific and real sports activity, be affiliated to an IF recognized by the IOC and conduct its activities in compliance with the Olympic Charter and rules of the IF," Go quoted the Olympic Charter.

The athletics president said that the group of Gonzalo Puyat, who is claiming to be the "rightful" head of the BAP "clearly does not have this very important requirement."

"Mr. Literal has the blessings of the International Basketball Federation or Fiba while the group of Puyat does not have it. It’s as simple as that. So Mr. Dayrit cannot continue to be blind to this truth. He will be violating the very Olympic Charter which he promised to uphold. Mahirap ito," said Go.