Keon can fit into old role as RP sports czar

FORT ILOCANDIA, Laoag — If he could have his way, Mike Keon, who helped keep Philippine sports up on its feet in the ‘80s, would assume the same old, familiar role in the very near future.

"I might," said the flamboyant 50-year-old sports official, now based in this northern city where he juggles his work as provincial board member in charge of the committees on sports and tourism.

Keon, the former chief of the Project: Gintong Alay, yesterday told scribes who flew in from Manila that if ever he makes a comeback in sports, he’d make sure that it’ll be for something worth his while.

"If I am to divide my time between my work here and Philippine sports, it has to be something substantial," said Keon, who was barely 23 when he called the shots for Philippine sports.

"Yes, I was twenty-three then. Imagine how difficult it was," said Keon, a nephew of the late strongman former President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Keon was born in Italy and spent his childhood in Thailand and Australia.

Keon was former president of the Philippine Olympic Committee and for a long time was head of the RP athletics association. Great athletes like Lydia de Vega, Elma Muros and Isidro del Prado came under his watch.

Recently, he came back into the picture when he was named training director and consultant of the Filipino athletes who won the overall championship in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games last December.

Asked if he has ever thought of taking a more active role in Philippine sports, Keon would rather keep some people guessing.

"I have so many things to do here. But I might — but it may not be just as the track and field association president but of something else. Let’s just wait and see," he said.

Keon lamented the fact that RP sports officials seemed to have failed to cash in on the momentum of the SEA Games success, in that there have been negative issues coming out lately.

"Sayang ang momentum. How come we hear of all these problems? The PSC getting a smaller budget, and the First Gentleman thinking of withdrawing his support to the coming Asian Games," said Keon.