PSC plans intelligence network

The Philippine Sports Commission will be sending scouts all over the world to study Filipino athletes’ opponents in possibly every stage of the competition in all sports disciplines as part of its bid to win the gold medal in August’s Beijing Olympic Games.

The cost for the project, to be done for the first time under instructions of PSC chairman William “Butch”  Ramirez, will be part of the P30 million budget initially intended only for the   training and international exposure of athletes.

“We don’t have research and development for sports, which other countries have. We rely mainly on luck and good breaks. It’s about time we focused on scientific training,” said Ramirez, who left yesterday for Bangkok  to monitor the RP pugs’ progress in the Asian Olympic qualifier.

Ramirez co-chairs the task force with Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, Jr. and Beijing chief de mission Monico Puentevella.

The person to  be assigned abroad would need to identify the competition, secure video footages and submit a comprehensive profile of foreign athletes, according to Ramirez.

Ramirez said one opponent that could be scouted is Harry Tañamor’s nemesis, Zhou Shimming of China, who beat the Zamboanga City native in the 48-kg finals of the 2007 World Boxing Championships in Chicago where the Filipino booked his spot to Beijing.

Other potential bumps on Tañamor’s road to an elusive Olympic gold medal are American Luis Yanez, Thai Amnat Ruenroeng, Ukrainian Goergiy Chygayev, Irish Patrick Barnes, Armenian Danielyan Hoyhnannes and French Nordine Dubaali.