POC junks 'have-money will-travel' rule

MANILA, Philippines - While the Philippine Olympic Committee is looking at a maximum participation in the Guangzhou Asian Games in November, the have-money-will-travel policy is strictly and simply out of the question.

“There’s no such thing,” said Jose Romasanta, chef-de-mission of the RP Team to Guangzhou, after yesterday’s POC executive committee meeting at Philsports office of the local Olympic body.

The former head of Project Gintong Alay was referring to a policy that was used in previous international competitions where athletes who can fund their own trips after failing to meet the criteria were allowed to be part of the team.

Romasanta said the criteria will be in place as the POC tries to finalize the composition of the RP Team that will try to improve on its finish of four gold, six silver and nine bronze medals four years ago in Doha.

He said only those within medal range of Doha, meaning anything that comes close to a bronze in the Asian Games level, as well as gold medal winners in the SEA Games will earn automatic slots to this year’s Asian Games.

Romasanta said the POC is not closing the door on the younger, unpopular ones.

“Any outstanding young athlete, as long as they’re aged eighteen years and below, can make it to the team. That’s part of our criteria,” said Romasanta, adding that he sees a delegation as big as the one in Doha in 2006.

The Philippines sent 233 athletes to the last Asian Games.

“More or less we’re looking at the same number,” said Romasanta. He said the budget for this year’s Asian Games should depend on the size of the delegation and not the other way around.

“We’re still trying to make the computations on how much it would cost us per athlete,” said Romasanta.

The Philippines already submiitted to Guangzhou organizers the number of athletes it plans to send to the quadrennial event even if changes may come in the coming months.

“They were just asking for the entries by number. So we sent them the maximum number. It would be easier to cut down on the number than add a few more after the deadline had passed,” said the chef-de-mission.

“Baka lang madami pa mag-qualify so we based our list on the maximum allowable number,” said the POC official.

The deadline for the submission of entries by name is in August, and that’s the time that the POC will have to make everything final.