POC has no hand in picking IOC rep

MANILA, Philippines -  The Philippine Olympic Committee has no say in selecting or naming the person who will take the place of Frank Elizalde when the latter steps down next year as International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines.

“That is neither the right nor the prerogative of the POC,” Jose Romasanta, spokesperson of the local Olympic body, told The STAR yesterday.

“Remember, Mr. Elizalde is not the Philippine representative to the IOC but the IOC representative to the Philippines. Our representative to the IOC is the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee who is Cong. Jose Cojuangco Jr.,” Romasanta added.

Therefore, it’s the IOC, composed of 204 member countries under the Olympic Movement, which chooses its representatives to its member countries. But it is neither a must for the IOC to name one because not all countries have IOC representatives.

There are only 109 IOC members/representatives, including Elizalde, 32 honorary members and one honor member, Mr. Henry Kissinger of the United States (since 2000). Countries that have hosted the Olympics have the privilege of having two IOC representatives.

The Philippines has only had two IOC representatives in history. They first to hold the distinguished position was Jorge Vargas, grandfather of Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines chief and Maynilad president Ricky Vargas, who served the IOC from 1936 until the time of his death in 1980.

It took the IOC, then under Juan Antonio Samaranch, five years to name Elizalde as its next representative to the Philippines. Elizalde’s term expires on the midnight of Dec. 31, 2012. He will soon turn 80.

The members of the IOC are individuals who act as the IOC’s representatives in their respective countries, not as delegates of their country within the IOC. The members meet once a year at the IOC session, according to the official IOC website.

For members who came during the Dec. 11, 1999 session, the retirement age is pegged at 70. Previously, it was pegged at 80.  The term of office for all members is eight years, renewable every eight years. The IOC chooses and elects its members from among such persons as its nominations committee considers qualified. 

It was reported a couple of days ago that Elizalde might nominate Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, a gold medalist in the 2002 Busan Asian Games in equestrian and daughter of the current POC president, as his replacement. The older Cojuangco is president of the Equestrian Association of the Philippines.

“Being the IOC representative to the Philippines, Mr. Elizalde can make such recommendation. But in the end, it’s the call of the IOC. The POC has nothing to do with the appointment. The POC cannot make that demand,” Romasanta explained.

Aside from Cojuangco-Jaworski, also being mentioned as possible candidate to the IOC post are Celso Dayrit, former POC president and head of the fencing association, and Vargas.

Art Macapagal, the former head of the Philippine National Shooting Association who challenged Cojuangco for the top POC post in 2008, said all three names being mentioned have the right to be nominated to the IOC.

“Any one of them would be worthy representative of the IOC,” he said yesterday.

“Mikee, although not an Olympian, has exhibited herself as an outstanding athlete and she practices the values of Olympism. Cito (Dayrit) has been an excellent POC head and has for a long time espoused the message of the Olympic Movement.

“Ricky Vargas, although new in the Philippine Olympic family, has shown his passion and the qualities needed of leaders and athletes who wish to be examples for emulation and admiration. The question therefore should be who should have precedence over the others. I will leave that to the better judgment of Mr. Frank Elizalde,” said Macapagal, who would have been a good choice as well.