133 Pinoy athletes okayed for Incheon Asiad

MANILA, Philippines - Team Philippines is sending at least 360 names for accreditation for the 2014 Asian Games but chef de mission Richie Garcia stressed that the number of athletes who will carry the fight in Incheon will only be in the vicinity of 133.

The 360, according to Garcia, already includes VIPs and so-called guests of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), such as government officials. At the same time the National Sports Associations (NSAs) have also endorsed “maximum” rosters that will later be trimmed down.

“Let’s not be misguided by the 360 and think that we’re turning our backs on our earlier pronouncement of a lean and mean delegation. Only 133 athletes have been approved by the Asian Games task force (so far) and more or less it (final roster of athletes) will revolve around that figure,” Garcia said in a briefing yesterday.

Incheon Asiad organizers have set an April 30 deadline for those who want to be accredited in the Games. “Entry by number” will have to be in by end of May and “entry by name” or the final composition of the delegation should be submitted by Aug. 15.

The joint POC-PSC Asiad task force has set a criteria of Top 5 in Asia and gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games in selecting members of Team Phl.

To date, the screening body has given the greenlight to 133 bets from 26 sports. More additions are expected as the deadline nears, such as Le Tour de Filipinas champion Mark Galedo, and fellow road riders Geogre Oconer and Ronald Oranza who are expected to be endorsed by PhilCycling.

“Those who haven’t qualified based on our criteria still have until Aug. 1 to qualify. But still, we listed their names in our application for accreditation so they’ll be accredited if ever they eventually meet the criteria,” Garcia explained.

Meanwhile, the PSC and the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine (PCSM) signed a memorandum of agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) for the world anti-doping campaign yesterday.

Under the project dubbed: “Awareness and Commitment campaign on Anti-doping in the Philippines,” the PSC-PCSM will receive a grant of $20,000 from the Unesco for “education of athletes and coaches on the importance of anti-doping.”

The MOA was signed by Garcia, PCSM chief Alejandro Pineda and Unesco secretary general to the Philippines Virgina Miralao.

 â€œWe are very grateful that we are among the countries whose project for elimination of doping in sports was approved and will be granted funding from Unesco,” said Pineda.