Protest over beach volley site up

MANILA, Philippines - Athletics officials and athletes have gotten allies in their protest against the Philippine Sports Commission’s plan to build a beach volleyball sandcourt in the middle of the field in the PhilSports Complex.

According to Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico, enthusiasts have initiated an online petition on the website www.change.org asking PSC chairman Richie Garcia to stop the project and it has been gaining ground.

Juico had opposed the PSC’s planned beach volleyball court, saying it “undermines the integrity and respect” for athletics and also “severely hampers” the throwers’ training and “endangers life and limbs.”

Garcia had defended the project, saying the area won’t be in the way of the throwing events and “won’t be a danger to the lives of athletes.”

The petition, which can viewed at https://www.change.org, has drawn support from enthusiasts.

“Nowhere in the world one can find a track and field stadium that has beach volleyball courts in its midst. This move is bizarre and shows utter disrespect to the sport of athletics and it takes for granted the sacrifices of our national athletes in training well to bring honors for the country,” said Jui Tongco, who started the petition.

As of yesterday afternoon, 159 have supported the petition.

Among them were ultimate frisbee enthusiasts.

“As someone who uses the field for Ultimate/Frisbee and pays rent, I cannot believe that our money will go to a project that will not develop the place we rent. It’s like saying we paid for something that we’ll never use. I am not against having a beach volleyball field. But I believe that there are better places (for it),” wrote Miguel Ocampo of Marikina, one of the signatories.