Tabal appeals case to PATAFA

MANILA, Philippines - Marathoner Mary Joy Tabal will get the chance to personally appeal for her reinstatement in the national team before officials of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) as they are scheduled to sit down and discuss her Olympic bid.

“We’ll meet her at Patafa office Monday afternoon,” Patafa president Philip Ella Juico said yesterday.

Cebu-based Tabal had made the Olympic grade in the Ottawa Marathon in Canada but couldn’t qualify outright because she’s not a member of the Patafa squad. 

Juico said Tabal should submit herself to the process of reapplying for a slot in the Phl team and submit documents to the athletics body.

The 26-year-old Tabal wrote Juico a letter dated June 8 to start the ball rolling.

“When I finally made the Olympic qualifying time, I was beyond ecstatic as all the hard work put into making the dream of representing the country in sports’ biggest stage paid off. However, I am also certain that while Rio is within reach, I would never get there if I wasn’t part of the national team. I want to represent the country in Rio and I need your approval to reinstate me to be able to do so,” she said.

“I am humbly appealing to the Patafa and the board of directors to acknowledge my achievement in making the Olympic grade and accept me back into the Patafa fold. This isn’t only my achievement, but for all Filipinos, and more importantly, the track and field community,” she added.

Tabal represented the country in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games and won a silver but quit afterwards “to pursue a different path.”

“Leaving the Phl team was a bold move on my part and if it slighted you in any way, I would like to assure you that I meant no disrespect. I still hold the Patafa….in high regard.  Again, leaving was not a sign of disrespect. At that time, I just felt that I wanted to pave my own path as far as my running career is concerned,” she told the Patafa chief.

Tabal also clarified that “I have never said anything that will put Patafa in a bad light despite everything that came out – published or in social media.”

“I hope we can put this behind us and focus on moving forward,” she said.

The Cebuana runner attached a certification from Run Ottawa president and race director John Halvorsen to complement her letter request.