A Cebuano saying goes something like, “naa gyu’y buang sa usa ka bulig nga lubi”. Roughly translating, there’s always something that spoils a good bunch.
In the several national sporting agencies that we have, one had gained notoriety for being a spoiler to promising athletes under their association. Making mention of that agency will just glorify its unsavory existence and leadership, which, for those who are in the know, had trademarked their infamy.
About five years ago, bemedaled female long-distance runner Mary Joy Tabal was dropped from the national team by this agency because of some “rule violations”. She was rigidly training abroad, and it was made doubly hard with the unfolding controversy back home. Why? The association wanted her training to be under their supervision, but she refused. Tabal was eventually reinstated back to the national team after agreeing to several terms of reinstatement.
We do have capable local coaches and some promising talents but considering the highly politicized structure within the national sporting agencies, we can’t expect optimum results. So wonder no more why our track athletes, specially those who don’t have individual and corporate support, languish in mediocrity.
Now here comes EJ Obiena, an Olympic pole vaulter currently ranked number 5 in the world. In a controversy more or less similar to that of Tabal, where, this time about coaching fee issues, Obiena of late was threatened to be dropped from the national pool and to be charged with estafa because of an alleged fund misappropriation.
This led to a senate hearing which revealed that the NSA delays release of funds to athletes for many months. They are also required by the NSA to do accounting tasks related to their training expenses. My freaking goodness, these are athletes, not accountants.
The NSA where he belongs, with all its twisted power and might, can truly drop him like what they did to Tabal. That’s why the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission wanted the issue to be settled the soonest possible time.
The 26-year Obiena is the Asian record holder in the men’s pole vault and placed 11th in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Him being dropped out from the national team would mean the country would miss a sure medal finish at the Hanoi SEA Games this coming May and the Hangzhou, China Asian Games in September.
A bitchy and spiteful head of a national sporting agency is a recipe for athlete demoralization. Asia’s top pole vaulter Obiena is in the top five and the only Asian among the 30 of the world’s best. That my dear readers is simply world class. Sadly, he belongs to a class-less NSA that controls his sporting destiny. PATAKA pa more.