Look who’s talking

The common Filipino response to the accusation of cheating hurled by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was not an outright denial of the charge but, "Look who’s talking."

The other common — and outraged — response from Philippine sports aficionados was that host countries, such as Vietnam when it hosted the Southeast Asian Games in 2003 and Greece when it hosted the Olympics last year, often try to put one over competitors.

There’s always someone protesting about hometown decisions, I was told, but heads of government don’t butt in and bellyache about cheating.

One incensed sports enthusiast demanded to know why we had to play up Thaksin’s broadside when the Thais themselves were notorious for their lopsided hometown decisions particularly in professional boxing.

In short, we all cheat, you hypocrites, so put up or shut up.

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Hardly an ideal response from the land of "Hello, Garci." Even before the start of the SEA Games, there were already jokes that former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano had surfaced to tally scores in the sporting event.

The issue took on political color yesterday, with opposition members saying Thaksin was confusing the SEA Games with an administration accused of cheating, lying and stealing.

Administration allies, for their part, accused Thaksin of trying to divert Thais’ attention from his own political woes, which include corruption scandals.

Local sports enthusiasts insisted that we are not a nation of cheaters, and lamented that we should be rallying behind our athletes, who are doing their best to win honors for the nation.

It is normal for host countries, I was told, to schedule matches in sporting events like the SEAG such that the first few days will be marked by victories for the home team. This generates local interest in the games and the home team is cheered on all the way to the finish, even if the team fails to make it to the top. The Philippines has never finished first in the SEAG.

Of course we must love our own, but there is a world of difference between cheering and cheating. When boxing wins are based on the number of punches thrown rather than punches that connect, something smells fishy.

But Thailand, I am reminded again, is notorious for boxing decisions skewed in favor of its own team.

Until yesterday there was no retraction or apology from Thaksin. But Thai sports officials apologized to Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and other members of the SEAG Federation Council.

Chaiyapak Siriwat, vice president of the Thailand Olympic Council, said he had not received any complaint from their athletes about the conduct of the games.

Their athletes include Thai Princess Sievannavari Nariratana, who lost to the Philippines in badminton yesterday. No complaints from her… so far.

* * *

I was reminded by outraged sports fans that we felt cheated in taekwondo when our jin lost to host country Greece during the Olympics last year, but did we raise a big fuss?

And what about Vietnam, whose athletes were underwhelming until it hosted the SEAG two years ago, and the country topped the games for the first time? Did President Arroyo whine in public that something smelled of Vietnamese fish sauce?

Just because others are doing it, however, does not mean that we should do the same. If subtle cheating is the name of the game in all international athletic competitions, it only validates my lack of interest in sports. Give me the cooking channel any time. Try cheating on a recipe and your cake is bound to collapse.

What happened to sportsmanship? We often tell children that winning isn’t everything, but every country that joins an international sports meet these days sees that as a balm for losers.

What happened to fair play? I’m told that it went out the window ages ago, when athletes first learned to use performance-enhancing drugs, or whatever you call the concoctions taken by Chinese athletes.

Again I’m reminded by local sports aficionados that at least Philippine athletes don’t take anabolic steroids. And how can we be accused of cheating, they ask, when the judges in the ongoing SEAG are from countries that are not participating in the games?

* * *

Okay, so Thaksin was merely sour-graping. Maybe the planets were in the wrong alignment the other day when he talked to reporters.

Between Thaksin the astrology buff and President Arroyo who claims to have a direct line to God, Thaksin has more credibility. But because his complaint was not backed by a formal protest from any member of the Thai team, and even blunted by the Thai apology, there is basis for suspicion that he was using the SEAG to divert his people’s attention from the scandals hounding him. See, we’re not the only country plagued with scandals.

Thaksin is the first elected Thai prime minister to win a second term. But he has seen his popularity fall in recent months amid soaring oil prices, Muslim unrest in southern Thailand, and accusations (hurled by a former crony) of corruption and undermining popular Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Thaksin has blamed his troubles on the movement of the planet Mercury, which he says is inauspicious for him.

His sour-graping, however, can also bode ill for ties in the region. Sports, after all, is supposed to foster camaraderie among participants. Now Thaksin is saying he might raise the issue of SEAG cheating at the forthcoming leaders’ summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

It might actually turn out to be a good idea, if it could lead to countries in the region — Thailand included — cleaning up their act in hosting international sports events.

The rest of the world might even take notice, since most sports matches these days seem marred by complaints of some form of cheating and biased decisions.

The urge to put one over rivals, by hook or by crook, arises from a sports culture where sportsmanship has taken a backseat to winning. As an American coach famously said, winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing!

It’s a sports culture that believes nice guys finish last.