EDITORIAL - Senate sports probe a fool's errand

As in a similar article here a few days ago, we repeat our misgivings about the Senate conducting an inquiry into the dismal 6th place finish of the Philippines in the just-concluded Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia.

The problems facing the Philippines when it comes to sporting competitions are many. But they are not new and unheard off. They have long stared us in the face but we preferred solutions that were easy and convenient, and never mind if they missed the mark completely.

Why we chose the easy and convenient solutions can be explained in a phenomenon that has nothing to do with sports at all — we are simply too politicized for our own good. Politics has seeped even into sports, playing a large part in determining leadership in all sports bodies.

Many of those who made it to the top of the different sporting bodies are not qualified for the job. They draw up programs that quickly get approved and supported by their political patrons who do not know any better.

Here is how the picture looks like: The Philippines chooses the disciplines it wants to participate in on the basis of 1). Its popularity, and 2). On the basis of available athletes, many of whom are related, are friends with, or have certain backers among people of influence.

The Philippines relies heavily on financial enticement instead of real selection of athletes and proper training. It has become the norm to dangle a few million pesos for a gold medal in any game.

This crazy situation forgets one very crucial thing — not even the promise of a billion pesos can bring anyone near enough to even just smell the gold if you send a “kutsiro” to the 100 meter dash simply because he happens to be the distant relative of somebody.

But nobody has dared bring up this crazy situation because the media eat from the palm of the big and powerful sporting moguls in the country. Anything that is reported involves the glowing but unfounded projections of the square pegs we force into the round holes.

Take the recent SEAG. From a projection of 70 golds, the Philippines managed 36. Here is how the Philippine Sports Commission head explained it: “If we can only project 20 golds, what is the point in participating?” There is your answer. No need for the Senate to investigate.