MANILA, Philippines - Ipinahayag kahapon ni Senator Chiz Escudero na hindi dapat tumakbo sa anumang sports organizations ang mga pulitiko at sinabing ilan sa mga awayan ng mga ito ay nakakaalarma na sa morale ng mga atleta.
“I have consistently opposed the idea of politicians running the affairs of Philippine sports. Let’s leave the playing fields to athletes and sports managers,” aniya.
Ito ang naging tugon ng Senador sa ulat ng mga nag-aalitang opisyal sa Philippine Sports Commission at Philippine Olympic Committee.
Hiniling din niya sa mga nag-aalitang opisyal na huwag idawit ang mga atleta, dahil nakakaapekto ito sa paghahanda para sa 2012 London Olympics at nalalapit na Southeast Asian Games sa Disyembre.
“I am troubled by reports that even the athletes are being egged on to organize mass actions if only to get Malacañang’s attention to boot newly-appointed leaders out of the PSC,” ani Escudero.
“But what is more troubling are reports of infighting within national sports associations, which have broken into rival factions allied with the bickering camps in the POC and the PSC,” aniya pa.
Ang alitan sa pagitan ng PSC at POC ay nagsimula nang italaga si dating Manila Representative Harry Angping bilang PSC chairman. Si Angping ang sumuporta sa kandidatura ni Art Macapagal, kapatid ng Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, na natalo kay re-electionist Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco, bilang POC head.
Inaakusahan ang dating congressman ng ilang POC officials na may paboritong tinutulungang national sports association na may kinalaman si Macapagal.
Samantala, sa kabilang grupo naman, ginagamit ang NSAs para trabahuhin ang pagpapaalis kay Angping.
“Funding for sports is scarce enough as it is, and we further subject our athletes to negligence because sports leaders cannot set aside differences and work for the better,” ani Escudero.
“If we are serious in working to get a gold medal in the Olympics, we cannot let this bickerings continue. I urge the PSC and the POC to start working together and focus on training our athletes.”