POC sees hope for bowling, golf

The next couple of weeks will be crucial for the Philippines as far as the chances of bowling and golf being included in the 2003 Vietnam SEA Games calendar are concerned.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit said yesterday he was informed by members of the SEAG organizing committee that they would soon act on the appeal made by the POC during a recent meeting in Hanoi.

"I was told that they would answer within two weeks. And I’m still optimistic. Buhay pa ang pag-asa. And in my gut feel, there’s still a good chance that bowling and golf will be included in Vietnam," said Dayrit.

The POC president went to Hanoi last Monday with Benjie Ramos of rowing, Rene Adad of football, and Julian Camacho and Francis Chan of wushu to attend the two-day SEA Games Federation meeting. They returned to Manila Thursday evening.

In Tuesday’s sports and rules meeting the Vietnamese presented the list of the 32 disciplines lined up for the biennial meet. The POC group, right there and then, questioned the non-inclusion of bowling and golf.

"Immediately, we presented our appeal. Then, in Wednesday’s council meeting, we also presented our appeal. And while the 32 sports were being confirmed, we spoke up," added Dayrit.

"We presented the appeal for the second time. So, on record, we have an appeal pending consideration," said Dayrit. "It’s now under consideration."

Under the SEA Games Federation rules, a host country must finalize the list of events one year before the actual start of the Games. In this case, that will be Dec. 5.

But according to the members of the organizing committee, they plan to write the member countries on whether or not they would consider including bowling and golf in the Games sooner than the deadline.

It was just unfortunate, Dayrit said, that no other country made a similar appeal to have these two sports, where the Filipinos normally excel, in the calendar of events for the Games scheduled Dec. 5-14 next year.

"During the council meeting, nobody spoke up other than the Philippines although Singapore said that if Vietnam would consider the inclusion of these sports, they would not object."

While the POC group pressed its appeal, the Vietnamese organizers admitted that they have the bowling and golf facilities although they’re not of the highest standard.

Another argument Dayrit and his group presented was the fact that 34 disciplines were also contested in last year’s Kuala Lumpur SEA Games. "That’s why we told them na pantayin na natin. And that bowling and golf have been played in almost all the SEA Games in the past," said Dayrit, who also personally appealed to Vietnam Olympic Committee president and SEA Games organizing committee chairman Nguyen Danhthai, his secretary-general Hoang Vinh Giang, and even the Vietnamese ambassador to the Philippines.

Dayrit said the inclusion of bowling, which stakes at least 10 gold medals, and golf, with four, will make up for the absence of other sports close to the Filipinos like softball, baseball and marathon where Roy Vence and Christable Martes are the defending champions.

"Walang marathon, so we’re another two golds short. We did not appeal because Vietnam stressed that they really cannot host the event. They don’t have the organization to come up with that event. But they included the trap event in shooting na wala sa 2001 SEA Games and where we’re strong because of Jethro Dionisio. Then they also included more events in wrestling, wushu and chess. And meron ding mga pumalit like fin swimming with 18 golds and shuttlecock with seven," Dayrit added.