We don’t support Jai-Alai, POC says

The Pelota de Manila Tournament (PDMT) or Jai-Alai is not sanctioned by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

POC secretary general Romeo Ribaño underscored this yesterday to debunk claims of PDMT which is holding dubious never-ending tournaments in preparation, it said, for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

"Hindi sanctioned ng POC ang grupong ito (PDMT). Kahit anong pelota organization o event ay hindi namin kinikilala o suportado dahil hindi naming kino-consider ang pelota as sport," Ribaño said.

"Baka ginagamit lang ang pelotang ito sa sugal (Jai-alai) sa kadahilanang hatinggabi na sila kung magpalabas. Tulog na ako niyan," Ribaño, who also serves as squash president, stressed.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Eric Buhain earlier issued the same statement with which PDMT organizers immediately mended the "slip" on air through SBN 21 where the games are shown and on two other cable networks, by saying that they are honing up players for the 2008 World Basque Pelota (WBP) tilt in Europe and not for the Greece Olympics.

Buhain also said he would write President Arroyo and Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo to request a formal investigation.

Sponsored on TV by New Chin Hao Restaurant, the PDMT is allegedly run and managed by entities connected to former pelotari Pablo Lorenzo who rents his private cancha which also doesn’t conform to WBP standards, at P100, 000 a month.