Respect POC rights, Elizalde urges PSC

Frank Elizalde, the International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines, has ordered the Philippine Sports Commission to respect the rights and responsibilities of the Philippine Olympic Committee regarding the selection and clothing of the national athletes who will see action in this year’s SEA Games.

In a letter dated June 26 and addressed to PSC chairman Eric Buhain, Elizalde said the recent word war between POC president Celso Dayrit and the PSC chief is "both demeaning and detrimental to Philippine sports in general and are adding still another negative chapter to (its) already tarnished image."

Elizalde, who is set to leave for an IOC meeting in Prague this week, cited pertinent sections in the Olympic Charter that gives the POC the right to "constitute, organize and lead" RP delegations in any regional, continental or world competitions such as the SEA Games, Asian Games and Olympic Games as long as the entries proposed by the national federations comply with its provisions.

Elizalde also explained that the POC has the "sole and exclusive authority" to prescribe and determine the clothing and uniforms to be worn, and the equipment to be used by the members of the delegation in connection with all sports competitions and ceremonies. In his letter to Buhain, Elizalde said "it is quite clear what the parameters of the POC’s rights and responsibilities are and they should be respected."

But Buhain insisted that the PSC is just doing its job to justify the release of public funds while adding the use of Team Philippines issue is still with the Department of Justice for proper opinion.

At the same time, Elizalde also reminded Buhain, a former swimming sensation, of the PSC’s major role in Philippine sports as dictated by the law, which is basically to fund the national federations and its athletes regarding their training and equipment.

Therefore, the IOC official said he sees no valid reason for the conflict between the two sports bodies as long as there is "mutual respect and a direct line of communication" between them.

Dayrit yesterday said he has not received any letter from Elizalde, who ordered both parties to meet as soon as possible to resolve the matter.