POC, PSC to sit down, talk

Anytime. Anywhere.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit yesterday said he is willing to sit it out with Philippine Sports Commission chairman Eric Buhain so they could iron out their differences regarding the country’s participation in the Vietnam SEA Games this December.

"We need to work hand in hand. I’m not saying that it’s a condition, but if he now accepts the authority of the POC and respects them, then we can work things out. Let’s just open the lines of communication, and hope for the best," said Dayrit.

Buhain, according to his media officer, Arsenic Lacson, plans to attend the POC technical committee meeting on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex so the PSC chief could get a copy of the list of qualified athletes under the POC criteria for submission to President Arroyo.

"But we cannot give him the final list because it will still be submitted to the board and to be approved by the general assembly by the end of July. We can give him a tentative list. And if he wants to attend that meeting, he’s welcome. I’ll be there. Or we can even meet earlier," said Dayrit.

Buhain, however, has reiterated his previous stand that the PSC, the government’s funding arm in sports, will decide on the number of athletes it would fund for the biennial games where the Philippines is targeting 60 gold medals or third place overall.

Dayrit said the July 2 gathering is a working meeting among the members of the POC technical committee, which is tasked to screen and determine the athletes who will go to Vietnam. So far, the committee has 361 names on the list with close to a hundred more waiting in the wings.

The PSC, citing the lack of budget, has insisted on a smaller delegation of around 350 athletes, and has in fact created its own committee or task force to do the screening based on tougher criteria. The POC has agreed to fund qualified athletes that will not be included in the PSC list.

"It’s because the PSC insists that they cannot fund all the athletes. Still, we will ask the PSC to fund all the athletes. We cannot limit the size of the delegation on the basis of what the PSC is willing to fund. Our list won’t go beyond 500. And we never mentioned 700 as announced by Buhain," said the POC chief.

"Kung wala talaga sanang pera, iba ang usapan. But we know na meron eh. Yun ang hindi naming matanggap," he added.

Dayrit, who recently wrote the President regarding the country’s forthcoming stint in Vietnam, said not all the names being submitted by the different sports associations for inclusion in the RP team are being approved by the POC. In fact, the POC is looking beyond the Vietnam Games in that they are choosing athletes that might also have good chances for the 2005 SEAG in Manila.

"We’re hosting the 2005 SEA Games. And whether you like it or not, we will play in all the events to be contested there. Like football, table tennis or volleyball. puwede bang hindi tayo mag-field ng teams, eh dito sa atin gagawin? So, we might as well get them ready this early," also said.

Frank Elizalde, the International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines, the other day called on both parties to resolve their differences but at the same time urged the PSC to respect the rights and responsibilities of the POC regarding the selection and clothing of the national athletes who will see action in Vietnam.

Elizalde wrote Buhain and cited pertinent sections in the Olympic Charter that gives the POC the right to "constitute, organize and lead" RP delegations to competitions such as the SEA Games, Asian Games and Olympic Games, and the "sole and exclusive authority" to determine the clothing and uniforms to be worn by the athletes.

Elizalde also told Buhain that "it is quite clear what the parameters of the POC’s rights and responsibilities are and they should be respected."