PASA official in the dark

Vice president for the Visayas Dale Law of the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA) questioned the dismissal of Ryuzo Ishikawa as national coach in the organization’s quarterly Board of Directors meeting in Alabang last May after being "puzzled and disturbed" by the abrupt termination, The Star learned yesterday.

In a letter dated last Jan. 25 to Olympic breaststroker Jenny Guerrero’s father Gavino, Law said PASA president Chito Ilagan and secretary-general Chito Rivera assured the board a compromise solution to the Ishikawa problem would be worked out during the May meeting.

"That’s the last I’ve heard from PASA on the matter," said Law. "That was also the last meeting I’m aware of. Current operations of PASA are something of a mystery to me. I know nothing of the actions of the PASA Executive Committee. Even though I find my name listed as vice president for the Visayas, I’ve never met with nor been consulted by that body. In addition, repeated requests to the PASA president from directors all over the country for a special meeting of the full Board to consider concerns have gone unheeded."

Guerrero’s father wrote to Ilagan last Jan. 20 appealing for the Board to investigate the Executive Committee on charges of alleged abuse of authority, violation of funds utilization and incompetence. He accused Rivera of denying his daughter the privilege of availing of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo’s "Alay At Suporta Sa Atletang Pilipino" allowance allocated for her as an elite athlete and attempting to divert the fund for another purpose. He also chastised Rivera for disrupting the training program of national swimmers under Ishikawa by imposing a new regimen 62 days before the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games last year.

Guerrero’s father said PASA officials Deedee Gonzales of Davao, Ral Rosario, Ike Buan of the National Capital Region and Rodney Barretto of Iligan City also expressed support for his call to investigate the.Executive Committee.

"Rest assured that this will be brought to the attention of the PASA Board in our next meeting," said Barretto, the president of the Central Mindanao Amateur Swimming Association. If according to Law, the Board has not met in nine months, a meeting is likely to be called soon.

Law described Ishikawa as "a truly fine fellow with a wealth of expertise and experience (who) was of immeasurable help not only to the swimmers on the local teams (in Dumaguete) but to the coaches as well."

Ishikawa, who is contracted by the Philippine Sports Commission as swimming coach up to Oct. 31, has been disowned by the PASA although five national swimmers rejoined his fold since the last SEA Games.

Rivera said Ishikawa was axed because he outlived his usefulness as a national coach. "Our swimmers weren’t improving," rued Rivera. "We weren’t going anywhere. Besides, we found him guilty of insubordination. He didn’t seem to respect our authority."

With Ishikawa, the Philippines finished without a swimming gold at the 2001 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur. Without Ishikawa, the country captured two golds in Vietnam last year but the harvest was courtesy of US-based Miguel Mendoza and Miguel Molina, not swimmers from PASA’s training program. Defending his record, Ishikawa explained in 2001, there were eight national swimmers who competed in 31 events, posting 20 best times and last year, 13 tankers registered only 11 best times in 49 events.

Guerrero swam in four events in Vietnam and was a disappointment. She was seventh in the 100-meter breaststroke, ninth in the 200-meter breaststroke after disqualification, eighth in the 200-meter individual medley and ninth in the 400-meter individual medley. The former Eastern Michigan University athletic scholar claimed she was demoralized and confused after the PASA barred her from training under Ishikawa and imposed a new practice regimen about two months before the SEA Games.

Guerrero sought permission from Ilagan to resume training under Ishikawa in a letter dated last Jan. 27 but has received no reply. She said she hopes to qualify for the Athens Olympics but because of the PASA’s ban on Ishikawa, is apprehensive of her chances to compete in the three remaining regional qualifying competitions.

Molina and Mendoza are the country’s only Olympic swimming qualifiers so far. It was reported that the PASA plans to send Marichi Gandionco, Luica Dacanay and Liza Danila to qualifying competitions up to May or June, leaving out Guerrero.

"All over the world, different athletes do well under different coaches," the 19-year-old swimmer said. "The trust and confidence of a swimmer in his or her coach is important. I hope the PASA allows me to train under coach Ishikawa and gives full support to an athlete who has worked hard and is still young to succeed."