PSC training facilities exclusive for nat’l athletes

Training facilities owned by the national government should be for the use of the national athletes and members of the national training pool.

The Philippine Sports Commission made this clarification after it questioned the Philippine Taekwondo Association for allowing non-members of the national team to use its training facility inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

PSC executive director Guillermo Iroy said the PTA, which reportedly holds training seminars for non-RP members for a fee, claimed it pays rental to the PSC as stipulated in its contract with the government agency.

"That is the reason we asked them to submit the contract because we want to look into it for review. We know nothing about it," said Iroy.

He added the move was part of the austerity measures being implemented by the PSC, which spends some P40-P50 million in water, electricity and maintenance of its venues annually.

The PSC allows non-national athletes to rent its facilities like the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, the badminton center, tennis courts and the Ninoy Aquino Stadium among others. The money, he clarified, will have to go straight to the PSC coffers, and not to the national sports association, for the upkeep of the venue.

Iroy, meanwhile, called on all NSAs (national sports associations) to submit their liquidation report for the year 2005 before the month ends or it will not get any money this year.

The PSC is expected to meet with the NSAs on Feb. 1 at the Dragon Gate restaurant in Pasay City to discuss the unliquidated fund amounting to P80-P90 million as of Dec. 31 last year.

Also to be tackled in the meeting is the submission of lineups for the 2006 Doha Asian Games, Securities and Exchange Commission registrations, constitution and by-laws and programs, and the announcement of rules and regulations for athletes using PSC-owned dormitories. — Joey Villar