Only the best will don RP colors in Doha

The 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar this December is no picnic and Philippine Sports Commission said only the finest Filipino athletes should be allowed to go even if organizers of the coming event recently announced free board and lodging for all visiting athletes and officials.

"Despite the offer of the Qatar Organizing Committee, we still have to impose strict screening of all those who will see action in the Asian Games," said PSC commissioner Ritchie Garcia, stressing that the screening for the Doha-bound RP athletes is going to be tight.

"Why should we send athletes who are not capable of winning a medal? Even if he is a SEA Games gold medalist but if his time is very far from the prospective bronze medalist in the Asian Games then we should not send him," added Garcia.

The PSC commissioner said organizers of the quadrennial event in Doha offering free board and lodging will only save the PSC, the cash-strapped government sports agency, as much as $100 a day for each athlete.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco earlier said he sees around 50 to a hundred athletes representing the country in the Asian Games. Over 150 athletes represented the Philippines in the 2002 Busan Asian Games and took home only three gold medals.

Garcia said even if the country can save as much from the board and lodging, Filipino sports officials still cannot use this as a reason to send more athletes.

More athletes, the PSC official added, means more money to be spent in training here and abroad, in buying the needed training equipment, and in spending for athletes’ uniforms, allowances and plane fair.

Garcia heads the Asian Games Task Force together with athletics president Go Teng Kok who is representing the POC.

The task force members will meet today to discuss the guidelines to be used in the screening of the RP athletes to be sent to Doha. The task force said last week that the guidelines will be ready for implementation by March 15.

The choice of the RP chef-de-mission will also be tackled. Among those considered for the coveted position held by basketball’s Freddie Jalasco in Busan are taekwondo’s Robert Aventajado, sepak takraw’s Mario Tanchangco and Moying Martelino, also of basketball.