Banned jin may return cash bonus in installments

RP taekwondo jin Esther Marie Singson escaped sanctions from the Southeast Asian Games Federation Council for unknowingly taking a banned substance. But she has to return to the Philippine Sports Commission the P100,000 cash incentive she received for winning a gold medal in 23rd SEA Games in Manila last December.

"We sympathize with her situation. But she has to return the money since the money is from government and we should remit whatever is the excess," said Philippine Sports Commission executive director Guillermo Iroy.

Singson was stripped of the gold by the SEAGF and was suspended by the Philippine Taekwondo Association headed by Robert Aventajado for three months that took effect last February.

Singson was one of the three athletes found by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WTF), the agency tapped by the SEAGF to conduct doping tests, to have taken diuretics, a banned substance that usually hides illegal drugs liken steroids.

Singson, however, claimed that she might have gotten it from taking slimming teas a few months before the Games for her to reach the weight requirement in her class.

The other drug offenders were a Malaysian and an Indonesian.

Even Aventajado stressed earlier it was an honest mistake on Singson’s part.

Iroy said they are willing to allow Singson to pay the amount by installments had the 20-year-old lass already spent it.

"We’ll not force her to pay it back immediately, we’ll just sit down and discuss with her or with her guardian on how they can pay us back in a manner wherein they will not be too hard-pressed," Iroy explained. — Joey Villar