POC defers decision on swim dispute

The Philippine Olympic Committee has deferred any action on the controversy within the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association where the status of its president, Mark Joseph, is being questioned.

The POC executive committee met yesterday at the Ultra in Pasig, and after almost three hours Joseph came out still holding on to the presidency despite the presence of some of his detractors.

“It was a democratic process. The decision was to withhold any decision until after the Olympics so the preparation of the athletes from PASA will not be disrupted,” said POC chairman Robert Aventajado.

The taekwondo chief headed the POC arbitration committee that looked into the leadership dispute at PASA in 2005, one that ended with Joseph replacing then president Monchito Ilagan.

Part of the agreement reached was for Joseph to call for an election inside 90 days. Now a disgruntled group of swimmers, their parents and coaches claim that no election ever took place.

Joseph, however, claims there was one in 2006 when he was elected to a four-year term.

“Their claim that I was installed president by POC on the basis of a compromise agreement is completely false,” said Joseph who faced the issue before the POC for the first time since it came out last month.

“Now there’s a status quo. We will discuss the topic again in September,” he added, saying, “ I have continued to reform PASA according to POC’s recommendations.”

Jose Cojuangco, POC president, welcomed the outcome of the meeting.

“Everybody was allowed to talk and everybody came up with the decision of holding the investigation,” said Cojuangco, adding that the protesting group will have no choice but to wait.

“They waited three years so why can’t they wait for another three months?” he said.