Elizalde: A source of Olympic wisdom

The political battle lines have been drawn and subtle maneuverings made prior to the Beijing Olympics were suspended in deference to last August’s sports festival. All these have now resumed until after the day of the election for the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) on the last Wednesday of November of an Olympic year. This year, that Wednesday is on Nov. 26.

Running for reelection is former congressman Jose (Peping) Cojuangco. Some say that joining Cojuangco in his ticket are POC chairman Robert Aventajado and Congressman Monico Puentevella. Others, however, claim Aventajado and Puentevella will team up once again with Cojuangco to oppose the ticket of former POC president Celso Dayrit.

As in all political battles, candidates court power blocs and influential personalities to get their support and endorsement. The POC elections are no exception.

Puentevella, who does not conceal his closeness to Malacañang, is expected to leverage that support of the Palace. He has always maintained that lack of funds is the major cause for the country’s poor performance in international sports and that the crucial money trail leads to the Palace by the Pasig River.

The grapevine also says Aventajado is depending on the flamboyant and controversial track and field chief Go Teng Kok to bring in the votes for him. Go, president of the track association for 18 years, is known to lead a solid bloc of anywhere from 10 to 12 national sports associations (NSAs).

Cojuangco, says Go, has a big advantage because the former is the incumbent and has pretty much played his cards well during his tenure.

Dayrit is said to be teaming up with ex-Olympian and presidential brother Arturo (Art) Macapagal who, on his own, enjoys the respect and high regard of a number of heads of the different NSAs.

In all these maneuverings, one person has been publicly left out. It is certain that he will deny being considered a power center whose endorsement is essential. One reason is, it is not in his nature to meddle in a complicated political situation. Another, and perhaps, the primary reason is, his being ambassador of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the POC dictates that he should not participate in partisan activities and should, in fact, remain objective and “disinterested,” if you will.

Francisco J. Elizalde has been representative of the IOC to the POC since 1982. I had the privilege of working with him when I was chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) from March 1995 to June 1998.

Before I stepped down as PSC chairman, Elizalde wrote a letter to me dated June 18, 1998, in which he said, among other things, ”Now that your mandate as chairman of the PSC is coming to an end, I would very much like to congratulate you for a job well done under, at times, very difficult conditions both in maintaining a positive relationship with other members of the Philippine sports hierarchy and in your never ending quest for adequate funding for the commission, to name just two of your problems. Under your leadership, the PSC has become a professionally-run operation, which is even more meritorious…considering the sometimes excessive bureaucracy…”

Elizalde, a graduate of US schools like Harvard University and executive of various family-owned and -run corporations, has been regarded with respect by sports officials for the almost 60 years he has been involved in football, boxing, swimming and track and field.

He has given practical, fatherly and non-partisan advice to sports officials like Go whom he advised to “use his swing votes wisely.” Perhaps, one of the reasons Elizalde’s counsel is sought is because of his integrity and the fact that he has no agenda, according to one veteran sports official.

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The friends, classmates, students and family of the late De La Salle Brother, Br. Rafael (Rafe) Donato, are organizing the BRAFE 3 Golf, a tournament in memory of Br. Rafe, an avid golfer and a friend and mentor of many Lasallians. The tournament will be held on Monday, Oct. 6 at the Canlubang golf course. BRAFE 3 is a yearly activity held to raise funds for the Foundation for Sharing a Lasallian Education (FSLE).

Established by Br. Rafe, FSLE provides access to Lasallian education to deserving students. Tournament organizers, led by former Philippine national football team member, Albert M.G. Garcia (GS 62, HS 66, BSBA 70), classmates of Br. Rafe (GS 52, HS 56, College 60-61) and Generoso Garcia, say the event is a collective effort of all who have been, in some way or the other, part of Br Rafe’s life. For inquiries, please contact the secretariat: 524 6549, 524 8146, fax – 521 8311, cell phone – 0917 899 8898.