Senate inquiry on athlete harassment?

MANILA, Philippines - At least two National Sports Association (NSA) presidents are up in arms over cyclist Baby Marites Bitbit’s claim that she was intimidated into pulling out of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos to sympathize with disqualified teammates in the spirit of “all for one, one for all.”

In a recent TV interview, Bitbit broke down and cried as she related how Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) officials withdrew her participation after it was confirmed that her 12 teammates were barred.

Bitbit was the only cyclist licensed by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to compete in the SEA Games. Because of her accreditation, she received assistance and benefits from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). Her 12 teammates were not licensed by UCI but the POC insisted on flying them to Laos in the hope of persuading the SEA Games organizing committee to allow their participation.

The distinction stemmed from the POC’s failure to resolve an NSA leadership row in the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling). UCI recognizes Tagaytay City Mayor Bambol Tolentino as PhilCycling president while the POC has blessed Mikee Romero instead.

POC troubleshooter Go Teng Kok said Bitbit couldn’t have competed because the SEA Games organizing committee banned the entire Philippine cycling team from participation. But the ban came only after the POC announced the withdrawal. In effect, the organizing committee’s ban was only an affirmation.

Bitbit, 32, is a two-time SEA Games cycling gold medalist. She was a cinch for at least another gold this year. Bitbit was confident of ruling three events in Laos. At the last SEA Games two years ago, the Baguio City-born rider won a gold in the road race and two bronzes in cross country and individual time trial.

“Was she harassed into not competing?” asked an NSA president. “Was her entry withdrawn against her will? Does it mean that she did not agree to withdraw? Why did she appeal to the SEA Games organizing committee?”

Another NSA president said the purported blatant abuse of authority and suppression of an athlete’s human right are grounds for a Senate inquiry.

PSC chairman Harry Angping also denounced the move to scratch Bitbit against her will. Bitbit said she was depressed when told of the POC decision to withdraw the entire team and couldn’t appeal her case because “I’m just an athlete.”

“They (the POC) told me if I compete, it would be selfish of me and I would be a Judas,” she revealed. “But this is not just for myself. I wanted to compete for my family and my country. I went to the venue. I told the organizing committee I hold a UCI license, that I had the right to compete. But the organizing committee already decided to withdraw the entire Team Philippines because that was what the POC wanted.”

Bitbit said she’s not getting any younger and she would’ve preferred to compete because she trained hard for it.

“I wouldn’t have persisted in training and gone to Laos if I couldn’t compete,” she said. “I knew before we left, my teammates wouldn’t be allowed to participate and I was the only one with a legitimate UCI license. I was the defending champion. I’m familiar with the competition. All I wanted was the chance to win three gold medals.”

“The Games organizers must get consent and support of IFs (International Federations like the UCI) in order for their sports to be played,” said a former POC executive. “The IFs own the sport, they own the rules, they license and give authority to referees, they accept member NSAs and their athletes.” No National Olympic Committee (NOC) in the world, including the POC, has the right to accredit an athlete to participate in the SEA Games or Asian Games or the Olympics without prior license from the IF. That was clear when the Philippines was not allowed to participate in basketball at the 2005 SEA Games because of the FIBA suspension – even if Manila hosted the event.

“The situation is really disheartening,” said Philippine National Shooting Association president Art Macapagal. “I wish that after the Games, we can sincerely take a more dispassionate view of where we are and what we need to do to move sports forward.”

Meanwhile, Macapagal said he isn’t giving up on the country’s gunners even if the favorite shotgun events of trap and skeet are absent in the SEA Games calendar.

“There are still a few more events up in Laos and I am optimistic that the remaining shooters can deliver,” he said.

Nathaniel (Tac) Padilla, Robert Donalvo and Ronaldo Hejastro will shoot in rapid fire today then center fire on Friday. Shanin Gonzales, 15, competes in the 25-meter sport pistol tomorrow. No Filipino is competing in the other shooting events left in the calendar.

The PSC provided assistance and benefits to five of the country’s 11 shooters in Laos. The five are Emerito Concepcion, Donalvo, Carolino Gonzales, Padilla and Hejastro. The others were accredited by the POC, namely, Eddie Tomas, Rocky Pardilla, Edwin Fernandez, Shanin Gonzales, Ruth Ricardo and Padilla’s 18-year-old daughter Mica.