Equestrian, lady cagers out of Asiad

MANILA, Philippines - The number of FIlipino athletes who will vie in this year’s Asian Games dropped to 234 yesterday following the withdrawal of the equestrian team and that of the women’s basketball squad.

Jose Romasanta, chef-de-mission of the RP Team, said equestrian riders Toni Leviste, Joker Arroyo and Michael Oyson pulled out due to the high cost of transporting their horses to Guangzhou.

Romasanta said it would cost the Philippine Sports Commission as much as $40,000 (roughly P1.8 million) to bring one horse to China, whether it would come from Manila, the United States or Europe.

“It’s financially impractical,” said Romasanta.

Jose Cojuangco, head of the Equestrian Association of the Philippines and president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, was informed of the situation, and went with the decision of the riders.

“As sad as it is, Mr. Cojuangco also said it was impractical to push through,” said Romasanta.

It was Leviste, a multi-titled equestrienne, who first decided to pull out because of the high cost of transportation for her horse.

Leviste had to take her horse from Manila to Malaysia on way to Guangzhou, and from the Asian Games she had planned to head straight to Europe to continue to train and compete.

“But she learned that from Guangzhou, she could not take her horse straight to Europe. She was told she needed to take it back to Malaysia for quarantine. That makes it even more costly,” said Romasanta.

The RP Team chef-de-mission said the women’s basketball team was taken off the list to save the POC the risk of being penalized by the Olympic Council of Asia.

The RP dribblers will compete in the SEABA Championships in Manila Oct. 24-29, and no less than the championship can assure them of a slot in the Asian Games under the POC criteria.

The problem, Romasanta said, is that the drawing of lots for all team competitions is set tomorrow in Guangzhou, and if the POC puts the RP women’s team in the draw, and eventually it fails to qualify, then they have to withdraw.

“It will ruin the draw and the Philippines will be sanctioned. So, we have decided to withdraw our basketball team,” said Romasanta.