Troubled rowers seek new trial

MANILA, Philippines - Devastated over their exclusion from the Philippine delegation to forthcoming Guangzhou Asian Games, the members of the RP dragon boat teams are appealing that they be given one last chance to prove themselves.

The men’s and women’s teams conducted a performance trial last Oct. 9 at the La Mesa Dam, but the Philippine Olympic Committee cited inconsistencies in the manner their times, which went beyond expectations, were achieved.

The RP paddlers, however, referred to their times as “the real deal,” especially in the 200m and 500m, and that it was only in the time that they submitted for the 1000m where questions should have been raised by the POC.

The RP paddlers have proven themselves by winning in the international level and that even the Chinese have recognized their talent, and have looked forward to a tougher challenge from the Filipinos in the Asian Games.

The POC monitoring committee did not question their times in the 200m and 500m but because of inconsistencies in the 1000m trial the RP paddlers were denied inclusion in the RP team for the Nov. 12 to 27 Games.

The paddlers are so devastated over the incident that they are thinking of staging a rally if their appeal for another performance trial is denied. They blamed “politics” behind their exclusion from the RP delegation.

Nestor Ilagan, head coach of the RP dragon boat teams, yesterday said they have yet to receive a copy of the decision to drop them from the RP roster. He said he will meet with his athletes today regarding the matter.

“Because officially we haven’t received anything except for what came out of the papers. I hope they are professional enough to tell us why we were denied or tell us with a straight face that we cheated in the trials,” he said.

“Our names are already in the list of accredited athletes, and if you look at the Asian Games program the Philippines is there in the dragon boat competition. But until now we haven’t been notified officially that we’re out,” Ilagan added.

Ilagan said he wrote Jose Romasanta, chef-de-mission of the RP team, but he has yet to get a reply.

“We’re devastated because after all the hard work we were denied. I pity the athletes because they trained hard three times a week, their hands all blistered,” said Ilagan.

Romasanta yesterday said it’s very unlikely that the RP paddlers will still make it to Guangzhou, considering that the deadline for the submission of the final and official lineup for the participating countries was last Sept. 30.

“What we got from Guangzhou was that they will only accept special cases in terms of accreditation. And right now, we don’t expect any more changes (in the RP lineup) because it doesn’t really make sense now,” said Romasanta.