PSC to NSAs: Think twice on foreign coaches

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia yesterday said national sports associations (NSAs) should think twice or thrice before entering into lucrative contracts with foreign coaches.

Garcia made the suggestion after the Philippine Badminton Association (PBA) failed to hold on to its top Indonesian coach, Rexy Mainaky, despite giving him a staggering $12,000 monthly salary.

Mainaky, winner of the Olympic gold in doubles in 1996 in Atlanta, had served only half of his two-year contract with the PBA when he was recalled home by the Indonesian Sports Ministry.

The PBA is one of the few NSAs that can stand on their own without much financial assistance coming from the PSC, the government’s funding arm in sports.

When Mainaky’s hiring was announced, PBA officials said they had the option to extend the contract to another two years depending on the early results.

The 45-year-old Mainaky had hopes for the Filipino shuttlers when he arrived in May last year, and said he dreamed of seeing a Filipino qualify to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

But he had no choice but to pack his bags and go home after Indonesian sports authorities recalled all their top-level badminton coaches working overseas.

The PBA let him go after they were assured that another Indonesian coach would come in.

“It is sad that such a thing happened. There is a live contract. It should have been a government-to-government contract,” said the PSC chairman.

He added that it would help if the NSAs would let the PSC do the hiring on their behalf. That way, it will be a government-to-government contract.

But he said the PBA did right in letting Mainaky go without any legal complications, and not burn the bridge with their counterparts from Indonesia, a powerhouse in badminton.

“It’s a good move on their part. (But) It’s a lesson to our future contracts regarding foreign coaches,” said Garcia.