Champion skater frozen out

Is the country’s best female skater purposely being left out of a shot at the Winter Olympics because she’s not a Philippine Skating Union favorite? 

Two-time Philippine national figure skating champion Melissa Bulanhagui had the best of intentions when she decided to shift allegiance from Team USA to Team Philippines in 2011. Once ranked as high as third as a junior and eighth in seniors in six years of skating for the US, the Fil-Am athlete announced in September of 2011 that she would surrender her privileges and instead skate for the Philippines. She felt that she would be able to contribute to her beloved sport’s growth in her mother country, and also have a better chance at qualifying for future Winter Games.

“I gave up all my funding, support and travel to compete for the Philippines,” Bulanhagui told The STAR. “I was already very comfortable, and it’s quite an expensive sport. My skates alone cost $2,000 and travel costs about as much. And there are a lot of other expenses, as well.”

Since deciding to leave the US to represent the Philippines, Bulanhagui has been spending her own money to train and maintain her skates and costumes. Currently based in Korea where her husband is stationed for the US Armed Forces, Melissa travels to the Philippines when necessary to compete or teach. She has helped junior skaters improve their skills and confidence, imparting her knowledge from years of training with Team USA.

The Philippine Skating Union wrote their counterpart in the US to ask that Melissa be allowed out of her contract to be able to represent the Philippines, where her parents were originally from. The family traces its roots back to Batangas province. Bulanhagui won the bronze medal at the 2006 US Championships junior ladies division, competed in four US Nationals in the seniors ladies class, and won the Junior Grand Prix Italy and Gardena Spring Trophy, both prestigious international tournaments. Since representing the Philippine team, Bulanhagui has competed in the Four Continents Champions, US Figure Skating Classic and Asian Trophy. All this makes Bulanhagui by far the most qualified, most accomplished Philippine female skater.

When she joined Team Philippines, Bulanhagui was made to understand that the best would receive support from the federation in preparation for Olympic qualifiers. That has not been the case. Bulanhagui has won the past two national championships by considerable margins, and yet claims she has not received any privileges granted the country’s best athletes. She says she still spends her own money on her paraphernalia and travel, and doesn’t even have any Philippine team jackets or uniforms. Worst of all, she has not been sent to any qualifiers for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

The final qualifier for 2014 is the Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany in October, but the Philippine Skating Union isn’t sending Bulanhagui, their best female skater. Instead, they have endorsed two-time junior Philippine champion Alisson Perticheto, their best female junior skater, who was born in Switzerland and based in Europe. Their reasoning is that Perticheto is the “future of Philippine skating.” The PhSU is selectively comparing Perticheto’s junior scores to some of Bulanhagui’s senior scores. But Bulanhagui’s personal best total scores, short program scores and free skate personal bests exceed Perticheto’s. It is also crucial to note that in 2010, Bulanhagui already won the bronze medal at the Nebelhorn Trophy. In certain competitions, including developing countries like the Philippines, skaters from those countries who make the top 10 are automatically seeded to the Olympics. Their slots are not given to developed countries who also make the top 10.

Ironically, the federation has no problem supporting its best male skaters. The problem, Bulanhagui theorizes, may be one of cost. She says that even when sending teams abroad, the loss of income of coaches who go is a big factor in the PhSU’s deciding who and how many of them go. The willingness of an athlete’s family to compensate the coaches for their loss while they are away is allegedly a major consideration, as is travel cost. Perticheto is already in Europe, Bulanhagui is in Asia.

“When we asked why they weren’t endorsing me, they said they could send anybody they wanted to,” the petite morena champion claims. “I don’t know, maybe they just want to save a buck.”

Bulanhagui, who is ranked much higher than Perticheto internationally, even suggested that she and Perticheto both represent the country in a competition in Thailand, and whoever would get the better scores would be the one sent to the Nebelhorn. The PhSU refused, even though both athletes would have an excellent chance to medal for the Philippines.

The PhSU, through its president Manuel “Pocholo” Veguillas, has declined requests for interviews. Instead, they sent a vague statement which says “(PhSU chairman) Mr. Hans T. Sy has no hand in the decision not to endorse Melissa Bulanhagui to the Nebelhorn Trophy 2014 at Oberstdorf, Germany. This decision was arrived at by the PhSU with (technical) basis which was conveyed to her last June 4, 2013. 

“The PhSU Executive Board, consisting of the Management and Technical Committee, assists the president in the day-to-day operations of the Federation including monitoring progress and evaluating potentials of our skaters in national and international competitions. Said decision emanated from this group as reiterated earlier.”

The terse communique addresses internal protocol, but says nothing in reference to the central issue: why aren’t we sending our best female skater to the Olympic qualifier? The statement also makes it appear that the federation chairman may be unaware of his officials’ decisions. Bulanhagui is willing to spend on her trip to Germany if that is what it will take. All she needs is an endorsement from the PhSU. Apparently, it is not forthcoming. And this may not be an isolated case. The STAR is confirming reports that it has also happened in juniors selections.

What are the possible issues against Bulanhagui? It can’t be her age; many world-class skaters are older. Her qualifications are definitely not an issue. She has no disciplinary problems, and even trains some junior national skaters. It is simply an arbitrary decision that is unfair to the very essence of sport. It’s a wonder why the Philippine Olympic Committee has not intervened.