Puentevella slams door on Thai lifters

MANILA, Philippines — The Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas will not allow Thailand to field a team in the 30th Southeast Asian Games set next month at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium due to anti-doping violations.

SWP president Monico Puentevella yesterday said he received clear instructions from the International Weightlifting Federation warning that the Thais’ return to international competitions may jeopardize weightlifting’s place in the Olympics.

Thailand had a self-imposed suspension after nine of its senior lifters from last year’s IWF World Championships allegedly tested positive for doping.

Now, the Thais want to return to the international scene by sending in their young lifters.

“We cannot jeopardize the future of this Olympic sport by allowing their athletes, young or all, to join our Games,” said Puentevella, who is also a former member of the IWF board and the first Filipino president of the Asian Weightlifting Federation several years ago.

“As per attached IWF communication, Thailand has recently committed nine counts of violation on doping, and maybe more. And voluntarily and irrevocably withdrew from all qualifying competitions for the Tokyo Olympics.”

And since the SEAG in Manila will serve as a silver-level qualifying event to next year’s Summer Games, the SWP isn’t taking any chances and will have to prevent Thailand from joining.

“The SEAG here is a qualifying event (silver level) for Tokyo and the IWF is monitoring all Thai activities. And the IOC may just penalize the IWF and will affect our participation in the Tokyo Olympics. This will destroy weightlifting,” said Puentevella.

Minus Thailand, the Philippines will have one less foe to worry about as it hopes to bounce back from a medal-less effort in the last SEAG in Kuala Lumpur.