Brilliant idea for elite athletes

PATAFA president Terry Capistrano has proposed a measure that would revolutionize the widespread participation of athletes from developing countries during an Asian Athletics Federation meeting last year. The proposal seeks to grant elite national athletes a one-year visa to any country where they may compete without travel restrictions, allowing free entry and exit in the spirit of sports fellowship.

The idea has been passed on to sports lawyers for review and the initial reaction is it’s possible under an exception to be granted by the United Nations through its agency United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO. There are 194 member countries in UNESCO which is described as a specialized agency dedicated to strengthening shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture and communication. Sports is within UNESCO’s purview.

Capistrano said developing countries such as the Philippines are faced with the challenge of securing visas for elite athletes who tour the world to pursue higher levels of competition. It’s not only impractical but extremely expensive for athletes to fly to a country with a restricted visa then return home to apply for another restricted visa to travel to another country in chasing world ranking points. Pole vaulter EJ Obiena is an exception as he holds an Italian residence certificate that allows freedom to enter and exit countries in Europe. Golfer Yuka Saso opted to represent Japan instead of the Philippines mainly because of the powerful Japanese passport and as a mainstay on the pro tour, needed travel flexibility. Tennis player Alex Eala has a home in Spain so that also gives her freedom of movement around Europe. But for other Filipino athletes living here, it’s a tough struggle to travel.

Capistrano’s proposal isn’t just about sports. It’s also about expanding borders and global unity. He said the fear of elite athletes “disappearing” and not returning home is unfounded. Even assuming there is a slim chance of an elite athlete going TNT, it isn’t justification to thumb down the proposal. Countries should be made accountable for the actions of their elite athletes and if there are instances of “disappearances,” the privilege of one-year visas could be revoked. It’s as simple as that. Apprehension is no cause for alarm or rejecting a proposal that has humanitarian repercussions.

Perhaps, UNESCO could agree to this proposal starting with elite athletes recognized by World Athletics and certified by their regional and national federations. In the Philippine case, it would be PATAFA for national and Asian Athletics for regional. Then, it could be expanded to aquatics since it’s a mandatory sport in the Olympics like athletics. Surely, this proposal deserves attention and review.