FOLLOW THE PROCESS: JUICO
Parafa head Juico without naming names said all athletes must follow process if they want to run for country
POC still waiting for Patafa to submit final list of athletes for SEA Games
Mary Joy Tabal's inclusion to the Philippine delegation for the 29th Southeast Asian (Sea) Games hangs on a limbo even after a record-breaking win in the 2017 Ottawa Marathon.
Tabal, a silver medalist in the marathon event of the 28th SEA Games in Singapore, is reportedly out of the SEA Games lineup of Philippines Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa), the national sports association (NSA) for track and field in the country, because of failure to “follow the process.”
The final lineup for the Philippine delegation in the biennial meet in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, however, will be finalized only on June 10 to 15.
Patafa president Phillip Ella Juico will not confirm nor deny Tabal's exclusion from the national team roster.
He, however said in a text message that “If you want to run for the country? Then, you follow the process all aspiring national ath- letes follow without exception.” Juico will not elaborate and did not mention Tabal's name saying that for questions regarding ‘people excluded in the roster' to just contact Atty. Nicanor Sering, the Patafa executive vice president.
Sering's contact number, however, cannot be reached until press time.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) senior official and head of Sea Games Task Force Tom Carassco told SunStar Cebu that as far they are concerned, they have not received the final list from Patafa yet The deadline for submission of lineup for the NSAs will be on June 15. So around June 9 or 10, we will have some of the final list already,” Carassco said in a telephone interview yesterday.
Carassco said that he knows Tabal is on the long list which was submitted earlier by the NSAs, but that list is not yet final. He said Patafa will be submitting the final roster for track and field next week.
Tabal keeps her eye on the target and will continue her training in Italy on June 8 despite hearing news about her exclusion to the Philippine delegation.
“This happens every year. In 2015 for Sea Games and 2016 for Rio Olympics. The athlete is affected but we're hoping everything will be OK. But for now we won't mind the distraction and focus on the training,” said Tabal's longtime coach John Philip Dueñas.
Jonel Borromeo, the president of Motor Ace Philippines, the major backer of Tabal, said that he thought Tabal would be automatically in for Sea Games based on the statement by a Patafa official last month.
“The Patafa secretary-general Renato Unso was quoted saying that the athletes who won at least a bronze medal in the 2015 Sea Games get automatic qualification on this year's Sea Games. Tabal won silver medal in 2015,” said Borromeo.
Borromeo was referring to an article by ABS-CBN posted last April 4, when Unso was interviewed during the Philippine Sportswriters Forum in Pasay City.
“That's why I was surprised because there's a statement that the bronze medalist last year will get a slot for this year. That's one of the reasons why wala mi nilihok because we read about it and it was very clear,” added Borromeo.
You want to run for country? Then you follow the process all aspiring national athletes follow without exception. PHILLIP ELLA JUICO Patafa President I was surprised (about Tabal’s exclusion) because there’s a statement from Patafa secretary-general Renato Unso that the bronze medalist last SEA Games will get a slot for this year. Tabal won a silver medal in 2015. That’s one of the reasons why wala mi nilihok because we read about it and it was very clear JONEL BORROMEO Motor Ace Phils.