■ JOY TABAL CAN RETURN TO NATIONAL TEAM, BUT...
Tabal’s coaches from Japan, Italy to have video conference to talk about conditions set by Patafa before reinstating her to the national team
The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association ( Patafa) Reinstatement Appeal Committee laid down the conditions for the Cebuana marathoner in response to her request for reinstatement. The main two are for Joy Tabal to commit to the association’s rules and regulations, and for her to withdraw her complaint letter sent to the Philippine Sports Commission. Tabal, among others, will also be required to train under a national coach designated by Patafa and train either in the two training camps in Baguio or Manila. Jonel Borromeo, president of Motor Ace Philippines, Tabal’s major backer, welcomed the move.
The team of Mary Joy Tabal will make the decision based on what’s best for the athlete as they meet to come up with a response to the resolution of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa).
The Patafa’s Reinstatement Appeal Committee has already laid down the conditions for the Cebuana marathoner as a response to Tabal’s request for reinstatement.
Patafa’s resolution has two main conditions, namely: commitment to the association’s rules and regulation, and withdrawal of Tabal’s complaint letter sent to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
The first condition includes the requirement to train under the Patafa-designated national coach; train either in the two training camps in Baguio and Manila; and conduct herself at all times in a manner that demonstrates respect to fellow athletes, Patafa and its officials, and compliance with the universal code of conduct, written or unwritten, expected of all elite athletes.
Sought for comment, Jonel Borromeo, the president of Motor Ace Philippines., the major backer of Tabal, said they welcome the consideration of Patafa and are elated that they have opened the door for Tabal.
“We will be meeting with her (Tabal) coaching staff on Monday at 3 p.m. (PHL time) via audio conference because that’s about 9 a.m. in Italy and almost the same time in Japan. The conference will be among the (three) coaches to determine what would be the best for the athlete,” Borromeo told SunStar Cebu yesterday.
The country’s top marathoner currently has three coaches headed by her long-time coach John Philip Dueñas, with Japanese coach Akio Usami from Nippon Sports Science University and Italian coach Giuseppe Giambrone from Tuscany Training Camp.
Borromeo said that one of the issues that will be taken up by the camp is the training requirement of Patafa, which requires Tabal to be in Manila or Baguio City.
The 27-year- old Tabal, who’s currently in Italy for a twomonth long training at the Tuscany Camp, refused to comment on the conditions, but she just want to clarify that what she sent to the PSC addressed to Atty. Carlo Abarquez dated Feb. 10 was an incident report and not a complaint letter.
“That incident report was about our communications with Patafa—exchanged messages and emails—since 2014,” she said.
The Patafa’s Reinstatement Committee includes Director and committee co- chair Atty. Rufus Rodriguez, secretary general Reynato Unso, communications and marketing director Edward Kho, Patafa executive vice-president Atty. Nicanor Sering and national athletics coach Jojo Posadas.
The resolution states that Tabal has up to June 14 to send Patafa a written undertaking that she will abide by the terms of the resolution. The deadline for submission of names of athletes for the 29th Southeast Asian (Sea) Games will be on June 15.
Tabal, the first female marathoner to qualify for and finish the Olympics, was the silver medalist in the women’s marathon event of the 28th Sea Games in Singapore.
On her preparation for this year’s SEA Games, the native of Guba, Cebu City showed her superb improvement by winning the women’s 21K race in the 2017 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon in Canada last month.
She clocked 1 hour, 16 minutes and 27 seconds to reset the PHL record, erasing the nine-year record by more than two minutes.
The 29th Sea Games is all set on Aug. 19 to 30 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. RSC