Fernandez’s cry for help
OUR four Olympic bets and other hopefuls to Tokyo 2021 are battling everything, including the virus scare, to stay in shape at all times.
But amid the pandemic crisis comes a roadblock for the Fab Four’s continued, sustained preparation: depletion of training expenses. And, of all people, it’s our government officials doing the damage.
It can’t be helped, though.
For utter lack of money to combat Covid-19, Malacañang was forced to raid the coffers of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), stashing away some P1.3 billion for redirection to coronavirus expenses.
Compounding our athletes’ woes was the continued non-remittance by Pagcor (Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp.) of 5 percent of its monthly earnings to the PSC’S National Sports Development Fund (NSDF). That’s the direct result of revenue-producing casinos across the country getting shuttered down by the scourge.
Our athletes are now supposed to be switching to higher gear in their training,” Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, now the PSC officer-in-charge, told the Inquirer’s June Navarro.
He was referring particularly to pole vaulter OJ Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo and boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno, all qualifiers to the Tokyo Olympics reset to July 2021.
Not only are the four in dire need of training expenses but also strong Tokyo candidates like 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, skateboarding’s Margielyn Didal, boxer Nesthy Petecio and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe.
More than 60 more athletes from 18 sports are also struggling to earn Olympic slots, among them track and field’s Kristina Knott and Willie Morrison, karatekas Jamie Lim and Junna Tsukii and golfers Yuka Saso, Dottie Ardina and Miguel Tabuena.
“If government funding remains a huge obstacle in the second half of the year, we have to knock on the doors of the private sector,” said Fernandez. “We have to look for money for the financial requirements of our athletes.”
Actually, many athletes around the world, not to mention their coaches and dieticians, are also suffering from the coronavirus crisis as budget cuts in global sports training have grievously affected their financial status.
Thus, I dread the thought of our Olympians reporting to Tokyo half-baked a.k.a. halftrained, if not under-trained. I pray the Tokyo Olympics would not be renamed Tokyo Ohlimping.
THAT’S IT Birthday greetings to Malaya Sol M. Sadiwa and New Zealand-based Danny Isla (July 21) and Sol F. Juvida (July 23) from dearest ones Dayong, Shang, Mayo, Dada and Migel; Ayapot, Ricky and Ikap; Joy It; and, Tatay Ah. Cheers!