Bold move

  By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

Two weeks ago, we printed here a petition letter handed to me by one of our national cycling team members, accusing their head coach, Jommel Lorenzo, of serious irregularities.

The letter was addressed to Bert Lina, the president of PhilCycling, the national governing body of cycling.

No need to elaborate because I believe you read that issue and is aware of the whole content.

The letter was originally signed by 12 national members and the latest info I received was there were already 15 out of 17 who affixed their signatures.

Of course, it’s normal procedure for the cycling board to investigate the allegations in fairness to everyone involved. In the end, the decision turned to be drastic but fair.

The board disbanded its entire national team, their reason being so that it could start with a clean slate in its bid for the 2012 London Olympics.

It says the cycling federation will immediately reconstitute the national team as soon as it reestablishes the national coaching staff.

It also said that in fairness to every cyclist, especially the young ones, trials will be held for all interested participants, including those who were medal winners in the latest SEA Games in Thailand, to select the new members of the national pool and eventually the national squad for all kinds of cycling events like road, track and mountain bike. It did not say when, but I guess soon.

The federation also said that if the trials could not produce a competitive team—which I believe is next to impossible—it would impose at least a year’s moratorium on foreign competitions to concentrate on the training, locally and internationally, for the potential national riders.

I salute the national riders for their expose against their head coach Lorenzo. Likewise I doff my hat for the bold move of the federation. That should have been done noon pa sana.

During my era as a national cycling team member in 1964, when the late Atty. Geruncio Lacuesta headed the association, all of us, nationals were expelled from the squad after competing in an international event.

The aim was to give a chance to others to pass the test and enter the national pool and eventually the national team.

I believe that’s fair, democratic and logical move.

But for the last three decades, after Lacuesta was replaced, the practice was shelved and the palakasan system emerged. And this is the reason why other nations like Hongkong, Malaysia and Vietnam have already overtaken us as far as international sports competitions are concerned.

Why? Because of palakasan.

The brouhaha created by these nationals served as a wake up call for the federation officials. I hope and wish they will not change their minds.

Look what happened to our basketball leaders, nagpataasan ng ihi.

And now in billiards. Exploited and neglected too. This is the reason why our national players formed a maverick group headed by Efren “Bata” Reyes, Django Bustamante, Alex Pagulayan, Ronnie Alcano, et al. You can’t blame them. They’re fed up.

Same could happen in cycling, but I am confident Lina can cure it.

(Readers may reach columnist at biking.jess@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/sports-eye/
For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

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