General Admission
Misplaced applause amid euphoria
By Al S. Mendoza
WE won on the world stage again but then, what’s this?
The heroes weren’t genuine – or so their detractors said.
Read on.
Our dragon boaters won five gold medals in the recent World Dragon Boat Championships in Tampa, Florida.
That made them the toasts easily of not only in the world-famed event but the entire world in love with paddling as a sport fast gaining global recognition.
But, alas, over here, we somehow saw a different mood.
Instead of a whole nation celebrating their feat, the very sector here that was supposed to spearhead the euphoria was cemetery-silent.
And worst, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) was cold-shouldering the fact.
Naturally, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) followed suit.
And, lest you are misled yourself, they are not to be blamed.
Our winning dragon boat team was never recognized from the start by the POC.
And, any entity not being POC-recognized is automatically excluded from financial support by the PSC, the government agency tasked to extend financial support to our athletes.
That’s the law and PSC cannot be faulted for that.
That’s also the policy insofar as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is concerned. What it tells its member-countries, that’s the law.
The IOC had told the POC, headed by Peping Cojuangco, it does not recognize our dragon boaters. So, that’s it. No IOC okay, no POC okay, too.
Peping Cojuangco had long ordered our dragon boaters to join the Canoe and Kayaking association, the duly recognized association for dragon boat in the country.
They refused. So, the Philippine Dragon Boat Team got dumped by the POC.
No POC sanction, no PSC money, too.
Enter the Lucio Tan-owned Philippine Airlines. The flag carrier gave our dragon boaters tickets to America to be able to compete in Florida. For added power, Cobra Energy Drink, also owned by Lucio Tan, gave ample “liquid” support to the team.
When the dusts of battle cleared, the POC and PSC have become the villains, while PAL and Cobra Energy Drink emerged heroes?
In a sense, yes.
Still, my heart goes to the POC and PSC; they are now being vilified for merely implementing the law.
But to PAL and Cobra Energy Drink, kudos have been going their way without let-up. Rightly so. For, they sure have a heart for what’s true and morally upright.
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