Stop fighting, please

The POC and the PSC are like a married couple. They can’t exist without the other.

It is no secret that the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee do not see eye to eye.

In fact, during the 19th Asian Games, POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino threw barbs at the PSC, saying that its officials were not team players, and he would not hesitate to call for their ouster if necessary.

Tolentino’s rant had basis.

Shortly after he and other ranking POC officials arrived in Hangzhou for the Asian Games, he received a letter from the Commission on Audit asking them to liquidate a cash advance of P10 million.

There’s nothing wrong with demanding a liquidation, as this is normal for any private organization that uses government funds. But what enraged Tolentino was the amount CoA was requesting they liquidate was incurred during the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998.

Tolentino was extremely furious.

He said the PSC and CoA were barking up the wrong tree as he had not yet been “born” into Philippine sports in 1998. The unliquidated expenses were said to have been incurred during the time of former presidential daughter Cristy Ramos as PoC chief when she asked Malacañang for funds after having difficulty drawing money from the PSC, then headed by her nemesis, Philip Ella Juico.

Tolentino also questioned the motive and timing of the demand letter as it was sent on 20 September and was handed to him three days before the Asian Games opening ceremony.

He tagged the move a political maneuver, an apparent attempt to sabotage his efforts to lead Team Philippines to its best-ever finish in the Asian Games.

Fortunately for him, the athletes still delivered with EJ Obiena of athletics, Gilas Pilipinas of men’s basketball, and Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez of jiu-jitsu emerging with gold medals to match the country’s gold production in the 18th edition of the Games in Jakarta in 2018.

On the other hand, the PSC was in defense mode.

PSC chief Richard “Dickie” Bachmann said they had nothing to do with the demand letter as it was part of the routine accounting process in accordance with CoA rules and regulations. He explained that although it holds office at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, CoA is an entirely different entity from the PSC, and they have no mandate over it.

Instead of fighting back, Bachmann reached out to Tolentino, saying he would help them secure a clearance from CoA to still receive government support for their projects and other endeavors.

Still, the cracks in the relationship between the two highest sports officials in the country were very obvious.

During the Asian Games, Tolentino and Bachmann hardly talked to each other whenever their paths crossed. They were at the same venue — in the VIP box, to be specific — when Alex Eala and Francis Casey Alcantara were battling Taiwanese netters in the semifinals of the mixed doubles tennis event, but they didn’t make an effort to talk to shatter the massive wall that divides them.

When they returned to Manila, their frosty relationship continued.

During the recognition ceremony graced by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Rizal Memorial, Tolentino and Bachmann made sure that their eyes did not meet. They were aloof and very distant from each other despite sharing the same stage.

Tolentino even reportedly stepped out of the venue immediately when the Chief Executive and his entourage left after distributing the financial rewards to the national athletes who emerged victorious in the Asian Games.

The POC and the PSC should stop this petty catfight as soon as possible.

At this point, Filipino athletes do not need warring leaders. They are entering a critical period of shooting for slots in the Paris Olympics, and they need leaders who will motivate, inspire, and rally behind them morally and financially.

The POC and the PSC are like a married couple. They can’t exist without the other.

While the POC is the body sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee to identify, form, and send athletes to major international events like the Olympics, Asian Games, and Southeast Asian Games, it couldn’t function properly without government support through the PSC.

But like any married couple, the POC and the PSC have their disagreements — the most controversial was in 2009 when the squabble between POC chief Jose “Peping” Cojuangco and PSC chairman Harry Angping led to the formation of two separate national teams for the Laos SEA Games.

Team Angping donned yellow tracksuits and flew to the Laotian capital of Vientiane on a chartered plane, while Team Cojuangco donned red, white and blue tracksuits and boarded a commercial flight.

One country, two national teams. It was truly embarrassing.

Tolentino’s and Bachmann’s case is nothing but a simple misunderstanding. It can be resolved with an audit conference or a simple dinner to break the ice and realign their objectives.

It is not yet too late. Time is still on their side. This married couple should start talking for the sake of their children — the national athletes.

There’s nothing wrong with being humble for the sake of Philippine sports.

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Credit belongs to: tribune.net.ph