Tabal shows the silver medal she won in the previous edition of the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore in this June 2015 photo. (CDN FILE PHOTO)
CEBUANA Olympian Mary Joy Tabal said she was told she could compete in the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this August.
According to the 27-year-old runner from Barangay Guba in Cebu City, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Butch Ramirez told her during the Awards Night of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) last Monday in Pasay City that she will be able to compete in the biennial meet.
“When sir Butch told me about it, I asked him if he was sure and he answered me with a yes. He said I am going to compete in SEA Games because it is the right thing to do,” Tabal said.
Tabal said Ramirez and some of the members of the National Team congratulated her after hearing the speech of Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) president Philip Juico during the Awards Night. Tabal wasn’t able to hear the speech herself as she was busy granting media interviews at the lobby of the Le Pavillion Metropolitan Park, the venue of the Awards Night.
It can be recalled that Tabal and the Patafa parted ways after the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, where she won a silver medal in marathon. She was momentarily reinstated to the National Team after qualifying for the Olympics last year but was then released again. She needs to be reinstated again to be able to compete in this year’s meet, which means this recent news should be a a welcome development.
But Tabal is not celebrating just yet, not until everything is made official with a statement from Juico and Patafa.
“I’m not sure about this good news. I want proof or a written statement from Patafa just to make sure,” said Tabal. “I don’t want to be disappointed because I only heard it from someone.”
PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez, meanwhile, confirmed the development but said the issue is quite complicated yet.
“We did not have a formal meeting with Philip Juico because I didn’t have time. But, informally, he told me that Tabal is officially included in the list of athletes for the SEA Games,” Fernandez said. “But he said Tabal is not part of the Philippine National Team, meaning she will not receive perks and privileges that a national team member gets. That’s why I want to talk to him again about this matter.”
Fernandez guaranteed that Tabal will be able to compete in the SEA Games but what he is concerned about is her inclusion in the National Team.
“There’s no problem for Tabal to compete in SEA Games. It’s just that she’s not part of the national team anymore, and that will be my main concern when I talk to Juico.”