CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) deferred the suspension of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) in the “spirit of sportsmanship” on Wednesday, March 30, 2022.
However, POC did not spare the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta).
The POC General Assembly ratified on Wednesday its Executive Board’s decision to suspend the Philta for 90 days following its failure to heed the International Tennis Federation’s instruction to amend its charter and hold encompassing election of officers.
A total of 42 out of 55 voting members of the POC ratified Philta’s suspension, which exceeded the required two-thirds vote.
POC President, Representative Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, however, deferred putting on the floor Patafa’s suspension.
“In the spirit of sportsmanship and because of the Lenten season, I deferred the move to suspend the Patafa as decided by the POC Executive Board,” Tolentino said.
“And because of the unfinished mediation procedure between the Patafa and EJ [Ernest John] Obiena, a vote to suspend the athletics federation wasn’t offered to the GA.”
But Tolentino stressed that deferring the motion to suspend the Patafa would be on the agenda in next month’s general assembly of the POC.
“If the Patafa doesn’t endorse EJ [Obiena] in the next GA, the suspension will be decided on the floor,” said Tolentino after the hybrid general assembly held af the Grandmaster Hotel in Tagaytay City.
The POC Executive Board announced earlier this month to suspend Patafa and Philta for 90 days.
Patafa’s suspension was mainly because of its incessant denial to endorse embattled pole vault star Ernest John “EJ” Obiena in various international meets such as the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Hungary and the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Hanoi, Vietnam in May.
In addition, Patafa didn’t endorse Obiena for the to the Hangzhou Asian Games in September and the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July.
Despite the non-endorsement of Patafa, Obiena was still included on POC’s list of Filipino athletes to vie in the 31st SEA Games.
/bmjo
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POC Executive Board suspends PATAFA, Philta