28 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY February 16 - 28 , 2018
SPECTATOR
By Al Mendoza
I LIKE IT when Butch Ramirez is angry .
It means Butch that has finally rediscovered his powers , foremost of which is — as chair of the Philippine Sports Commission ( PSC )— he could impose his will on any erring sports official in the land .
Just recently , Butch warned the Philippine Olympic Committee ( POC ) to resolve its leadership crisis or face consequences .
Everybody knows that the POC leadership under Olympic president Jose “ Peing ” Cojuangco has been embroiled in a dispute with Ricky Vargas for years now .
It all began when Cojuangco ’ s committee of election disqualified Vargas in the 2016 POC presidential election on the flimsy reason that Vargas was not an “ active member ” of the POC General Assembly .
Vargas went to court to question his ouster , in the process contesting Cojuangco ’ s hollow victory .
The Pasig court ruled in favor of Vargas .
When Cojuangco went to the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) for clarification , he was somewhat rebuked when the IOC said the POC must honor the court ’ s decision .
But then , the IOC decision had an ambivalent nature as it also ordered the general assembly to set the parameters of the new election set Feb . 23 .
As I write this , the general assembly was busy hammering out rules that , in essence , might eventually disqualify Vargas again , according to Cojuangco ’ s allies — which are many .
Also reportedly set to be barred from running on the same issue of not being
“ an active member ” in the general assembly is Bambol Tolentino , the congressman from Tagaytay City .
Tolentino was likewise disqualified to run for POC chairman in 2016 .
Everybody is of the opinion that Cojuangco ’ s election committee , which is comprised once more of the same 2016 members headed by Frank Elizalde , would disqualify Vargas and Tolentino anew .
For the record , Elizalde was succeeded by Imee Cojuangco Jaworski as the Philippines ’ permanent representative to the IOC . Imee is Cojuangco ’ s oldest daughter .
Do we have a moro-moro here ?
Cojuangco would reason out that the IOC “ could not be disobeyed ” or the POC might face suspension for insubordination .
The general assembly could kick Vargas and Tolentino out yet again by the election committee .
Should that happen , both could go to court again to seek redress — ensuring another long process and prolonging the agony a sports set-up in turmoil .
There is an unwritten rule in the Olympic movement that an Olympic association of any country that is a member of the IOC is virtually autonomous . Meaning , courts could not meddle in its affairs .
There is even tradition that the Olympic movement is a government in itself and is independent in its statutes that make it separate in governance with an established republic .
Thus , although Butch is head of the Philippine Sports Commission ( PSC ) tasked to support the POC on
Sad state yet again of Philippine sports
financial matters , he could not dictate on the Olympic council .
At most , Ramirez can threaten to withdraw financial support but never to order Cojuangco to obey him at his beck and call .
In fact , Butch ’ s anger can be easily dismissed by Cojuangco and yell back , “ I don ’ t need PSC money . We have more than enough money coming from the support of the IOC .”
He is right on that . The POC traditionally gets a substantial amount of subsidy from the IOC yearly .
But the ones that will really suffer terribly once PSC stops extending financial support are the national sports associations ( NSAs ) under the POC .
Like the POC , several NSAs are likewise beset with internal squabbles as well .
For one , Butch has been hot on the heels of the Philippine Karatedo Federation , whose leaders are being probed for alleged mishandling of association funds . The National Bureau of Investigation ( NBI ) has already stepped in to ferret out the truth .
In particular , Butch is zeroing in on the POC .
“ They should resolve the crisis [ within the POC ],” Butch said in a statement . “ If not , the government will stop funding if they continue to be divided .”
Cojuangco ’ s stubbornness to disallow Vargas to challenge him could further divide the POC .
It ’ d be bad for Philippine sports as a whole as the SEA Games is fast approaching , not to mention the Asian Games and the 2020 Olympic Games being also just around the corner .
As PSC head , Butch is actually
the main source of strength of our Philippine sports as he holds the purse binding not only all our athletes but the officials themselves as well .
If Butch thinks some of our NSA officials — if not all of them — are into some hanky panky in the handling of funds , he can step in anytime to straighten out matters .
He is clothed by law to dispense money with due diligence , and Butch should safeguard public funds with his own life . Since PSC money is government money , it follows that that money is ultimately people ’ s money .
In his strongly-worded statement , Butch said : “ The government has the right to protect itself from unacceptable behavior and acts … by the POC . [ The lack of unity among sports officials ] has no place in a democratic society and should not be tolerated .” Fighting words long overdue . For , indeed , it ’ s about time Butch imposed an iron-fisted policy in dealing with errant officials .
Why give money at all to nonperforming , belligerent officials , athletes ?
Hey , Butch . Our officials have been acting child-like for the longest time . Start throwing the book at them . Hit them where it hurts most : Withdraw financial support .
Meanwhile , I hope the February 23 elections did not disqualify Vargas and Tolentino again .
Otherwise , another court case could erupt anew , with Vargas putting Cojuangco to task for the same reasons cited in the 2016 polls .
The case could drag on and on and on — to the detriment of Philippine sports already long suffering in painful doldrums .
Genesis ‘ Kashimi ’ Servania signed a multi-year promotional agreement with the company that is lead by Hall Of Fame Promoter , Bob Arum
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LAS VEGAS — Filipino fan favorite and top featherweight contender Genesis “ Kashimi ” Servania has agreed to a multi-year promotional agreement with Top Rank , Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum announced today .
Servania ( 30-1 , 13 KOs ) opened the collective eyes of the boxing world in his American debut last September in Tucson , Arizona , when he challenged World Boxing Organization ( WBO ) featherweight champion , Oscar Valdez . In one of the best fights of 2017 , Servania knocked down Valdez in the fourth round but ultimately lost a unanimous decision .
In his last ring outing , on December 17 in Kanazawa , Japan , Servania knocked out Kittiwat Sirichotchayakun in the first round with a left hook to the body .
“ This is a dream come true ,”
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Servania said . “ I am very happy because Top Rank is the number one promoter in the world . It is such an honor to join Top Rank , led by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum , who began his career with The Greatest , Muhammad Ali . I am very grateful and excited to be a part of the Top Rank / ESPN team . Especially now , with the recent launch of ESPN 5 in the Philippines , this is wonderful timing .”
Servania , a native of Bacolod City , Negros Occidental , Philippines , won the first 29 bouts of his career , including a 2014 TKO victory over two-time World Boxing Association ( WBA ) super flyweight champion Alexander Munoz . He earned the title shot against Valdez last April when he scored a second-round TKO over Ralph Jhon Lulu to win the vacant WBO Asia Pacific belt .
“ Before my world title fight with
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Oscar Valdez last September , ESPN commentator Timothy Bradley asked me who my favorite boxers are . I answered ‘ Manny Pacquiao … and you ,’” Servania said . “ I was so happy . It was a great moment . I didn ’ t expect to be interviewed by a world champion , my idol . I am very excited about the fights ahead . This motivates me to train even harder to make the most of the great chances and guidance Top Rank will provide . I believe that if I move forward step by step and do my best , I too will become |
a world champion .”
Servania ’ s first fight under the Top Rank banner will be announced soon .
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