THE Philippine Sports Commission yesterday urged the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association and pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena to refrain from issuing any further public statements in a bid to defuse the raging controversy between the two parties.
“We now demand the parties to refrain from issuing statements to the public and on social media,” the PSC said in a statement yesterday. “We hope that the imposition of this moratorium will allow this proposed dialogue a chance to help us all arrive at a proper resolution on this matter.”
Led by Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, the government sports agency warned that “should this option fail, we regret that the PSC shall be constrained to implement actions that would negatively redound to the concerned federation with regard to financial assistances.”
This statement, which the PSC issued a day after being told by Malacanang to look into the mess, means the sports agency maybe constrained to lower the boom on the Patafa regarding the financial assistance it has been receiving from the PSC.
The Patafa welcomed the PSC’s intervention concerning the alleged delayed or withheld payments by Obiena in salaries to his Ukrainian coach, Vitaly Petrov, amounting to 85,000 euros (roughly P4.8 million) since 2018.
“We (Patafa) will support whatever the PSC decides to help clarify what is essentially a simple matter of checking authenticity and accuracy of records to promote transparency and accountability and defend welfare of all stakeholders, especially athletes, volunteer sports organizations and administrators, government sponsors and fans,” the athletics body said in separate statement.
Athletics chief Philip Ella Juico had earlier said the money being given by the PSC as payment for Petrov’s salary had been given to Obiena, which the athlete was supposed to give to his coach. Juico also said that Obiena had sent liquidation reports attesting to the fact that he had given Petrov his salary, which it turns out now is not true. Obiena, now ranked No. 6 in the world under the guidance of Petrov, had threatened to quit over the probe being conducted by the Patafa on the non-payment of Petrov’s salary.
The PSC said it was not taking the matter lightly since government funds were involved. “We have already quietly started a series of separate dialogues with each of the concerned parties, with the quick and just resolution of the issue in mind,” it stressed.
“We remain vigilant in dispensing our tasks, part of which is protecting our national athletes and ensuring the proper use of financial assistance given to any organization like the Patafa,” the PSC added.
“We are bound by duty to mediate and call both parties to the table in the interest of truth and arresting the damage this tussle has done to our country’s image in the international sporting world,” it added.
