Hidilyn Diaz disyamado sa kaguluhan sa POC

HINDI ikinatuwa ni Hidilyn Diaz, ang tanging babaeng atleta na nakapag-uwi ng medalya sa Olimpiada, ang patuloy na kaguluhan at agawan sa liderato ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
“As a national athlete, Olympian and representative of all national athletes in the Philippine Olympic Committee, it pains me to find that all is not well in our national Olympic body,’’ sabi ng siver medalist sa women’s weightlifting event ng 2016 Olympics sa kanyang binasang “statement” sa POC assembly noong Lunes.
‘‘We athletes make sacrifices throughout our lives – we subject our bodies and minds to conditions and tests that ordinary citizens need not subject themselves to. And we do this with one goal, to be the best in our respective sports, in the hope that it brings honor not just to ourselves, but also to our beloved country.’’
Aniya, hindi nakakatulong sa atleta ang nagaganap na “power struggle” sa POC.
‘‘We need not be subjected to the additional burden of being at the receiving end of division, strife and discord in our national Olympic body,” sabi pa ni Diaz.
“It pains me to see that the organization that is supposed to act as the guiding light for sports in the country is so divided on something that should be so basic — to elect its leaders in free, fair and credible elections.’’
Hindi dapat aniya haluan ng pulitika ang sports.
‘‘Sport is supposed to be insulated from politics. So it is sad to see that our national Olympic body itself appears to be mired in its own internalpolitics. This should not happen, because the persons that will ultimately be prejudiced by all of his are your athletes,” aniya.
“I would like to appeal to our leaders here today to put an end to all this political noise besetting our main sports body, and conduct free, fair and credible elections that will determine the leadership of sports in the country, and guide us, your national athletes, in our quest to bring honor to our country through our achievements in sports.”
Sa pag-uutos ng korte ay nakatakdang magkaroon muli ng eleksyon ang POC sa Biernes kung saan inaasahang muling tatakbo ang presidente nitong si Peping Cojuangco. —Angelito Oredo