WHEN sports enthusiasts speak of NSAs (national sports associations) it is either because it has produced champion athletes or there’s dispute in leadership and control.
Last Wednesday, sports scribes were gathered by two disgruntled sports leaders who wanted to air their side: Edgardo “Boy” Cantada of the Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) in Manila at noon and Raymond Velayo of Arnis Philippines, Inc (ARPI) in San Juan in the afternoon.
After battling heavy traffic to attend both functions, I was able to hear their angle and listen to their take of the situation their respective associations are currently in. Both leaders, however, addressed their ire against the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
For those of you unfamiliar with Philippine sports, the POC is the mother organization of the NSAs. As written in the POC Charter, only one association shall be recognized by the POC as the official national body for one particular sport.
And only the association sanctioned by the POC can represent the country in the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games and the Olympics.
Hence, only the NSAs can get endorsements from the POC to ask for financial assistance from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
The POC is a private, non-governmental organization while the PSC is the agency under the Office of the Philippine President which tackles matters concerning sports in the country and that includes funding the training and competition of the athletes under the supervision of the NSAs.
Having said these, we can now go back to PVF and ARPI.
Let’s start with volleyball.
The PVF was ‘unceremoniously’ ousted from the POC four years ago and was replaced by Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas, Inc (LVPI) under the leadership of then POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr.
Since then, the PVF was not disbanded but rather focused its programs into developing volleyball at the grassroots level, which Cantada claims, the LVPI has failed to do.
Cantada said that the POC had no reason to strip PVF of its membership because, for one, the PVF has never disbanded and, two, they did not break any rules.
Now that Cojuangco has been replaced by Ricky Vargas at the POC helm and with the promise that “change will come,” Cantada was hoping they can get a fair treatment from the new POC leadership.
Still, the LVPI continues to enjoy the blessings of the POC and the PVF continues to seek justice.
Cantada, however, still has an ace in his hand because, after all these years, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) continues to recognize the PVF as the official NSA from the Philippines.
Although he has not gotten hold of the official letter from the FIVB yet, Cantada said the FIVB General Assembly has denied recognition to LVPI during the 36th FIVB World Congress in Cancun, Mexico last November 24.
“The ball is on the POC’s hand. Nagdesisyon na ang FIVB, dapat itong kilalanin ng POC kasabay ang pagkilos na bigyan kami ng karapatan na dinggin ang aming isyu sa (POC) General Assembly. Kung magbotohan ang GA at kami ay pinatatalsik, magpapasalamat kami dahil dumaan kami sa proseso,” said Cantada.
“The PVF has waited long enough, it is willing to be investigated by the POC and be judged by its peers in the General Assembly. Let us all be gentlemen here, we owe Philippine sports a show of true fairness and justice.”
Cantada said, out of the 200 FIVB members, only 109 voted to oust PVF which is not enough to remove PVF from the international organization. LVPI needs two-third votes from the body to get rid of PVF and get FIVB recognition.
Shifting to arnis, the scenario is somewhat familiar.
During the POC General Assembly last November 22 in Pasig City, ARPI was expelled from the group.
Velayo, sitting beside former POC president Cojuangco during the press conference, cited Section 6 of the POC by-laws.
He said, membership of the NSA in the POC shall cease (a) upon disbandment of the NSA and (b) upon expulsion for non-payment of annual subscription for three consecutive years; expulsion of the NSA by its international federation; or infringement of the POC By-Laws and Olympic Charter.
“Based on Section 6, there is no valid reason to remove us and there is no basis for the revocation,” Velayo said.
Velayo added that no reason was even given to the group as to why ARPI must be removed from the POC.
“They said the General Assembly voted 39 out of 43 against us and they changed the figure to 38 out of 42,” Velayo said. “How can it be when there were only 25 voting members present in the General Assembly.”
Velayo and his group, meanwhile, vowed to challenge the POC decision and fight for “due process.”