THE Philippine Sports Commission has sent a letter to the Armed Forces requesting that three-time Olympian weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and 2021 Tokyo Olympic-bound boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, who are both enlisted with the Philippine Air Force, be detailed to the sports agency, along with 76 other national athletes and 52 coaches from 19 sports disciplines.
In a meeting among the PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee and the Armed Forces last Tuesday, the tripartite agreement granting detailed services for national athletes was renewed. The agreement expired last May.
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, national coaches, Olympic qualifiers and front-runners for an Olympic berth in their respective sports shall be given priority for now, according to the PSC.
“We are working with the POC in drawing up the list,” PSC Acting Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr. said.
Col. Rocky Binag, chief of the AFP Special Service Unit; POC Secretary General Atty. Ed Gastanes, Iroy and NSA Affairs Head Annie Ruiz discussed the details of the agreement and are hoping to finalize it by mid-August.
“Diaz and Marcial have requested that they be detailed with the PSC up to 2020. They are among the athletes being considered by the AFP to be detailed with the PSC. The rest will be recalled to their mother units,” said Ruiz, referring to the soldier-athletes of the national team who were all recalled to active duty due to the pandemic.
Nineteen sports, namely, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, wrestling, boxing, baseball, rowing, sailing, sepak takraw, softball, soft tennis, weightlifting, cycling, obstacle sports, muaythai, judo and PHILSPADA athletes in athletics, badminton, table tennis and cycling are among those hoping to be included in the detail order.
