ATHLETICS chief Philip Ella Juico won’t withdraw his appeal with the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport until the Philippine Olympic Committee general assembly has formally dropped the persona non grata decision against him.
“I will only withdraw my CAS appeal after the POC general assembly has decided to formally drop the persona non grata issue against me,” Juico said yesterday, referring to the decision last Jan. 26 of the POC general assembly as an offshoot of Patafa’s conflict with pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena.
Patafa and the Italy-based athlete patched things up last week in a virtual meeting together with other national athletes and coaches after the successful mediation process conducted by Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez.
As a result, the POC Executive Board decided last week to drop its resolutions of declaring Juico persona non grata as well as suspending the local track body for 90 days, which was deferred by the POC general assembly upon the initiative of POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
Juico pointed out that only the POC regular members can void the persona non grata case against him, similar to the way that 36 of them upheld the resolution of the POC board regarding the matter last Jan. 26.
This was after Patafa stood pat in invoking its autonomy over an internal matter involving Obiena, who filed a case of harassment against Juico with the POC Ethics Committee last Nov. 18, instead of facing the association’s inquiry over the liquidation of his expenses in his buildup to the Tokyo Olympics last year.
“Our appeal with CAS will remain until such time as the persona non grata issue against me has been decided on by the POC general regular membership,” Juico stressed. “If this is not done, our appeal with CAS remains.”
He expressed confidence the international sports tribunal would find merit in Patafa’s plea once it examines and reviews the facts that led to the POC decision.
Juicol also cited reports (not in Malaya-Business Insight) last week quoting Tolentino’s threat to suspend Patafa once it fails to accredit Obiena to the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
“The statements of the POC contrast with the steadfast determination of the Patafa to resolve its internal issues using its own policies and processes and exercise its autonomy to endorse any athlete of its choice based on its own criteria and with the law which defines membership in the national team: moral character, attitude, aptitude, discipline and skill,” the athletic honcho said.
“While Patafa respects the role of the POC in multi-sport events such as the SEA Games, Asian Games and Olympics, the POC should not undermine the authority and power of all NSAs (National Sports Associations) to govern their respective sports,” he noted.
