THE Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) on Monday took exception to pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena’s threat of retirement after he was compelled to return 85,000 euros (over P4.8 million) in financial assistance for his Ukranian coach’s salary.
In a statement, the Patafa rebuffed Obiena’s claim of “character assassination,” saying the investigation being conducted by the Board was purely internal and kept away from the public.
Patafa said it acted on a statement signed by Obiena’s coach, Vitaly Petrov, who informed the association that he did not receive payment for his services to Obiena.
Petrov’s earlier claim was backed through a signed affidavit by Sergey Bubka, the former superstar pole vaulter who is now the president of the Ukraine Olympic Committee. Bubka is also the senior vice president of World Athletics.
Instead of facing the committee, however, Obiena organized a virtual press conference to press “the full and public withdrawal of the investigation and a full public apology from the authorities involved” in the probe.
The Patafa, however, is bent on asking Obiena if he had paid Petrov on time, as he had claimed in various liquidation reports he submitted to the association.
Obiena has reported to Patafa that he had turned over Petrov’s salary from May 2018 to August 2021 on time.
Records, however, revealed that Obiena had settled obligations with Petrov only recently this month and not during the months that he had officially reported to have paid his coach’s salary.
These payments, late as they were as noted by the Patafa, were made in tranches through banks based in Dubai, Germany, and Manila.
The discrepancy in Obiena’s reports, and the documents from Petrov and Bubka inquiring about the coach’s salary have prompted the Patafa investigation.
