THE Philippine Swimming Inc. continues to be recognized by World Aquatics as the national sports association for the sport in the country, based on the world swimming body’s response to the case the PSI filed against it with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“World Aquatics stated in one of its submissions that ‘the PSI is and remains WA’s recognized National Federation of the Philippines,’” the PSI board, directly quoting WA’s plea to CAS, said in a letter addressed to other NSAs that Malaya-Business Insight obtained yesterday.
“The WA stated in no uncertain terms that PSI ‘is and remains affiliated with WA,’” added the PSI board.
PSI sources said its board was compelled to file the case with the Lausanne-based arbitration body last Dec. 20 after the World Aquatics Executive Bureau decided to withdraw recognition of the PSI board and “expelled” the NSA from the federation.
This was contained in its correspondence last Dec. 3 and 15, 2023 addressed to the PSI, with copies furnished to the Philippine Olympic Committee.
The PSI made the decision to seek CAS intervention after the international federation’s Executive Bureau failed to formally inform it of the reasons in expelling the organization.
This included withdrawing recognition from the PSI board while establishing a “stabilization committee” to oversee the day-to-day affairs of the group, and dropping the local swimming body from its roster of members.
The letter was signed by PSI president Lailani “Lani” Velasco, board representatives Sherwin Santiago, Jefferson Lao, Lea Antig, Robert Bernard Tan, Edgardo Lora, secretary general Atty. Levy Ang, treasurer Vero Paloma Jr. and corporate secretary Antoinette Mendoza.
To further underscore its legitimacy, the PSI statement revealed that World Aquatics sent an invoice to the NSA asking it to pay the annual $200 membership fee last Jan. 20, which the organization paid three days after the notice was sent.
“We invite you (other NSA leaders) to verify the foregoing facts directly with World Aquatics and its representatives,” the PSI board statement said.
“With these developments, we hope that any doubts about the legitimacy of PSI as a member federation of World Aquatics has been quashed. PSI has not been ‘expelled’ by its International Federation,” the PSI board said.
The PSI board felt constrained to issue the letter after an “omnibus motion” began circulating among Philippine Olympic Committee regular members to expel the local swimming organization from the POC’s ranks last Jan. 12.
The petition was supposed to be deliberated upon during the POC general assembly meeting that was cancelled last Jan. 18.
A PSI source said the resolution was being circulated only to POC members deemed “sympathetic” to the decision.
“As NSAs, we have the privilege of being given the mandate to carry out the arduous task of promoting and developing our respective sports in our country,” the PSI board said. “The last thing we want is for our legitimacy to be baselessly questioned. We hope you all share in this sentiment.”
