THE decision of the Philippine Olympic Committee Executive Board to suspend the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association is not final and executory unless validated by two-thirds vote of the POC’s regular members, according to a veteran former POC official.
“Our present constitution and by-laws require two-thirds vote by our regular members for the suspension of a National Sports Association, so the POC Executive Board’s decision is not yet final and executory,” the former official, who declined to be identified, said.
The POC board’s decision was triggered by the Patafa’s move to exclude pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena in the national team for the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games pending the resolution of its mediation process involving the athlete brokered by the Philippine Sports Commission.
The Italy-based Obiena is embroiled in a conflict with Patafa over alleged improprieties he committed concerning government funds that he was given for his build-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games, including fees meant for his Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov.
“Membership of an NSA in the POC may be suspended for whatever reason as may be decided by a two-thirds vote of the entire voting membership of the POC. Suspension of membership includes suspension of privileges of a member,” the source said, citing Article 5, Section 8 of the POC charter.
The board called for a POC general assembly meeting on March 30 to ratify the 90-day suspension, but until then, the source said “this board ruling cannot be enforced.”
Patafa continues to be recognized by World Athletics, with WA President Sebastian Coe writing athletics chief Philip Juico last Feb. 8 that the association is the sole authority for track and field in the country. Coe considers the issue of Obiena “an internal matter” between the athlete and its association.
