By el Amigo

MANILA — The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), in partnership with the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHI-NADO), sought to allay public concerns surrounding the iffy participation of athletes in the Olympics.

PSC chairman Richard Bachmann made the move last Friday (26 Jan 2024), assuring that the commission is diligently working towards full compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code at the same time, he urged the nationals on Monday (29 Jan 2024) to stay focused on their respective trainings.

Only four (4) national athletes have so far qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics slated Friday, July 26, 2024, to Sunday, August 11, 2024.

EJ Obiena earned a ticket into the Paris Olympics after hitting the qualifying mark at the BAUHAUS-Galan meet of the 2023 Diamond League on 2 July 2023 even as middleweight Eumir Marcial qualified for the games by reaching the final of the middleweight division at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last year.

Two gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan are also seeing action in the quadrennial meet. Yulo grabbed a seat for himself by being the highest-ranked eligible athlete in the men’s floor exercise while Aleah Finnegan qualified as she was one of the 14 highest-ranked eligible athletes in the women’s all-around at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.

Finnegan is the first Filipina gymnast to qualify for the Summer Olympics since 1964 featuring Maria-Luisa Floro and Evelyn Magluyan.

Bachmann’s response follows earlier reports suggesting the commission’s lack of adherence to the WADA Code, raising potential risks to the Philippine flag’s presence at the Paris Olympics, Paralympic Games, and other significant regional competitions like the Asian and Southeast Asian Games.

Initially given a deadline of January 22 by WADA, the PSC’s compliance timeline was extended to February 13 following the evaluation of PHI-NADO’s initial submission of requirements by the anti-doping agency.

According to the PSC’s statement on Friday night, PHI-NADO engaged in compliance-related activities from September to December of the previous year. Certain revisions to crucial Code requirements are underway based on WADA’s evaluations, with PHI-NADO anticipating closure within the next 21 days.

WADA’s letter to the PSC underscored the imperative for the sporting commission to adhere to the Code, specifically in developing and implementing an effective, intelligent, and proportionate Test Distribution Plan encompassing all Registered Testing Pool athletes from various sports or disciplines.

The letter stated that the PSC has until February 13 to contest WADA’s allegations of non-compliance, the associated consequences, and the proposed reinstatement conditions. Failure to dispute within 21 days would lead to the allegations being deemed admitted, automatically accepting the consequences and reinstatement conditions proposed by WADA.

The PSC stressed that these consequences were “avoidable” and emphasized their ongoing collaboration with WADA to address any remaining concerns. They expressed unwavering commitment to ensuring that national athletes can continue to compete on the global stage with honor and integrity.

(MNM)