MANILA—After one of the country’s best hope for an Olympic gold gone, Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez called on National Sports Association officials for a drastic change in the country’s sports program.
Even as he did not directly mention a change in the leadership of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap), Ramirez said the debacle suffered by Team Philippines in the 29th Beijing Olympics showed a need to overhaul the NSA sports program particularly in the grass root development.
“I’m very sad. It’s about time there should be drastic change in the country’s sports program especially in our effort to search for talents in the grass root level,” Ramirez said in a tele-conference with reporters at the PSC secretariat office in Manila here.
The move echoes similar calls for a major revamp after the Athens Olympic debacle, where Tañamor was also the last pug to lose.
On the other hand, Abap president Manny Lopez expressed sadness over the unexpected early exit of lone boxing entry Harry Tañamor in the lightflyweight division the other day at the Workers Stadium in Beijing, China.
Lopez, however, was gracious enough to accept the debacle, saying the 30-year-old Tanamor lost to a good boxer.
“Marunong kaming tumanggap ng pagkatalo. Natalo si Harry sa mas magaling na boksingero,” said Lopez the morning after Tañamor, who prepared long for the 29th Olympic Games, lost his round of 32 bout to join a list of seven Filipino athletes who are now reduced to tourists smiling for photographs at the Great Wall and Tiananmen Square.
Tourist
Tañamor, who lost 3-6 of Manyo Plange of Ghana in the 48-kilo division, joined shooter Eric Ang, archer Mark Javier, lifter Hidylin Diaz, and swimmers Miguel Molina, JB Walsh and Daniel Coakley in the sideline only eight days into the Games.
“The opponent was really good even if he was shorter. He got the better of the exchanges but there were a lot of body blows from Harry that wasn’t scored,” said boxing coach Pat Gaspi.
Gaspi’s explanation mirrors that of then Tañamor’s coach George Caliwan of his 2004 defeat.
The 24-year Plange of Ghana, on the other hand, offered his personal opinion over the setback of Tañamor, saying in perfect English, what he thought of the fight that stunned the entire Filipino nation.
“Today, he (Tañamor) underrated me. He didn’t think I could win the fight. He didn’t know me but I know him and that’s why I won,” said Plange, a two-time African champion, who used car tires as improvised punching bag while preparing for his first Olympic appearance. (AP)
