Sunday, September 07, 2008 Cesafi not pleased with Milo Olympics 'interference'
THE Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) hit at Milo Little Olympics for “wrecking” the schedule of the Cesafi auxiliary events.
“Our events could not start right away because of Milo Little Olympics. There is a schedule conflict and we have to move our events because of Milo and some of Milo’s tournament managers are the tournament managers of Cesafi. Other than that, some coaches gave their commitment without the permission from schools,” said commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy.
Cesafi has an existing rule about allowing athletes to join other leagues, while the Cesafi is ongoing, a rule which the group will be strictly implementing this next year.
This early, five key players from Southwestern University’s basketball squad is sitting out the rest of the season for violating the rule.
However, Milo organizer Ricky Ballesteros took it in stride. “Milo schedules are plotted one year earlier by the Manila office. And I am very certain that there are no conflicts in the schedule ever since,” Ballesteros said.
Schedule
Tiukinhoy added that there the organizers of the 13-year-old league should approach Cebu’s seven-year-old inter-school league to coordinate with them about the schedules. Tiukinhoy expects Milo to work around Cesafi’s schedule and not the other way around.
“Cesafi will not approach them because they are the ones, who need our athletes to promote their products,” Tiukinhoy added.
“These students are given scholarships and not enrolled to play in Milo,’ Tiukinhoy said.
Ballesteros, however, added that even if Milo Little Olympics is a corporate endeavor, the mileage still goes to the school, not the sponsor.
“It really depends on the schools and athletes if they want to join Milo. Besides, Milo, which is endorsed by the Department of Education, focuses mostly on basic education,” Ballesteros added.
Members
Cesafi only has eight member schools out of the more than 200 schools competing in Milo, which boasts of a higher level of competition as it is a regional meet.
Ballesteros added that there is no problem with coordinating the schedules because he believes that the more exposures for the athletes the better, however, all the sporting events for Milo was plotted by the Manila office.
Meanwhile, Cesafi deputy commissioner for auxiliary events, Danilo Villadolid, will be suggesting to just include the opening for other events with basketball, which always comes first in Cesafi.
“That way, all the events will be through before the semester ends,” said Villadolid. “Swimming and athletics will only take a day or two and it will not take long for the other events to finish as well,” Villadolid added.
“It can be worked out because it is also a waste if athletes can only join one tournament,” he added. (MCB)
