THIS early, I think it’s safe to assume that this will be the most hotly contested elections in the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) in years.
Consider the twists and circumstances. A month ago, Negros Occidental Football Association president Ricky Yanson faced the presidents of the Mindanao FAs (football associations) to announce his bid, adding that current president Nonong Araneta was to be his vice president.
A week ago, Araneta announced his own bid for the presidency and was joined by Leo Rey Yanson and Dan Palami. Leo Rey and Ricky, as we all know, are locked in a bitter battle for control of the country’s biggest bus company.
Tongues are already wagging. People are talking about who is supporting who and for how much. I’m not naive. I know money changes hands when it comes to elections in sports. Heck, one reporter covering the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) election said the candidates even didn’t bother to hide the vote-buying. I mean, who’s going to prosecute them? The Commission on Elections?
In football, it happened before too. A sitting president who faced questions regarding his reign and was stingy for years suddenly sent P20,000 to the FA presidents as “communication allowance.”
But I hope in this election cycle, we are spared of that. The FA presidents are spared of that. I may not agree with some of them, but I think they deserve the benefit of the doubt that they will base their choice on who they think is the best candidate.
And how can we do that? The two candidates--Ricky and Araneta--can help.
It’s good that there are no questions regarding their integrity but I think the two can do one better by coming up with an agreement. That whoever wins in the election will get the support of the losing candidate. That will also send a message to their supporters that they should respect the result and there’s no room for an acrimonious election. Philippine football deserves better.
That will also erase fears that the winning candidate will go after the FAs that didn’t support him. We certainly don’t need that. The POC did that and look what happened to Philippine sports under Peping Cojuangco?
The two candidates have met the Mindanao bloc (Why the Mindanao bloc? They account for a lot of votes) but I hope both Araneta and Ricky can meet all FA presidents at the same time. The meeting can eliminate the talk that money is changing hands for votes. It will also give the FA presidents a chance to question them on their plans for the PFF.
Also, in that same meeting, they can make that pledge that both should respect the result.
This is going to be the most crucial election in the PFF, but it doesn’t have to be a bitter one. To succeed, the winning candidate needs the support of the losing candidate. I don’t have a say in this matter but I know who I want to win.
But if Araneta loses, those of us who support him must give our support to Ricky. He needs it. The same is true should Ricky loses.
May the best man win.