IT IS a brand new start for Philippine sports.
This is how Philippine Sports Commissioner Ramon Fernandez described the overwhelming victory of Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap) chief Ricky Vargas and Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines president and Tagaytay Representative Abraham Tolentino in Friday’s Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) election held at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club West Side Grill in Mandaluyong City.
Vargas defeated long-time POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, 24-15 while Tolentino outvoted Philippine Table Tennis Federation’s head Ting Ledesma.
Fernandez, who was actively leading the fight against corruption in Philippine sports, said Friday’s election result is a win for the athletes who have been suffering long due to many alleged irregularities in the POC.
Former PSC chief Perry Mequi, who led the campaign against corruption in sports as well as overstaying and non-performing officials in POC, was quoted that this is not the end of the struggle for peace and change in Philippine elite sports.
“It’s another beginning and there’s much to be done. The leadership issues in many NSAs must be resolved as soon as possible because we have many international sports commitments. To meet the challenges, we must have unity and peace in the sports community,” he added.
It can be recalled that Vargas and Tolentino were disqualified from running as president and chairman in 2016 polls after the election committee led by former International Olympic Committee representative Frank Elizalde ruled that both were not “active members” by not attending enough general assembly meetings.