Did Politics play its hand in the non-inclusion of the Dragon Boat Team in the Asiad?

"The race of mankind would perish did they cease to aid each other. We cannot exist without mutual help. All therefore that need aid have a right to ask it from their fellow-men; and no one who has the power of granting can refuse it without guilt" Walter Scott

What had happened to the promise that we will surpass the previous ranking in the ASIAD? After the recently concluded 16^th Asian Games in Guangzhou, Philippines ranked 19^th, and our gold medal output was third worst since 1951. Francis Ochoa of Inquirer wrote “Chief De Mission Joey Romasanta refused to label the PH participation here a bust, saying they improved the medal-to-athlete ratio from the Qatar Asiad.” To most, this sounds like a lame excuse, to others “mabanggong palusot”; to me their words are full of crap. POC mixed their words to mask their failures. These sports officials should be reminded that it is the gold medal output that counts.  Instead of owning up to their failures they play with words.

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is our window to the world. It is naturally an object of interest to many.  Conflicts in the past between POC, PSC and the NSAs often times involve money, and the struggle for power inside the POC and NSAs was very intense. When PNoy was elected as President of the Republic, I knew POC President Cojuanco (our President’s uncle) will be calling the shots from then on. I had a hunch that it won’t be smooth sailing for our NSA but I never imagined we’ll be running against a brick wall. Let me explain further, our NSA supported Art Macapagal, who rivalled Conjuanco’s candidacy in the 2009 POC election. POC and PSC’s relationship hits rock bottom during Cong. Harry Angping’s Chairmanship. Cong. Angping supported Art Macapagal and the Dragon Boat National Team and I do believe that he supports those who merit support. Since POC membership draws its funding from PSC, it was obvious that POC had to get rid of Cong. Angping. Political bickering and internal squabbles between POC and PSC reached to an unprecedented height. And so, our NSA, the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) and POC had a falling out, for whatever reason beyond the POC election, I do not know and I do not really care as long as they fulfil their tasks and that their motivation behind their struggle is for the progress of the sport. I ignorantly paid no attention to the politics; instead I was rigidly training my athletes to reach their peak.

So it seems, that part of the problem lies on the politics in sports. Is politics good or bad? Politics is bad when it is used as a tool towards the advancement of one’s own personal agendas, that’s destructive politics. Depends on how we use it and what our motivations are. Politics is now defined as “who gets what, when and how”. And that kind of politics steered us towards where we are now in the Asian ranking. I used to see the world with rose coloured glasses until it slapped me right on the face when POC Board members decided not to let the dragon boat national team represent in the 16^th ASIAD. In one of the 1^st Friday mass I attended, a POC official stated that “kayong mga atleta ang boss namin” and I believed it then. I used to believe that if we work hard, sacrifice, do our part to reach our goal and confidently state that we will not only medal in the ASIAD but will win the gold, they will not hesitate in supporting us to represent the country. Come Asian Games, the team became disheartened by the fact that the choice of some “qualified” athletes to represent the Philippines was compromised against the best interest of the Filipino people. I cannot put into words the anger I felt for them. The trust dissolved with the hope of ever regaining the same optimism I had. Is Philippine sport doomed to possibly regress than progress? It's not just possible, it's a sick reality.