MY friend Nap Liloc, the jolly guy from Cagayan de Oro City, hit the bull’s-eye when he said it, thus: “The guy with the politically correct program deserves to be the next POC [Philippine Olympic Committee] president. We’ve been in the sporting doldrums internationally for so long now. Need I ask who should be the next POC president?”
Here’s to sports’ resurrection.
Always, the one with the program close to gold-producing results in any of our three international commitments—Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and Olympic Games—deserves to capture the POC throne on November 25.
Peping Cojuangco, the POC head the last 12 years, has a challenger with credentials huge enough to possibly score a stunning victory in the quadrennial derby.
I refer to Ricky Vargas, the Maynilad chief. He maybe the underdog, knowing fully well that Peping has been well-entrenched in his post.
But make no mistake: Ricky, the boxing association president, has the tycoon MVP (Manuel V. Pangilinan) backing him up, putting Peping’s back against the wall this time.
If you will recall, MVP nearly challenged Peping in 2012, backing out only when the three-team owner (Meralco, TNT Katropa and NLEX) in the Philippine Basketball Association failed to muster the numbers to dethrone Cojuangco.
Peping’s long stint at the helm is both a boon and a bane.
It’s a boon because Peping’s long association with National Sports Associations (NSA) old-timers has built him bridges seemingly too sturdy now to crush.
But it’s also a bane because Peping, 82, can be considered overstaying, his longish tenure already marred by not only midget failures but monumental embarrassments on the global stage, as well.
There are at least 43 voting presidents of 43 (or is it 45?) NSAs in the elections.
The new POC president will serve four years, ending right after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Peping has had close shaves of defeat, beating the late Art Macapagal by a whisker only because Art’s sister, then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, did not lift a finger in ensuring her brother’s victory.
Well, it was Art’s nature not to solicit any help from his sister GMA in his lifetime. He was Mr. Dignified to the hilt, becoming the best POC president that we never had.
The now-retired Go Teng Kok (GTK) tried to topple Peping in another POC election, but the former athletics president was disqualified when Peping threw the technicality book on him.
Before the election, Peping had declared GTK persona non grata to the POC, a “ground” for disqualification kuno.
I heard that Peping is again ready to spring a stunner at Ricky: Peping will declare Ricky unfit to run because Ricky has not attended a POC general assembly for years.
That is not in the POC Constitution and, therefore, has no leg to stand on.
But Peping, being a master of backdoor maneuvering, he may yet derail Ricky’s bid on the strength of another so-called technicality?
A shame, indeed, as it could effectively render the election rigged once again.
Oh, Peping, when will you ever say good-bye?
Is power trip really forever?
THAT’S IT Olympic presidential bet Ricky Vargas has cycling’s Bambol Tolentino as his candidate for chairman of the POC. Among Ricky’s other teammates are badminton’s Albee Benitez for first vice president, muay thai’s Lucas Managuelod second vice president, basketball’s Sonny Barrios treasurer, and table tennis’s Ting Ledesma auditor. Peping has yet to announce his lineup… Happy birthday, Pareng Marvin Velayo, Mareng Pia’s one and only darling! Cheers!