THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) general assembly put its imprimatur on the election of president, chairman and two members of the Executive Board on July 28.
The assembly also approved the appointment of the members of the body that will supervise the elections ordered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to resolve the crisis hounding the POC leadership.
A total of 36 out of 45 regular member of the national sports associations (NSAs) which attended the POC extraordinary assembly gave their approval on the exercise at the Manila Golf Club Kamagong Room in Makati City.
Indian Olympic Association President Narinder Dhruv Batra, who was tapped by the IOC and Olympic Council Association as the observer, also gave his blessing to the election.
“I found everything in order and will submit my report to the IOC immediately,” said Batra, who is expected to be back 10 days from now for the election.
Chess Association President Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., a member of the POC Executive Board, was unanimously chosen to preside over the session with the assembly agreeing to the appointment of Party-list Rep. Conrad Estrella III, Letran Athletic Director Fr. Victor Calvo and Atty. Teddy Kalaw IV of the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center Inc. to the election body.
The body will select its chairman and draw the guidelines for the election, including the criteria for the posts to be disputed, according to billiards and snooker Secretary-General Robert Mananquil.
Mikee Cojuangco, the IOC representative to the Philippines who was present at the meeting, reminded the assembly that the POC should send out the notice of election also on Thursday.
Expected to run for the presidency are former POC Chairman and Cycling Head Rep. Abraham Tolentino and athletics chief Philip Ella Juico.
Juico, who was present during the meeting, said he was still thinking it over but continued to appeal for unity among the leaders of the POC.
“Any way we still have time to decide and I also have to consult my family about it,” he said.
Tolentino, meanwhile, bared that he had invited Philippine Taekwondo Association President Robert Aventajado to run as POC chairman in his ticket.
The meeting was generally cordial until the eligibility of certain NSA members was raised with weightlifting chief Monico Puentevella engaging POC Membership Committee Chairman Robert Bachmann to a debate.
Bachmann said that Puentevella’s association lacks weightlifting’s international federation’s recognition, as well as Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration.
Puentevella then engaged Bachmann in a heated exchange of words, prompting Pichay to call for a recess.
The assembly later agreed to allow Puentevella to vote on behalf of the weightlifting association, as well as the sepak takraw association headed by Karen Tanchancho-Caballero, whose group also lacks SEC registration.
The assembly also agreed to elevate the Skateboarding and Roller Sports Association of the Philippines Inc. as regular member and will be able to cast its vote in the polls. Skateboarding will make its debut as a medal sport in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.