PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino convenes the body’s executive committee on Monday expecting a morning of debates and arguments on proposed major constitutional reforms specially on issues about age.
The POC is set to debate on a recommendation from Constitutional Amendments Committee Head Ricky Vargas that sets a 70-year-old age limit for members wishing to hold critical positions in the organization.
Vargas, 68 and a former POC president, wanted the POC to toe a recently approved International Olympic Committee (IOC) policy that sets 70 as the maximum age for its top officials. He earlier stressed the younger generation should be given the opportunity to run the POC.
“We will tackle the report [of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments] and present it to the Board,” said Tolentino, who will meet the executive board members in a 10 a.m. virtual conference.
Already airing their opposition to the proposed policy on age limit were POV First Vice President Jose Romasanta (volleyball) and gymnastics association president Cynthia Carrion (board member). Romasanta is 75 and Carrion 72.
“Give the younger ones the opportunity to run the organization,” said Vargas, who encouraged the elders to stay as “mentors.”
Another proposed amendment to the POC charter that is expected to be heavily debated, Vargas said, is the policy that prohibits an individual from becoming an official of more than one national sports association.
“The official should only choose one NSA and avoid getting another seat as president, vice president or director of another federation,” he said.
Vargas added that a third crucial proposed amendment borders on NSAs being stripped of their membership in the POC once they lose recognition from their international federations.
Any amendment that will be approved by the executive board will be predented to the POC General Assembly for ratification.
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