POC board lifts persona non grata on Juico, suspension of PATAFA (Sabong News)
Author
Kristel Satumbaga-Villar
Date
APRIL 04 2022
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Executive Board lifted the resolution declaring Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) President Philip Juico as “persona non grata” as well as the decision to suspend the association for 90 days.
The development came from an emergency meeting Monday, with the POC fulfilling its pronouncement following the successful mediation between Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena and the PATAFA a few days ago.
The Obiena-PATAFA rift ended Wednesday last week when both sides settled in a mediation spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission. As a result, the PATAFA has practically reinstated the world-ranked pole vaulter and will endorse his participation in international competitions.
“As projected, there were no objections and the motions of lifting were to be considered unanimous,” POC president Bambol Tolentino said.
The two resolutions were passed on two separate occasions—the persona non grata in December and ratified by the POC General Assembly and the second, suspension of PATAFA which Tolentino deferred for ratification by the assembly last week.
With the lifting of both sanctions, Tolentino said Juico and PATAFA will resume their active status with the POC.
“As I have maintained even before, there are no losers but only winners,” Tolentino said. “The main winner being the Filipino athlete.”
