FVR: Sports leaders must unite

Source: Philippine Star


MANILA, Philippines - Former President Fidel V. Ramos cautioned the country’s top sports leaders about their personal differences and their negative effects on the national athletes as they vie for honors in their respective fields.

There have been victories scored here and there, but the former chief executive feels there should have been more if those in charge of charting the course of RP sports are one and united and with a common goal.

“I hope that our sports leaders become united because that’s the name of sports,” said FVR who graced the annual PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) Awards Night at the Manila Hotel last Monday.

He came with his wife, Amelita “Ming” Ramos, the longtime president of the Philippine Badminton Association, who happens to be caught in the crossfire of warring sports officials like Jose Cojuangco and Harry Angping.

Cojuangco, president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, and Angping, chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, don’t see eye to eye, and in Monday’s glittery affair, the distance between them was for all to see.

Cojuangco, one of the special guests that evening, gave up his seat at the presidential table and opted to join the members of POC board in their own round table.

“I’d rather stay here,” he said.

Angping, who has repeatedly said he’s open to a dialogue with Cojuangco but just couldn’t earn the date, sat beside FVR and Sen. Francis Escudero and the night’s major awardees in the long presidential table.

The only time Cojuangco and Angping got close to each other, but still feet apart, was when they had to present the awards on stage.

“There should be teamwork,” said FVR.

“Even if your sport is an individual sport there should be teamwork with your family, your sponsors, your teammates who may be in other sports but are also part of the Philippine team.”

“Unity, solidarity and teamwork are the most important qualities which we have not yet attained – not this time. I think we can say we have attained this in previous years. But not this time,” said FVR.

It’s a pity, he added, because the Filipino athletes work so hard and are in fact “so competitive that they may even be better than the others.”

“They are talented and hard-working, and are really superior medal winners. But I hope our sports officials become united,” said FVR, a true sportsman who loves golf, running, bowling, badminton, swimming, scuba-diving and sky-diving.

Now all he wants is unity among the sports leaders.

“Otherwise, we will not be competitive,” he said.