MANILA, Philippines: The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman, Richard Bachmann, expressed optimism that the country’s issue with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will soon be resolved, ensuring the participation of the national team in various international competitions, including the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Bachmann clarified that while the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHI-NADO) is a separate private entity, the government sports agency is providing the necessary assistance for PHI-NADO to address the requirements set by WADA.
According to Bachmann, the office of President Bongbong Marcos, as well as the congress and senate, have extended their support to allocate the budget needed for PHI-NADO’s operations.
“We are working with Malacanang to meet the legislative requirements of WADA,” Bachmann stated during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, Feb. 20. He expressed his gratitude for the support received from Malacanang, the presidential palace.
Bachmann emphasized the need to empower PHI-NADO to comply with all the WADA requirements. Currently, PHI-NADO lacks sufficient personnel to cater to the thousands of athletes in the national pool. He suggested that PHI-NADO should become an independent and fully operational group, rather than being treated as a National Sports Association (NSA) that receives funding from the government.
Nathan Vasquez, an officer from PHI-NADO, compared the Philippines’ situation with that of Indonesia in 2021, which also faced non-compliance issues with WADA. Indonesia was compelled to establish its own organization, similar to PHI-NADO, to address the administrative shortcomings.
The concern arose when WADA sent a notice to the PSC in January, following a previous notice in September of the previous year, alleging the country’s failure to comply with the WADA code. Failure to respond positively within 21 days could have resulted in the suspension of the Philippines from international events such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics, as raised by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
The Philippines appealed the WADA action, and the issue has been elevated to the Court of Arbitration in Sports (CAS).
Bachmann assured that the PSC, PHI-NADO, and all stakeholders involved are working diligently to resolve the issue even before WADA representatives visit the country next month.
“Other countries within Southeast Asia are also facing similar challenges. We see this as an opportunity to improve. Now we have stakeholders who are more aware of what needs to be done,” stated Paulo Tatad, the executive director of the PSC.
Tatad further emphasized that the Office of the President, the POC, and the NSAs are now more collaborative, ensuring that such administrative issues will be avoided in the future.
The PSC confirmed that Filipino athletes, who are aspiring to qualify for the Paris Olympics in July, are continuing their training and preparations.
“Nothing is jeopardized, and we are confident that this issue will be resolved. However, we need to prove ourselves,” Tatad concluded.
Overall, the Philippine government, sports agencies, and stakeholders are actively working together to address the concerns raised by WADA and ensure that the national team’s participation in international competitions is not affected. The commitment to comply with WADA requirements and the collaborative efforts among different organizations demonstrate the determination to resolve the issue and prevent future administrative challenges. Filipino athletes continue to focus on their preparations for the Paris Olympics, with the confidence that the issue will be resolved in a timely manner.
Source: The Manila Times
