POC seeks NSA support
If our NSA leaders have great relationship with their counterparts, then they can make a way for their sports to be considered
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) needs the backing of national sports associations (NSA) if it wants to lobby for more sports to the 31st Southeast Asian Games.
POC chairman Steve Hontiveros said NSA leaders should also do their part and help them lobby by campaigning among their counterparts in other countries for the inclusion of their respective sports.
A long-time member of the SEA Games Federation Council, Hontiveros said the fate of their sports in the biennial meet lies on the willingness of the NSA leaders to campaign and lobby with their peers.
“We need the help of NSA leaders to lobby through their counterpart federations in Vietnam because they will be the one who will run the events,” said Hontiveros, a seasoned sport official.
“It’s a matter of negotiating with other countries. It’s like the negotiation we had done in the past. Let’s see how these things can be done.”
The host country, Vietnam, penciled only 36 events in the upcoming biennial meet in Hanoi.
Among those sports that would be cut were triathlon, skateboarding, obstacle course racing, surfing, esports, arnis and modern pentathlon, easily preventing the Filipinos to win around 56 gold medals.
“If our NSA leaders have great relationship with their counterparts, then they can make a way for their sports to be considered,” he said.
In a previous Daily Tribune report, triathlon, skateboarding and arnis would all campaign and fight for the inclusion of their sports in the biggest athletic conclave in the region.
On the other hand, squash federation begged off, saying that it would focus on other more important tournaments, instead.
“I think Vietnam will add some more events in the list so they cannot immediately close it. It must be finalized and closed one year before the Games and they need to call more meetings for it,” Hontiveros said.