THE SORRY STATE OF SPORTS IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippine contingent in the ongoing 20th Southeast Asian Games in 
Brunei is taking a severe beating. We used to be second to Indonesia as 
the sports power this side of the world but now even lowly Singapore 
is giving us a run for our money. The RP team is currently 4th behind 
pace-setting Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. 

Why the collapse of Philippine sports? One word will answer that question:
MONEY. Our "so-called" sports officials and leaders are busier quarreling
among themselves as to how to run their respective sports agencies and how
to spend the funds alloted them by the government. These nitwits don't know
the word delicadeza and continue to hang on to their positions even in the
face of humiliation and public degradation. I'd like to cite a certain 
daughter of a former president who continue to battle tooth-and-nail with
her detractors just to hang on to her post in the topmost echelons of 
sports. I read the papers yesterday (Inquirer sports, 8/11/99) and two 
officials (a certain Puentebella and a certain Dayrit) were publicly
attacking each other over an issue that I didn't read anymore. I'm
pretty sure MONEY is involved in their tussle. Special mention goes to 
somebody surnamed Puyat who caused the death of the Philippines' basketball 
supremacy in Asia and the world. He continues to bother the already-mangled 
basketball organization in the country even after 2 or 3 decades at the 
helm. I think this man Puyat should be tied to a tree and hung upside down
for causing Philippine basketball's downfall in international competitions.

Filipino athletes are one of the best not only in Asia but all throughout
the world but why are we lagging right now in the SEA Games? Blame the 
politicking of our greedy sports "officials" who care not about Philippine
sports but themselves alone. I think we will continue to be Asia's Sick 
Man of Sports for a long time unless sports authorities start getting their
act together. 

This page created on 8/13/99
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