WALANG dapat ipagamba si marathoner Mary Joy Tabal. Mismong si Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) chairman emeritus Go Teng Kok ay aayuda sa kanyang laban para makasama sa 2017 SEA Games RP Team.

Iginiit ni Go, nasa likod nang matagumpay na kampanya ng Philippines sa SEA Games at iba pang international championship sa nakalipas na dalawang dekada, na higit na mahalaga na mapangalagaan ang katayuan ng atleta, higit sa anumang panuntunan ng athletics association.

“Yes, discipline is strictly required from any athlete of any association, however, as sport leaders, we are also required to do the same. We cannot treat them less than equals, we are here to guide and see to it that they are taken care of, in and out of the playing field,” pahayag ni Go, gumabay sa pamosong ‘GTK Army’ na humakot nang pinakamaraming tagumpay sa kasaysayan ng pagsabak ng bansa sa SEA Games.

ALAMIN: Ano nga ba ang EBET Law na pinirmahan ni PBBM

Inalis si Tabal sa binuong line-up ng PATAFA na pinamumunuan ngayon ni Philip Juico – malapit na kaibigan ng nagretirong si GTK.

Umani ng negatibong reaksyon ang naging desisyon ni Juico bunsod nang matikas na performance record ni Tabal na galing lamang sa matagumpay na kampanya sa 2017 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon sa Canada sa tyempong isang oras, 16 minuto at 27 segundo – mahigit dalawang minuto ang bilis sa dati niyang personal best at National record na 1:18.44.

Sa naunang pahayag ni Juico, inalis ang beteranong Rio Olympian dahil sa kabiguan niyang sumunod sa alituntunin ng asosasyon para sa paghahanda sa Southeast Asian Games sa Agosto sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“Performance, it must be stressed, is not the sole criterion for choosing the most suitable national athlete. Neither is the sole criterion for the privilege of remaining in the roster of national athletes,” pahayag ni Juico sa mga naunang panayam.

“Equally important, is for an athlete to have a word of honor, fidelity to the national team, respect for fellow athletes and authority, commitment to the federation and the absence of any abhorrent attitude of entitlement as set by PATAFA together with the coaching staff,” aniya.

Ngunit, iginiit ni Go, personal na pumili kay Juico bilang kapalit niya sa Patafa mahigit isang taon na ang nakalilipas, na maging siya ay dumanas din sa sitwasyon sa kasalukuyan.

“I did the same on one of our veteran athletes also based on PATAFA rules and recommendation by the coaching staff.

That athlete met me and said “sir, with due, respect, what really have you and the association done to me? Yes, you helped in my training, but what about me and my family?””

Pagbabalik-gunita ni Go.

“Our athletes have been sacrificing a lot. If we cannot give them the proper financial support in training, we must exercise understanding of their plight. Let us not treat them as robots programmed to simply follow rules, we, as sports leaders, must treat them as our children.

Matapos maunawaan ang sitwasyom kaagad na ibinalik ni Go ang naturang atleta sa RP Team at hindi naman siya binigo ng atleta nang magpapanalo si Cristabel Martes sa mga nilahukang laban.

“Sacrifice must begin with us, sports leaders,” pahayag ni Go. (Edwin G. Rollon)