Richard Gomez slams door on more bets

MANILA, Philippines — Asian Games chef-de-mission Richard Gomez is standing firm that only qualified weightlifters can represent the country in the 18th staging of the quadrennial event in Indonesia in August.

“It is my duty to send chosen (qualified) athletes to the Asian Games,” said Gomez, who is president of the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA).

“It is also my duty to only entertain NSAs (national sports associations) recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and their IFs (international federations),” added Gomez.

The former actor and now mayor of Ormoc City was reacting to the demand of Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) head and former POC chairman Monico Puentevella for the inclusion of more weightlifters in the Philippine contingent.

Puentevella wants to send seven weightlifters to Indonesia, led by Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz and Olympian Nestor Colomia as well as Kristel Macrohon, Ellen Rose Perez, Maria Desa Delos Santos, Elreen Ann Ando and Jeffrey Garcia.

The POC has given weightlifting only two slots to the Asiad, one of them Diaz.

POC spokesperson Ed Picson said the recognition of Puentevella’s group is still being processed, and for the meantime, it’s the old group of Roger Dullano that is being recognized.

Puentevella, however, said he enjoys the recognition of the International Weightlifting Federation and is current head of the IWF marketing committee.

“Why is he (Gomez) denying my weightlifters inclusion in the Asian Games lineup when he strongly proposed the inclusion of women’s volleyball? My weightlifters have better chances of winning medals in the Asian Games than the volleyball team,” said Puentevella.

“What criteria did he use for volleyball? I will raise this issue in the next (POC) general assembly on July 4,” said Puentevella, the only Filipino to serve as president of the Asian Weightlifting Federation until 2008.

It’s the first time since 1982 that the Philippines is sending a women’s volleyball team to the Asian Games.

The Philippines hopes to send around 200 athletes to this year’s Asian Games, which has set the deadline for the submission of final entries on June 30.

Puentevella stressed that the 2018 Asian Games is a step toward the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.