POC: Same old, same old?

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it”– Upton Sinclair

Is it now an emerging case of “same old, same old” at the Philippine Olympic Committee?

After this writer’s piece on how easy it would be for the POC to reinstate the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation, we received multiple messages from officials and associates of another national sports association, contesting what saw print. However, when we replied that international governing bodies were the source of the research for the piece, they went quiet. Nobody is stopping anybody from holding their own competitions in dragon boat or any sport. That is democracy. However, what is the bone of contention is who is the rightful governing body for the sport, in the Philippines and in the world. Not so curiously, the words “governing body” did not appear in any of the other NSA officials’ communications.

There is only one more thing to add to this, because everything else is clear. The PDBF was removed by the previous dispensation 10 years ago under false pretenses, and that is therefore wrong and even illegal. The IOC was not involved, because dragon boat is not an Olympic sport. Period.

So why is nothing happening in this or other cases?

It’s starting to look as if the remnants of the old regime who helped ensconce the current one interpret their incumbency as “their turn” to impose their will on how the POC is run. It appears that waited for an opportune time to bet on a winning horse. Now that their seemingly true agenda of maintaining their bloc members’ place in power is paramount over correcting wrongs of the past, they are hoping the campaign to restore what was taken away simply blows over, so it can be business as usual. They’re hoping people like this writer simply shut up. That’s why.

Those of us who prayed that POC president Ricky Vargas was the shining knight on the white steed, now pray that he doesn’t end up a mere passenger on the horse he rode in on, clinging to stay on top. Now, he may be seeing the unforeseen price for the political compromises he needed to make to get where he is now. He may have the best of intentions, but the reality is that he has to work with people who don’t. The horse-trading around him is starting to get nauseating.

They may not be holding the purse strings, but the new incumbents are playing gatekeeper to everyone, keeping out the enemies of their frenemies, even the legitimate NSAs. To paraphrase what prince Creon said to his brother-in-law King Oedipus (who accused him of trying to usurp the throne), “I have all of your power and none of your responsibility. I can sleep at night.” Such are bedfellows in the POC.

Now, the new old guard can do all the harm they want, and leave their innocent president Vargas to face the explaining.

A source in the POC claims to The STAR that it is untrue that Vargas acted alone in supporting the decision of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to not field a team to the Asian Games. The source said some POC higher-ups were trying to send a message at his expense. Whether true or not, Creon is laughing behind the curtain. Also, there seems to be some belated maneuvering over who gets to go to the Asian Games. Some POC officials allegedly want to have the old status quo of going on a junket to the Games, even if they will serve no official function. As I said, same old, same old.

Even if writing this column won’t make a difference in the political wet-market bartering going on, it serves notice that someone knows. And someone is watching. How can sports that deserve inclusion have a chance, when the very people they trust to give them due process are the ones keeping them out? And why is the process not public?

New dogs, old tricks.