PATAFA willing to patch things up with Obiena

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association is open to a possible reconciliation with Filipino pole-vault star EJ Obiena, according to Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez.

“Cong. Rufus (Rodriguez), who chairs PATAFA, told me they are very amenable to a reconciliation,” said Ramirez during Tuesday’s weekly public service online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

But to fix the discord, Ramirez stressed the need for Obiena and PATAFA to sign the document that they are formally agreeing to the mediation.

While both parties are willing, the two factions, however, have not signed anything yet, delaying the process that sought to resolve the mess that had disgraced Philippine sports locally and internationally.

Ramirez, however, said they’re not rushing things since Obiena might be busy with his plan of going under the knife to repair the small meniscus tear the latter suffered recently.

And the PSC board isn’t thinking twice to lend a helping hand.

“We went beyond compass of the NSA (national sports association) to help EJ. The money is ready, we’re just waiting for his call,” said Ramirez.

The sports-funding agency is also processing the request of Obiena to release the incentives that he is due for breaking the national and Asian records a year back.

The issue stemmed from the accusation of PATAFA accusing Obiena of allegedly falsifying liquidations concerning payments to his Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov.

Obiena had repeatedly denied it.

But after more than a month of ugly exchanges in multi-media, Obiena, PATAFA and even Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino had all relented to a truce.

And there is hope there is light at the end of the tunnel.