INQUIRER Sports

THE PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee has been given by the International Olympic Committee the right to settle leadership disputes in the national sports associations.

POC president Jose ?Peping? Cojuangco said the revised constitution and by-laws of the IOC, which were approved recently, have designated all national Olympic committes as final arbiters of all intra-NSA squabbles.

This particular provision, Cojuangco said, was in Section 1M, Article 2 of the revised by-laws of the IOC.

The same provision also gave the NSAs the right to appeal their cases with the Court of Arbitration for Sports based in Laussane, Switzerland, as a final resort.

Cojuangco made the clarification after leaders of several NSAs who have accused the POC of meddling, led by former First Lady Amelita ?Ming? Ramos of the Philippine Badminton Association, signed a declaration of solidarity and concern during a unity meeting Wednesday at the Quezon City Sports Club.

Officials from archery, equestrian, billiards, wushu, cycling, dragon boat, wrestling and swimming attended the meeting where they vowed to bring their cases to the IOC.

?These NSAs should consult the constitution and by-laws of the POC,? said Cojuangco. ?They should follow the procedure and air their grievances in a proper forum, not with the media.

?The POC always decides based on its constitution and by-laws. All NSAs are members of the POC and the POC has a set of rules that these NSAs should follow.??

The POC has already called for badminton and cycling to hold elections tomorrow.

Tolentino, the Tagaytay City mayor and president of Philcycling, enjoys the support of the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale). He said he is not joining tomorrow?s elections.

But while the POC refuses to support Tolentino, it has backed Lenora Brawner of archery, who is being recognized by the International Archery Federation.