INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Olympic chief Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr. has gained the support he badly needed from the International Olympic Committee but not in his own sport.

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) thumbed down Cojuangco?s request to reconsider its decision to grant the group of Rep. Carissa Coscolluela (Bayan) recognition in equestrian.

Cojuangco went to the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland last week and met with FEI secretary general Alexander McLin in a meeting arranged by IOC National Olympic Committee (NOC) relations director Pere Miro.

Cojuangco said Mclin was unaware of the contents of the correspondence they had sent to the FEI that challenged the leadership claim of Coscolluela in the Equestrian Association of the Philippines.

?It appeared that he (Mclin) handed down a decision without giving importance to the letters that we sent to him,? Cojuangco explained.

Cojuangco said Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, Cojuangco?s daughter and secretary general in the EAP, aired their side by providing a 45-minute explanation challenging Coscolluela?s position.

Just the same, the POC president said McLin refused to listen to his explanation and stood firm on the FEI?s support on Coscolluela.

?His (Mclin) decision still stands, but he promised to help us resolve the conflict,? said Cojuangco.

?If they will not act on it, I will be forced to go to the FEI sports tribunal to mediate our dispute,? he added.

Prior to his meeting with Mclin, Cojuangco sat down with IOC president Jacques Rogge and was assured of the IOC?s backing on the problems besetting the POC.

?Sometimes, you have to bend a little bit to resolve these conflicts,? Cojuangco quoted Rogge as saying.