INQUIRER Sports

THERE’S NOTHING bad with helping correct what’s wrong. Right?

OK, but please count this as an apology for what we’ve succeeded in straightening out last week.

Victor Espiritu, inadvertently pictured earlier (in another paper) as a mendicant, is not skipping his duty to the country.

No problem with the poor fellow.

The bemedaled cyclist, gold winner in the last Southeast Asian Games, is back in training for the Laos Games in December.

* * *

No problem with Dr. Mikee Romero, too.

The newly installed president of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling) is assembling a national squad for the Laos campaign.

He has in fact called on all sectors, including Mayor Bambol Tolentino of Tagaytay, to join in the venture.

Everything seemed fine on the local cycling front again.

* * *

This was not the case over the weekend.

There was a snafu after Espiritu protested to the Inquirer his inclusion among the cyclists who personally pleaded with Romero to accept the disputed cycling association presidency.

Espiritu complained, proved and emphasized he was not there.

* * *

Look, Espiritu may not be a Lance Armstrong.

But he, just like any self-respecting national athlete, has every right to protect his integrity.

Espiritu was suffused with thanks after we made public that he did not see Romero.

“Very well said, sir. Yun lang po naman ang tama, thank you very much,” Espiritu said in a text message.

* * *

It was not to be that simple.

As expected, Mikee Romero felt slighted.

He protested and said there was an attempt on the part of this reporter to destroy “my credibility.”

Well, there was no explanation on how the absent Espiritu was included among those who had an audience with Romero.

But we have to take the word of a Romero adviser who said it was all caused “by an honest mistake.”

* * *

“Maybe, Sir Mikee didn’t know Victor personally,” explained veteran sportswriter Rey Lachica. “Maybe one of the coaches or another athlete told Sir Mikee it was Victor he was talking to.”

We’ve to take Lachica’s word.

In the first place, we had insisted that Romero was more of a victim in that boiling cycling mess.

Repeat: It was too bad Romero had allowed himself to be used by schemers inside the POC to cover up for the illegal ouster of Rolando Hiso as the rightfully elected cycling president.

* * *

Romero could also be a main feature in that crook club lottery inside the Philippine Olympic Committee that offered a toy-for-rich-boy reward in the form of the cycling presidency.

This suspicion should be upheld by this text message from no less than Dr. Romero: “The cycling board is controlled by Manding Bautista and Cesar Filosopo. They are trying to manipulate me. It’s only now that I saw how these two work. The soonest I get out of this and give the presidency to Hiso, the better for me.”

Romero also wanted to be assured of a graceful exit.

* * *

Hiso, after giving up on the POC, left the country yesterday.

There’s also no need for Romero to quit.

He could take this unsolicited advice:

Fire or freeze both Bautista and Filosopo, who had sued this reporter for reporting on their misdeeds.

Romero should next proceed to form a national team totally independent of this mad faction.

Victor Espiritu has vowed his wholehearted support.

It’s Victor’s way of making sure Romero does not fall victim to another honest mistake.