INQUIRER Sports

AN EMOTIONAL MARITESS BITBIT broke down in a television interview after her final appeal to join the cycling competition of the 25th Laos Southeast Asian Games was shot down by the organizing committee.

She also bared the details that led to her being stricken off the list of participants.

?I have a legitimate license, I have the right to compete,? a sobbing Bitbit told NBN Sports? Snow Badua.

?I pleaded with the SEA Games organizing committee but it said I can?t compete anymore.?

In the interview, the heartbroken Bitbit revealed how she was asked by the Philippine Olympic Committee to join a united stand by the 12 other Filipino cyclists who were banned from the Games because they had no license from the national federation recognized by the International Cycling Federation (UCI).

?In-explain ko sa kanila (POC) ?yung training ko, ?yung sacrifices ko, ?yung chance ko?s?yempre laro ko ito eh?pero sabi nila sa akin, ?pag naglaro ako, magiging selfish ako, magiging hudas ako (I explained to them my training, my sacrifices, my chances, but they told me that if I compete I?d be selfish and betray people),? Bitbit said in between sobs.

Although she did not identify who exactly she explained her side to, she did say that she spoke with POC president Jose (Peping) Cojuangco Jr., asking him in Filipino, ?What about my situation? I?m here to compete.?

?I won?t tell you his (Cojuangco) answer but I don?t like what he said,? Bitbit told Badua in Filipino. ?Na-deprive talaga ako, para akong walang kakampi (They deprived me, I didn?t have a friend to turn to).?

Caught in the crossfire of two warring cycling groups, Bitbit had tried to stay low key and avoid the political problems hounding her sport.

Bitbit enjoys the support of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines, headed by Tagaytay Mayor Abraham ?Bambol? Tolentino and recognized by the UCI and the Philippine Sports Commission.

The cyclists who weren?t granted licenses were members of a rival cycling faction that the POC brought to Laos in a bid to get them to compete despite having no UCI license.

?Alam ko PSC ako at puro POC ang kasama ko, pero ?di ko na naisip ?yun kasi hindi pang sarili ?yan,? Bitbit wept. ?Para sa pamilya ko, para sa bansa. Hindi ako selfish.?

Bitbit stood to earn P300,000 for every gold medal she wins in her three events.

Controversy arose when reports from Laos had it that Cojuangco personally talked to Bitbit in her quarters and asked her to make a stand by withdrawing from the competition.

Until Bitbit?s revelation, there was little confirmation that such a talk took place as it was made to look as if she made a stand in behalf of her disqualified teammates.

Bitbit tried to appeal to the organizing committee but was told that ?the Olympic committee of the Philippines decided to withdraw all the cyclists.?