Is presumptive Go successor vacillating?

THE CALL came Sunday morning, the sun barely risen on the horizon.

It was athletics president Go Teng Kok, who had made himself scarce since backing out of the Philippine Olympic Committee election last year to give way to reelectionist president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr.

Go gave assurance that the call wasn’t coming from the grave, although his voice sounded like it did.

“I am in my room here at the Metropolitan Hospital, but perhaps I should turn you over to my private nurse, Eric, who can give you a clearer account of why I’m here,” he said.

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“Mr. Go was suffering from acute anal abcess when he was first admitted to this hospital in July,” the nurse said. “A CT scan showed that Mr. Go is suffering from cellulitis, an inflammation of the cells of the body. It appears that even strong antibiotics could not completely kill the bacteria that had invaded his body. Instead, it spread to his body, like his inner thigh.”

The nurse said Go was practically immobilized by the thigh infection.

“He could not move, because of the intense pain,” said the nurse. “He could not even sit up. He went from bad to worse when he developed bed sores.”

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Go was more optimistic, saying he expected to be out of the hospital soon.

“When I’m discharged, we will talk about the Patafa (Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association) elections,” he said.

As early as February this year, people were already talking about the Patafa polls, which was originally scheduled last May.

Former Philippine Sports Commission chair Philip Ella Juico was being groomed to succeed Go, who has held the post for the past two decades.

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“Now Philip is vacillating,” said a scribe assigned to the POC-PSC beat, adding he learned about Juico’s supposed disinterest during a lunch meeting with Go six weeks ago. “He was prepared to take over the position, but now he’s having second thoughts.”

During the telephone interview, Go curiously never mentioned the Thailand Open athletics competition, which ended recently with Filipino athletes winning a total of 26 medals, including 10 golds.

There was hardly any publicity on the Filipinos’ stint during the track and field competition, but a press release from Juico’s camp yesterday showed the former PSC chief with the medalists.