Top swimming prospect out of SEA Games roster

Because she swims for a group not affiliated with the Philippine Swimming Inc. (PSI), Denjylie Cordero was excluded from the Philippine team to the 27th Southeast Asian Games in Burma (Myanmar) next month.

This was the explanation given by Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia to Sen. Pia Cayetano Wednesday when asked during a Senate hearing on the 2014 PSC budget, why University of the Philippines swimmer Cordero, despite her outstanding record, is not in the PH delegation.

The PSI is the national sports association recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee. The PSI president, Mark Joseph, is the former POC deputy secretary-general.

Cordero, 18, competes in  the Philippine Swimming League, which had broken away from the then Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (now PSI).

Garcia said the SEAG Task Force had recommended Cordero for inclusion but the PSI only named London Olympians Jessie Khing Lacuna and Jasmine Alkhaldi as its SEAG bets along with Filipino-American swimmers Joshua Hall and Matt Louis Navata.

“It’s not really the PSC which selects the athletes, it’s the NSAs,” Garcia  said. “She has the record to show so we recommended her. But it all boils down to the choice of the NSA.”

Cordero recently surpassed the national record in women’s 50-meter breaststroke with a time of 34.01 seconds.

Although she broke the PH mark of 34.10 set by Jackie Pangilinan,  Cordero’s feat was not recognized because it came in a tournament not sanctioned by the PSI.

According to Garcia, Cayetano said  the government should exert pressure to include Cordero, daughter of national coach Dennis Cordero, in the Dec. 11 to 22 games.

“The NSAs are autonomous so I’m a little bit worried that telling them what to do could border on the line of government intervention,” said Garcia.

“There are serious repercussions if we meddle with the affairs of the PSI. Not only swimming could be suspended, but the entire country as well,” he added.

Once suspended by the International Olympic Committee, a country will be prohibited from participating in all IOC-sanctioned and -organized tournaments such as the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympics.

Meanwhile, the lean Philippine delegation of 203 athletes will be feted in a send-off ceremony organized by the POC on Nov. 27 at Dasmariñas Village in Makati.