NSAs given 2 options to hone bets for Games

Compete in high-caliber tournaments overseas or hire a capable foreign coach.

The country’s chief of mission to the Southeast Asian Games, Julian Camacho, said Tuesday the NSAs would be given these choices to sharpen the skills of their athletes in their buildup for the 11-nation meet on June 5 to 16 in Singapore.

“We’re thinking of allowing them to train in tournaments overseas or get a foreign coach and train here,’’ said Camacho.

About 500 Filipino athletes from 34 sports are being considered to vie in the Games. The Philippine Olympic Committee initially submitted the names of 650 athletes and over 300 officials to the organizers for accreditation.

Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia, however, made it clear that any funds for overseas training should be taken from the NSAs’ respective annual budget allocations.

“The budget for international exposure has been included in their budget,” said Garcia. “I see no reason why they should ask for more.”

The PSC chief said the government has already set aside P30 million for the participation of the athletes in the Games but would need an extra P20 million to accommodate more qualified athletes in the delegation.

Camacho said sailing’s Ernesto Echauz and gymnastics’ Cynthia Carrion would serve as his deputies in Singapore.

Singapore did away with the practice of setting up a Games’ village to house all the athletes. The city-state instead decided to book about 10,000 athletes and officials in hotels near the competition sites, thus posing a challenge to the delegations’ monitoring of athletes.