POC chief seeks help from private sector for PH Olympic quest

Silver medalist Charly Suarez (third from left) and bronze-medal winners (from left) Wilfredo Lopez, Mark Anthony Barriga and Mario Fernandez bite their medals outside the Asian Games boxing venue in Incheon. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Olympic chief Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. has sought the involvement of the private sector in the Olympic quest of Filipino athletes next year in Rio de Janeiro.

The president of the Philippine Olympic Committee said each qualified athlete should have the luxury of a corporate backer, especially the national boxers who possess a high probability of finally quenching the country’s thirst for a medal in the world’s biggest sports gathering.

“They (corporate backers) might be interested. And why not? Our boxers have the potential to win the gold,” said Cojuangco.

He explained that getting another private sponsor for the national boxers would also ease the burden on the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap), the local governing body in the sport financially backed by the MVP Group.

“It’s best to make this a national effort rather than an individual effort,’’ said Cojuangco. “We can probably get more people involved in adopting our athletes.”