POC, track body must confer on Tabal case

ONLY a meeting of minds between the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) can settle the case of marathoner Mary Joy Tabal.

The 26-year-old Tabal qualified for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics after surpassing the Olympic qualifying standard during the recent Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon, one of two International Association of Athletics Federations gold-label road races in Canada.

But Tabal—her 2:43.29 clocking in Ottawa eclipsed the 2:45 qualifying mark— should first get the endorsement of the Patafa to clinch the Rio de Janeiro berth. The reason: Tabal resigned last year as a member of the Philippine team.

“The POC and the Patafa should talk,” said Philippine Sports Commission Chair Richie Garcia. “They should agree on something and prevent Tabal’s participation (in the Olympics) from being jeopardized, if she indeed qualified.”

The PSC chief said he doesn’t want Tabal to go through the disappointment experienced by cyclist Marites Bitbit in the 2009 Southeast Asian Games in Laos.

Bitbit qualified for the Laos Games but was barred from racing due to a dispute that rocked the cycling federation.

“Just because she wasn’t endorsed by the NSA (national sports association), Bitbit wasn’t able to compete,” said Garcia.

Patafa president Philip Ella Juico said they are waiting for Tabal to reach out.

POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. said Tabal needs an official confirmation of her Olympic eligibility from the IAAF, the world governing body for track and field, before they could act on her request.

Tabal resigned from the national team and joined a series of marathons after the Patafa set restrictions.

“All athletes should be disciplined,” said Garcia. “We were just informed that she’s no longer part of the pool,” said Garcia. “If it’s a disciplinary action on the part of the Patafa, it’s their call.”