Romasanta: Unfair to criticize athletes

RIO DE JANEIRO—The country’s chief of mission in the 31st Summer Games here on Thursday took exception to a statement by a party-list representative in Manila that sports authorities should stop sending unprepared athletes to competitions like the Olympics.

Jose Romasanta, who is also the first vice president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, said Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Rep. Jericho Nograles may have been misinformed about the Rio stint of the country’s 13 Olympic athletes.

He said it was unfair of Nograles to criticize the athletes who failed to progress deep into their Olympic events because “one of their teammates has yet to compete and is actually preparing for her coming fight” in taekwondo, referring to Kirstie Elaine Alora.

In a statement, Nograles said the “excursionists” among the athletes in the country’s teams in overseas competitions should be weeded out.

“We should stop sending half-baked athletes … to international competitions,” he said.

Romasanta said Nograles should find out for himself how the 13 athletes made it to this Olympics.

“You cannot say they came here unprepared,” said Romasanta. “I can face anybody and say that no one in our delegation came here unprepared.”