PSC, POC on collision course?

IS CONFLICT about to hit the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)?

Recently, POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco announced that he wants control over the national athletes’ preparation for international competitions like the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympics.

Cojuangco said he already mentioned this to PSC Chair Butch Ramirez, who has yet to comment about the proposal.

Cojuangco wants the POC to focus on training of the national athletes and the PSC to handle the development of the grassroots programs in the country.

A few days ago, Ramirez told some scribes that the PSC, under the Duterte administration, wants to play a bigger role in our elite athletes’ preparations for international tournaments, and not just be a funding agency.

An official close to Ramirez says he doesn’t think the chair will approve Cojuangco’s proposal.

Ramirez wants to have a say on our national athletes’ training to make sure that PSC funds are being used properly.

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In the six conferences the Road Warriors have been in the PBA since 2014, NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez has had only one goal: To make it to the semifinals.

So far, he has had no success.

Fernandez, who has steered the team to the quarterfinals five times, is optimistic that NLEX will be a team to reckon with next season.

“I have never branded our performance a failure. Whether or not we achieved our target, the experience we gained in our quarterfinal stints will help us achieve our goal end,” said Fernandez.

For Fernandez, Walker and Al Thornton, the team’s Commissioner’s Cup reinforcement, are the two best imports NLEX has ever had.