More hard work ahead for new PH Olympic chief

Ricky Vargas. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Left with a two-year term but armed with P20 million in seed money, new Philippine Olympic Committee president Ricky Vargas will hit the ground running.

Vargas said the job of reconstructing a fractured sports community and pushing forward urgent issues will prove to be more formidable than toppling the decade-and-a-half reign of Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr.

“We need to get together; there’s a lot of things we need to do both here in the POC and international like the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games,” said Vargas after his 24-15 win in Friday’s elections.

“I’m excited to work with Sen. Alan Cayetano on the 2019 SEA Games, and working with the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission),” said Vargas. “And us (in the POC), I and Bambol (Tolentino), are taking over a board that is not ours, that’s the hardest part.”

“[Things would be easier] if they start wanting to work with us and the new things we want to do,” said Vargas referring to the Cojuangco faction. “But we will reach out; they are welcome.”

Tolentino, the cycling chief who celebrated his birthday Friday, also won as chair, besting Ting Ledesma. But they will have to work with an executive council largely allied with Cojuangco.

Cojuangco has conceded nothing after Friday’s defeat at the polls, saying he will seek the opinion of the International Olympic Committee on the results of the elections, which were held under the shadow of a court order.

But the opinion of the IOC might not matter: By all accounts, it looked like Friday’s polls were conducted under the order of the international body for the POC to sort things out by themselves.

Cojuangco, meanwhile, will continue to sit on the board on account of being the immediate past president.

Vargas said he would like Sen. Cayetano, also the Foreign Affairs secretary, to induct him. Cayetano and Vargas have a good relationship as they are part of the working committee for the country’s 2023 Fiba World Cup hosting.

Vargas, however, remained mum on appointed positions like secretary general and chiefs of mission.

“I worked with a group toward this elections and I owe it to them to seek their advice,” added Vargas.