Vargas puts nat’l karatekas under POC supervision

FILE – Ricky Vargas. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

With the 18th Asian Games barely four months away, the rift between the controlling group of the Philippine Karatedo Federation (PKF) and its top athletes has reached the World Karate Federation (WKF), forcing the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) yesterday to take charge of the training of the national karatekas.

“We need to get the best athletes to represent the country and the leadership and membership issues should not disenfranchise them,” said POC president Ricky Vargas after conferring with POC arbitration and disputes committee chair Robert Aventajado on how to help the athletes.

Several members of the karatedo team paid Vargas a visit on Monday and asked the POC chief to assist them and their fellow karatekas in their training for the Asian Games.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has already withdrawn its support for the PKF but continues to support the needs of the athletes. Meanwhile, the WKF has decided to strip the recognition of the local karatedo federation headed by POC first vice president Joey Romasanta.

Members of the karatedo squad complained that they failed to receive the full amount of their allowance during a 20-day trip in Germany last year, prompting the PSC to seek the help of the NBI to look into the matter.

WKF president Antonio Espinos, however, has given the PKF an opportunity to air its side during the federation’s world congress in Madrid, Spain, on Nov. 5.

“To prove that we put the interest of the country above all else, I have agreed to the interim solution of POC president Ricky Vargas and we will accede to the POC’s plan to assume responsibility of selecting and training the national karatedo team for international competitions,” Romasanta said.