Skateboarding, kickboxing, paragliding join POC family as associate members

The Philippine Olympic Committee family is getting bigger.

POC chair Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Thursday announced that three more sports have been included as associate members of the local Olympic body.

Tolentino said the Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas was recognized during Thursday’s executive board meeting at the Capitol Commons in Pasig City along with national sports associations in skateboard and paragliding.

“We are happy to announce that these sports are now part of the POC family,” said Tolentino, a Cavite representative and PhilCycling president.

Kickboxing will offer seven gold medals in six weight classes for males and one for females in the 30th Southeast Asian Games next year.

Skateboarding gained instant fame after female skateboarder Margielyn Didal captured a gold in the recent Asian Games.

Recently, the POC also recognized four sports—surfing, sikaran, floorball and tchoukball—but removed Arnis Philippines Inc. from its regular roster.

Tolentino said Arnis Philippines, which is headed by Raymond Velayo, was replaced by the group of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, president of the Philippine Eskrima and Kali Aris Federation.