Romasanta to stay on as president until elections; IOC refutes Tolentino’s poll dates

Joey Romasanta will continue to sit as acting president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) but will give way to the winner of the elections being set to solve the leadership vacuum in the Olympic body.

And Romasanta stressed that he will not seek any elective post.

“I’m really, really tired of all of these conflicts. What’s in it for me?” Romasanta told the Inquirer late on Tuesday night.

Romasanta, the longtime right-hand man of former POC president Peping Cojuangco Jr., had earlier resigned from his post along with other members of the executive board, saying it was time to hand over the leadership of the Olympic body to a more dynamic set of officials.

But of the POC executive board members who voiced their resignation, only three kept their word and made it official: Archery’s Clint Aranas and board chair and Cavite Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (cycling), who are both seeking the POC presidency, and gymnastics’ Cynthia Carrion.

Romasanta will stay on as president in an acting capacity and spearhead the electoral process as ordered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Once a president is elected, he will slide down to first vice president, a post he will keep until 2020.

“I’m not even a candidate, but it’s very stressful and exhausting. It’s a waste of energy,” said Romasanta, the highest ranking officer after the resignation of former POC president Ricky Vargas.

The elections will be closely monitored by IOC and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Vargas resigned after the POC executive board questioned his dealings with the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee.

Meanwhile, the IOC dismissed the call of Tolentino to hold the election on a date not later than July 18.

In a two-page letter dated July 2 and signed by James Macleod, IOC director for Olympic solidarity and national Olympic committee relations, and OCA director general Husain al-Musallam, the POC was directed “to follow due process to avoid any further challenges and hold free and fair elections for the vacant positions.”

Both the IOC and OCA told the POC executive board to convene within five days and create an independent elections commission before an extraordinary general assembly or election is scheduled within 10 days.

The time frame suggested by the IOC and OCA will definitely go beyond the July 18 target date of Tolentino.