New rule to disqualify sports’ ‘old guards’

Steve Hontiveros has been in sports since the 1980s as a bowling chief and one-time president of the FIQ (international bowling federation). Through most of his career, he has held several key positions in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) executive board.

This November, though, when the POC holds its elections, Hontiveros and the other “old guards” of Philippine sports may no longer be qualified to run for office.

The POC, following the lead of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has recommended an amendment to its constitution putting an age requirement of 70 years old for officials.

“The IOC has geared toward that line of setting an age requirement to enable fresh minds into the system,” said POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. “However, the current laws of the POC has no prohibition on age limit.”

Tolentino said the POC general assembly (GA) will have the final say on the issue and if it is approved, the rule will be applied in the next elections.

That means Hontiveros, who is 75 and is the incumbent POC chair, will no longer be qualified to run.

“I have no objection to that rule, personally; I will just be here if they want my help in whatever capacity,” Hontiveros said.

Aside from the Hontiveros, who is also handball chief, also age ineligible for POC positions are former POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. (85), wushu’s Julian Camacho (76) and volleyball’s Joey Romasanta (75).

“This issue is one of the subjects in several meetings of the technical working group consisted of lawyers and headed by the chief legal counsel,” Tolentino said.

He added that a draft has been submitted to former POC chief Ricky Vargas (boxing), who now heads the committee on constitution and by-laws.

“If it will be passed by the GA before November [it will be enforced in the elections],” Tolentino said.