Garcia: PSC may shift funding for priority sports

Fed up with the delay in coming up with their respective programs, Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia yesterday said he’s considering transferring the financial support intended for the 10 focus sports to other interested national sports associations.

The PSC had identified Olympic sports athletics, archery, boxing, swimming, taekwondo, wrestling, weightlifting and non-Olympic disciplines billiards, wushu and bowling as part of the elite group of sports that will get enormous funding from the government to train their respective athletes.

“Just let me know [if they’re not interested] so the PSC can transfer the allocations to other NSAs in need of funding,” said Garcia.

Since the program on 10 focus sports and 145 priority athletes was launched three months ago, only wrestling has taken the initiative to avail of the offer.

President Aquino recently announced a P1-billion package for the 2011-2016 Philippine Sports Road map the PSC has drawn.

Meanwhile,  Go Teng Kok, president of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association, yesterday charged the sports-funding agency of freezing financial support intended for the overseas exposure of his athletes.