Warring NSAs may lose PSC assistance

Troubed national sports associations are in for a deeper dilemma in the coming year.

The Philippine Sports Commission will cut off financial assistance to NSAs hounded by leadership problems, according to PSC chair Richie Garcia.

He said the burden of fixing the squabble between warring factions falls on the Philippine Olympic Committee, which should look for a common ground to end these leadership disputes.

“They have to fix it,” said Garcia. “If they cannot find a lasting solution, we will be forced to take away the financial support these NSAs have been getting.”

The local Olympic body headed by Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., however, has done a good job of settling the differences between conflicting camps with nine out of 11 cases already solved, among them archery, basketball, wushu, badminton, football, equestrian, volleyball and wrestling.

The POC also recently found an area of agreement in the feud between Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and former PSC chair Philip Ella Juico in cycling.

Tolentino was named PhilCycling president in an election a few months back while Juico agreed to become vice president.

Other NSAs still hounded by leadership woes are table tennis and billiards.

The seat of power in the Table Tennis Association of the Philippines is a toss-up between Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and the group of Ting Ledesma while long-time billiards patron Aristeo “Putch” Puyat and Bong Ilagan are in a tug-of-war in the Billiards Sports Confederation of the Philippines.

“How can we support two groups if both claim they are the legitimate leaders?” said Garcia. “If I were them, I will fix it early.”