PSC, POC study have-money-will travel plan

The country’s top sports officials are in a quandary whether to adopt the have-money-will-travel scheme on team sports for the Myanmar Southeast Asian Games.

Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia yesterday said the top brass of the Philippine Olympic Committee and the PSC would have to study the serious repercussions of including team sports that are willing to spend on their own.

POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and Garcia both made it clear that they want a small but competitive contingent in the Dec. 11 to 22 meet and having team sports on board would almost double the size of the delegation.

“The have-money-will-travel scheme was first accepted as an alternative to these team sports. But now this idea of sending those who have the luxury of spending their own money is being closely studied,” said Garcia.

With possible entries in both men and women, football and futsal are lobbying for 18 to 21 players, basketball 12 and dragon boat 20 to 25. These figures exclude coaches, managers, trainers and team staff.

“There won’t be any problems if they are qualified based on the criteria set by the task force. But if they’re not qualified and can spend on their own, that’s the time when the problem comes in,” said Garcia.

Garcia said the impasse on team sports would be settled as soon as Cojuangco arrives from an International Olympic Committee meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, next week.