PH voice in IOC a big honor–Garcia

PHILIPPINE Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia yesterday said having a Filipino in the International Olympic Committee is a luxury several countries in the Olympic movement don’t have.

“It is a great honor to have an IOC representative to the Philippines. By having one, we will have a voice in the IOC,” said Garcia.

Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, an equestrian gold medalist in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, will be officially installed as IOC representative to the Philippines in the ongoing 125th IOC session in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
She will replace Frank Elizalde, who is stepping down from the Olympic body at the end of the year.

Out of 204 countries in the IOC movement, only less than a hundred have IOC members. There are 104 regular members with some countries having at least two representatives.

“As Elizalde was a big help to the Philippines when he was in the IOC, we expect the same from Mikee,”  said Garcia.

The daughter of Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. was among the nine candidates nominated by the executive board to become IOC members.