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Former Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Monico Puentevella believes that postponing the upcoming POC elections to a later calendar can be beneficial to everyone.
Puentevella, president of Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas and a voting member of the local Olympic body, will present a motion to the POC general assembly on Wednesday to move the ballot boxes early next year.
“Several voting members who are crucial in this election will not be able to vote in person. They are still settled and residing in the provinces due to the unavailability of flights so far, ”Puentevella said, proposing to restart the elections in January or February.
Puentevella will make this request despite a provision in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) constitution that requires National Olympic Committees to hold elections during the Olympic years, even if the Games – in this case, Tokyo 2020 – are postponed. POC president and Cavite representative Abraham “Bambol ” Tolentino dismissed the appeal, saying that asking for the cancellation of this year’s elections requires a lengthy process. “It is not easy, there is a procedure that must be followed. You have to amend the constitution and bylaws (POC), ”said Tolentino. “We will run out of time before it reaches the IOC for approval.”
Puentevella, a former representative and mayor of the city of Bacolod, said that there is no guarantee that the flights will be normal even until Christmas and almost half of the voters are also 60 years old and vulnerable to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) .
“Why are we in a rush to expose our voting members to this unhealthy situation? Let’s not endanger the lives of our members, some of whom are even 80 years old, ” Puentevella said.
“If the Olympics have been postponed by the IOC and host Japan due to health reasons, why can’t we?” Added Puentevella, citing that the International and Asian Weightlifting Federations moved their elections to January next year. .
Tolentino seeks a new four-year term during the November 27 elections to extend his term until the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. INQ
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