PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William "Butch" Ramirez Monday, September 12, said the national athletes and coaches will sign contracts with government to secure them and protect them from being dropped from the national team as it had been the case for several years now.
"All athletes and coaches receiving allowances from the government will have to sign contracts so they can't just be removed without due process. Nomination of athletes and coaches will also have to undergo due process," Ramirez said during Monday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM Annex Event Center in Davao City.
He added some athletes and coaches received allowances ranging from P10,000 to P40,000 from the PSC.
The agency has a policy of no liquidation, no funding; no program, no funding; and no target, no funding.
Ramirez added that with government money being spent for the national athletes in training and participation to international competitions, the government will also expect results.
In a separate interview, Ramirez cited the case of marathoner Mary Joy Tabal of Cebu City who recently received her walking papers from the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) after competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Tabal was accepted back to the national team after qualifying for Rio via the Scotia bank Ottawa Marathon in Canada last May but it took awhile before Patafa got her back in the midst of media fanfare.
In a media briefing with sportswriters at a downtown restaurant in Davao City on Saturday, September 10, Ramirez said he will try to be a "bridge" between Tabal and Patafa.
"I will talk to (Philip Ella) Juico about it," Ramirez said. Juico is president of Patafa.
Ramirez also called on different sports associations to stop the quarrel or PSC will stop funding their programs.
He added many national sports associations have not submitted their liquidation yet. (MLS)