AN OPEN LETTER TO SEN. ALAN PETER CAYETANO

courtesy of PSL

Dear Sen. Alan Cayetano.

Greetings.

I am utterly shocked and dismayed that you accepted the position of honorary chairman of the FIVB World Women's Club Championship that is scheduled to take place in Manila in October. While I do understand that Tats Suzara of PSL is your family friend, your acceptance of the honorary chairmanship is a disturbing example of political patronage perpetrated by a sports leader.

For your information, no less than the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is investigating FIVB, POC and LVPI, including Tats Suzara, for conflict of interest. Below are the emails of IOC pertaining to the issue.

Dear Mr Dimzon,

Thanks again for the information, which is sufficient for us to contact FIVB – we understand that you have done this well beforehand already.

We will remind all parties affected by this matter to look into the correct application of the IOC Code of Ethics, specifically the ‘Rules Concerning Conflicts of Interests Affecting the Behaviour of Olympic Parties’ (pages 29 onwards, http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Commissions_PDFfiles/Ethics/code-ethique-2015-en.pdf).   

Best regards,

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

Château de Vidy

1007 Lausanne, Switzerland

Dear Mr Dimzon,

Thanks again for your various messages via all kinds of different channels and for the additional information you provided. Please understand that we are currently looking into the matter and that in the mean-time we already reminded all parties of the IOC Code of Ethics.

Asking for your patience and understanding,

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

Château de Vidy

1007 Lausanne, Switzerland

A little delicadeza on the part of Tats Suzara would have forced him to pass up on hosting the FIVB event since he himself is an FIVB official. But then again, delicadeza is a virtue that seems to have become outdated in a society obsessed with financial gain..