THE FIGHT OF ABAP PRESIDENT RICKY VARGAS

courtesy of spin.ph

ABAP President Ricky Vargas faces his biggest and most crucial fight in Philippine sports as he dares to challenge Peping Cojuangco for the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) presidency.

With Frank Elizalde, a close friend of Peping Cojuangco, as head of the POC Election Committee, Vargas is truly placed in a no-win situation. No amount of appeals will make Elizalde reverse his earlier decision not to allow Vargas to run because of  the latter's non-attendance to majority of the POC General Assemblies.

Given the situation, Vargas has three more options. One, he can go to court. But with the justice system in the Philippines, it will take at least 5 years for the court to decide on his case. Two, Vargas can write to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ask the international body to ask POC to change its rules on running for an elective position. While IOC can ask POC to do so, it will really depend on POC whether it will decide to amend its rules. And chances are, POC will not do so to protect Peping's perpetual hold on the presidency. Third, Vargas can elevate his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). Aside from being expensive, it will take at least a year for CAS to decide on the case. Time definitely is not on the side of Vargas as the status quo will be maintained as the investigation rolls on. Meaning, Peping continues to act as the POC president as the case drags on.

The best possible solution to Vargas' woes will definitely be government intervention. The government intervention that is needed is the type that will immediately merit a suspension of the country from IOC. It is that type of government intervention that happened in Kuwait.

But more significantly, it is in India where the Philippines can learn most from. India was suspended from IOC because IOC saw that the election of leadership in the Indian Olympic Association was rigged. Perhaps, Vargas and his lawyers can take it from there.

Whatever option Ricky Vargas and his group take, I sincerely hope that they eventually make the most out of it and succeed. After all, the whole fiasco is bigger than Vargas and his fight to become POC president. It is all about the Filipino athletes and Philippine sports in general.