The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) yesterday assured athletics chief Philip Juico that the agency is not siding with marathoner Mary Joy Tabal relative to the Cebu-based runner’s’ feud with the national sports association.
“We just can’t turn away an athlete when he or she decides to see us,” said PSC chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez yesterday.
Tabal, accompanied by commissioner Ramon Fernandez, met with Ramirez last Wednesday to help her return to the Patafa.
Tabal was accepted back by the Patafa last year after earning a slot to the Rio Olympics where she placed 124th and almost failed to finish the race.
The Patafa had released Tabal shortly after her Olympic stint as she has her own set of trainers and even a management team based in Cebu.
For Tabal to make it back, she has to agree to be trained under Patafa’s own rules, something Ramirez had advised the runner.
“I already asked commissioner Fernandez to reach out with the Patafa,” said Ramirez, noting that it is imperative that she gets the Patafa’s nod so she can properly represent the country.
Juico said that Tabal is making contact with the Patafa since she is getting to ready to race in Canada, a move Juico doesn’t see fit as she could suffer another meltdown.
Juico insists that a maximum of three races a year is being advised by experts to achieve a world-class time.
Since Rio, Tabal has raced in the Milo national finals and if she runs in Canada, that would be her third in just seven months, stressed Juico, who is hoping that Tabal reconsiders so she can fully prepare for the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur this August.