By Nick Giongco
Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski feels for the sidelined national athletes but swears the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is moving heaven and earth to help Japan successfully stage the Tokyo Olympics next year.
A gold medalist for equestrian in the 2002 Busan Asian Games, Cojuangco-Jaworski disclosed that the possible postponement of the Tokyo Games has affected them “mentally, physically and financially.”
“I can feel the frustration because many of them have big responsibilities. Naiintindihan ko yan,” said the daughter of former Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco.
But Cojuangco-Jaworski, the IOC’s representative to the Philippines, guarantees the athletes, especially those who have qualified for Tokyo and those in the thick of qualifying, that the “IOC is putting all efforts and every resource for a success hosting of the Olympics.”
The coronavirus pandemic forced the IOC and Japan to reschedule it for next year and Cojuangco-Jaworski insists “every opportunity is being given to have the Olympics we all dream aout.”
She likewise has informed the IOC about the situation in the Philippines.
“I wrote IOC president Thomas Bach and informed him about our situation, the monthly allowances of the athletes that have been cut in half and the sports facilities that are being used to house the sick.”
Cojuangco-Jaworski said she understands the drastic action that authorities undertook to curb the outbreak and could only hope that everything gets back to normal the soonest possible time.
“Everyone one of us have one thing in common: We want this to end.”
Still, the IOC rep, who also holds key positions in the IOC-sanctioned commissions as well as in the Association of National Olympic Committees, remains upbeat that the close coordination of the IOC and the World Health Organization should produce positive results.
A video conference is taking place next month to discuss the Olympics,
according to Couangco-Jaworski, who nonetheless is in favor of seeing the return of select national athletes into training mode.
“As long as their NSAs can provide safety measures, I am for it because I believe that if the public starts seeing sports is getting back, it will make them feel better. Babalik yung sigla nila (public).”
Currently, officials from the Philippine Sports Commission and POC, are working for the resumption of the training of a small number of athletes.
But the Inter-Agency Task Force seems cold on the proposal as sports officials eagerly await official word on whether a resumption is within reach.
“Sports has an important role in nation-building,” added Cojuangco-Jaworski.
