First the good news. After it was reported in a national broadsheet that “the PSC was forced to negotiate with Laguna after Dumaguete City formally withdrew…its earlier commitment to host the annual grassroots program…as they (in the City) are still recovering from the effects of the recent calamities,” PSC Commissioner Jolly Gomez came to Dumaguete City last Tuesday to meet personally with Mayor Chiquiting Sagarbarria to formalize the hosting by the City of the PNG. This was after Gov. Roel Degamo assured the assistance of the Province, specifically in the use of the provincial sports facilities.
The PNG is scheduled on May 26 to June 2. It will be an opportunity for Negrenses to play host to the best athletes coming from all parts of the country. We will have our hands full in providing billeting and competition venues for 33 sports disciplines, the scope of which could be gleaned from its staging in Negros Occidental last year: In Bacolod City, opening fun run, athletics, badminton, beach volleyball, billiards, fencing, gymnastics, judo, karatedo, lawn tennis, motorcycle sports, sailing, softball, soft tennis, swimming, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, windsurfing and wrestling.
In Bago City, canoe-kayak, dragon boat, muay Thai and wushu.
In Talisay City, cycling road race, futsal, football women, pencak silat, table tennis and wall climbing.
In Silay City, archery, arnis, sepak takraw and triathlon.
Athletic, water sports and resort facilities in Valencia, Tanjay, Dauin, Bacong and perhaps, even as far south as Sta. Catalina and Bayawan might be used as competition venues. Likewise, the facilities of the schools, colleges and universities could also be tapped.
The PNG will be an excellent opportunity for all of us in Negros Oriental to join hands and manifest to everyone that despite the recent calamities which tested our capacity to cope and survive, those who will come for the national games, as the DOT promotional motto guarantees, will “have more fun.”
Now the bad news. Our Province, through the only accredited sports association in our locality, the Negros Oriental Football Association (NORFA), played host to the Visayan leg eliminations of the prestigious PFF under-23 AFF Suzuki Cup, a “biennial football competition organized by the Asean Football Federation accredited by FIFA and contested by the national teams of Southeast Asia.”
Three teams participated in the eliminations, representing the Cebu Football Association, the Negros Occidental Football Association, and NORFA.
With four matches already played at the Silliman U Ballfield, NOFA leads with six points after winning both its matches, while Cebu is at second with four points, and NORFA, third and last, with one point.
In last Sunday’s game between the CFA and NORFA, a most distressing and unfortunate behavior manifested by the NORFA coach merited the filing of a complaint against him by the central referee.
Excerpts from the affidavit of the complainant submitted to Dick Emperado, president of NORFA, and copies furnished to Mariano “Nonong” Araneta, president of the PFF, as well as to the Asian Football Confederation, tells us about this unfortunate incident, with the names of persons involved omitted to protect the innocent:
“1. Excerpts from the Tournament Regulations of the Suzuki Under23 Football Competition prescribes the following:… All cases of violence must be severely punished; b) A coach who enters the field of play without the permission of the referee will be suspended for one match; c) A coach who hits a referee/assistant referee…(with or without cause) will merit indefinite suspension;
“2. The FIFA Code of Conduct for Football which ‘encapsulates all the sporting, moral, and ethical principles which FIFA has always stood and for which it will continue to fight in the future, prescribes d) ‘Referees are there to maintain discipline and fair play. Always accept their decisions without arguing, and help them to help you enjoy the game more.
“3. At about the 50th minute into the second half of the game between the teams of NORFA and CFA, with a score of 2-1 in favor of CFA, Asst. Referee #1 raised a flag to signify that a violation was committed, and as Central Referee, I blew my whistle to stop the game with the intention of imposing the appropriate decision governing the violation noted by Asst. Referee #1.
“4. At the instance that I blew my whistle, and in violation of the tournament rules as well as the FIFA Code of Conduct for Foodball, the coach of NORFA, without permission, entered the field of play, and accosted me, the Central Referee, and started verbally berating me and asking me why I blew the whistle, and he started to physically abuse me by pushing his big belly against me and, without provocation, head-butted me, or hit me with his head, to which I tried to defend myself but was prevented to do so when the NORFA Asst. Coach held me back which prevented further violent action;
“5. I am submitting this Affidavit of Complaint to NORFA President Dick Emperado for proper disposition and for the meting out of the prescribed sanctions and punishment upon the NORFA Coach whose behavior as a coach of young football players is contrary to, and violates all the very core principles and values in sports, and since this Coach is a poor example for young developing and impressionistic youngster, he should be banned completely from any activity related to youth development and formation;
“6. I am likewise submitting this Affidavit of Complaint to the Philippine Football Federation President Mariano Araneta, through the PFF General Secretary Cyril Dolfito, for the information of the PFF; and
“7. The same Affidavit of Complaint will be served to the Asian Football Confederation to manifest to them that we in Negros Oriental, Philippines are devout followers of its vision in football: Asia is the Future.”
In a meeting of FU IYSPeace staff held Monday presided by Dean Sinco, it was decided that until such time that NORFA will impose appropriate sanctions on the concerned NORFA Coach, FU will not allow the University football teams to engage in any game with the team or teams handled by this no-good coach.
This is to protect the integrity of the FU sports program and to encourage the NORFA, as the ruling body of football in our Province, to begin imposing its authority in the observance of the FIFA motto: My Game is Fair Play.
