Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz on Monday admitted that she had faced same problems regarding training expenses with her national sports association (NSA) too.
Diaz disclosed the matter during the Senate Committee on Sports hearing into the current rift between the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) and pole vaulter EJ Obiena.
The Filipino weightlifter told the panel she too, commisserates and understands the plight of Obiena, who is now fighting his reinstatement in the national pool after being accuased of falsifying his liquidation documents and failing to pay his coach Vitaly Petrov for his training services.
“Alam ko pinagdadaanan niya (I know what he goes through) as an athlete, na nagte training sa abroad, then sacrificing all his life, away from his family to represent our country,” Diaz said.
“Ang sa akin naman po (To me) yes, kailangan nga pong mag usap between NSA and EJ para ma resolve po ito. And thank you po sa pag bibigay ng floor kay EJ na ma explain yung part niya (the NSA and EJ need to resolve this. And thank you for giving EJ the floor to explain his part),” she pointed out.
“Gusto ko lang sabihin na hindi po ito yung problema lang ng isang athleta. Like EJ, naging practice po ito, simula po dati. Pero buti na lang me and sir Monico, nag kaayos po kami (I just want to say that this is not just a problem of one athlete. Like EJ, this has been the practice, since then. But I’m glad that in my case, me and sir Monico, we were able to settle the issue),” she said.
“And we choose to communicate with each other and ayun po. For the better, for the sports,” she further said.
Diaz is referring to her NSA’s Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) President Monico Puentevella.
According to Diaz, she and Puentevalla were fortunately able to move on because they agreed to be united for the country.
“Ayun nga nauwi natin yung gold medal sa Olympics, kasi nagkaroon kami ng unity and pinakinggan anong kailangan ko as an athlete ni sir Monico, (We were then able to bring home the gold medal during the Olympics. Because we had unity and sir Monico listened to my needs as an athlete),” she said.
“Kasi sa akin din nung last time, nagkaroon din kami ng problema sa liquidation nagkaroon ng problema sa requesting. Pero at the end of the day, nag uusap kami ng NSA, nagco- communicate po kami. So communication po talaga ang kelangan (Because last time, we also faced liquidation problems, we had problems on requesting (of funds). But at the end of the day, we talked and communicated. So communication is really the key),” she pointed out.
Diaz said she hopes Obiena’s row with his own NSA would be resolved at the soonest possible time since he too is preparing this February for upcoming international competitions.
“Sana hindi ito mangyayari ulit sa ordinaryong atleta or kagaya naming mga (I hope this doesn’t happen to other ordinary athletes or to some like us) elite athletes,”
“Siguro din yung (Also there should be) respect to the athletes. Kasi as an athlete kelangan din malaman ng NSA or ng sports officials kung ano ba talaga ang kelangan naming mga athleta. Lalo pag nasa elite level na po kami. (NSAs and other sports officials should also need to know what the specific needs of their athletes are. Especially because we are already at the elite level),” Diaz noted.
“Kasi iba po yung pangangailangan ng grassroots, junior, and ng elite ahtletes . syempre yung pressure, expectations ay mataas pag nasa elite athlete na, elite level na (Those in the grassroots, junior and elite athletes have different needs. Of course, the pressure, expectations are higher for the elite athletes, those in the elite level),” she tressed.
“Naintidhinan ko din po na may mga kelangan namin may mga procedure, protocols na kelangan sundin so talagang kelangan namin ng NSA kaming mga atleta. Pero syempre ang NSA kelangan din ng atleta, so siguro respetuhan na lang (But we also understand the need to comply with procedures, with protocols, so we athletes also need our NSAs. But of course, NSAs, need athletes, so there should be mutual respect),” she explained.