A dismayed Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Sunday told the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to step in the conflict between the national pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena and the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) in order to save the Philippines’ standing in international sports competition.

Go made the call after PATAFA dropped Obiena from the World Indoor Championships despite his recent victories and achievements in the field of sports.

“Nakakalungkot na dahil sa bangayan, nasayang ang pagkakataong mabigyan muli ng karangalan ang ating bansa sa larangan ng sports (It’s sad that because of the conflit, we lost the opportunity again to bring honor to the country in the area of sports),” said Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Sports.

“What has now happened to our battle cry ‘We win as one’ if we could not even resolve issues as one and unite and support our athletes as one people, as one nation?” Go further lamented.

As chair of the Senate sports panel, Go earlier called for a hearing to encourage both Obiena and PATAFA to undergo mediation. During the hearing both agreed to undergo the mediation process.

Yet despite this, PATAFA elevated his complaint against Obiena, which stemmed from his alleged failure to pay his Ukrainian coach and which have already been resolved, before the International Olympics Committee (IOC).

Since the mediation process is still ongoing, Go said he continues to call on the PSC to intervene in the conflict between the two parties.

“Ang kooperasyon ninyo ang kailangan para maayos ang lahat (Your cooperation is really needed to fix this problem) for the sake of our country. Magkaisa po tayo at sana ay walang pulitika sa sports (Let’s unite and hopefully get rid of sports politics),” he said.

“Ayusin na ang dapat ayusin. Gawin ninyo ang tama, isantabi ang pansariling interes, at resolbahin ang mga hindi pagkakaunawaan. Maging magandang ehemplo po sana kayo sa inyong salita at gawa dahil maraming mga Pilipino ang tumitingala sa inyo (Let’s do what needs to be done. Do the right thing, set aside personal interests and resolve the differences. You should be a good example in words and action to people who look up to you),” he pointed out to sports officials.

“Umaasa ang buong sambayanan na magiging maganda ang kahihinatnan ng usapang ito para na rin sa kapakanan ng susunod na henerasyon ng mga atleta (The whole nation is expecting that this issue would be resolved for the sake of the next generation of athletes),” Go stressed.