MASTER BLASTER
The right to swim
BY NEIL BRAVO
A friend of mine forwarded me an email about some trouble within a national sports association. I will discuss this initially in substance while I am trying to get into the tip of the iceberg.
The email involves the prohibition of some young Filipino swimmers from participating in a Sabah swimming competitions held recently for swimmers aged 8-17 years old. The group of Philippine swimmers were barred from competing not by the organizers themselves directly, but by the act and omission of the leader of the country’s national swimming association.
The group was representing an association of swimmers whose concern is to develop young swimmers in the manner of a laudable grassroots set up. On their own, they went with some of their parents to Sabah on account of an invitation between the two diplomatic states and in the spirit of sports solidarity.
Then came the bad news.
The national association (NSA) for swimming, through its president, intervened and relayed information that the Filipino children cannot be allowed to participate because they are not members of the national association. According to the officials, the international swimming community bars anyone from participating in an international competition without being a member of the national association. The poor kids were crying after being told they cannot participate.
The parents appealed their case to the organizers but we’re told only the word of the national association president can lift the prohibition. The president of the NSA put up a hard stand. Poor kids were reportedly left out from taking part.
The trouble is not even that. That’s only for a start.
The worst thing is, the president reportedly accused the Pinoy kids of being age cheats and that the fake passports in the Philippines can be procured anytime. The accusation was addressed to an international counterpart and open to the global internet reading public.
Where in the world can you find an official like that?
As the old cliché goes, “only in the Philippines.”
First, I was taught that sports is for all. It is everyone’s right. It is a gift of democracy in the same breath as the right to education or right to practice a profession not otherwise contrary to law. What law did the kids violate? The law of the association’s president? The laws of the association or that of the international swimming body?
Again, I was taught that human rights are Constitutional grants of democracy superior to any municipal law and limitable only by the police powers of the State. Read, the police powers of the State. Not the powers of this NSA president.
Not even the international swimming body.
I was also taught that international laws conform to that of the laws of the State within the ambit of comity among nations. Otherwise, it will have no effect. The international swimming laws are not even laws of any State. It is the law of an international sports association. How can that rule be superior over human rights guaranteed by all civilized nation?
You want me to believe that if a child wanted to swim, he cannot do so because he needs to be a member of this association? That a child whose parents can send him elsewhere to compete cannot do so because the association of his sport simply says so?
I was taught that men should follow the law. Not the law to follow the caprices of men.
What is the take here? Membership fees to be paid first before one can compete? What is this, a license to practice one’s hobby? Since when did a hobby or sport require a license to practice (other than professional sports which is another story)?
Finally, the comment on the faking of passports is an affront to the authorities, specifically the Department of Foreign Affairs. How can a man be so straightforward in accusing a government agency before an international community that our authorities can produce fake passports?
How can you lead a country’s sporting association when you can do such a snide comment to an authority much higher in the scheme of existence without proof to back up your claim? Or does he know something? He better come up with the evidence to support his negative remark. I think the DFA should take this matter seriously as an affront to its existence.
I need not name names here, but those in the sporting community knows what’s ailing the sport. The high-handed, arrogant stand of some sporting associations like this one deserve a reality check.
This is nothing personal but really, I was taught that even irrationality, like one’s greed for power can be, reigned.
Notes: Happy brewing to Museo Café which celebrated its birthday last February 8. To Ethel, Gina, and the regulars like Tisay, Liezl, Jane (who all had personal mugs, unlike this writer)and Ronel—see you more often.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Master Blaster (Mindanao Daily Mirror, February 17, 2010)
What Refs should learn
I was not around in the final gamedate of the Mayor Rody-Inday Sara All-Media basketball tournament last Sunday afternoon as I was waging a different battle in my Mock Bar Examination room. It was the second Sunday that I missed the tournament and it happened on those crucial games.
However, I am glad to know that my team, White, won third place in the tournament. The Reds went all the way to clinch the title beating Team Black.
ABS-CBN anchor Allan Abais, during the Maayong Buntag Mindanao program last Monday, expressed his thanks and personal sentiments about the tournament. Allan plays for Team Black and he is one of the team’s trusted standouts. Allan plays forward and has a good shooting touch.
But Allan’s most memorable shot was thrown Monday against the referees whom he thought were the only weak spot in the tournament.
In substance, Allan’s point is worth considering. In fact, I share the same sentiments with Allan.I have my own sad experience with these refs too.
In fairness to the referees, I pretty well understand the difficult task of officiating. In many occasions, referees are the easy scapegoats for losing. As they say, “kasama na sa trabaho yan.” However, I guess it is about time that we take refereeing seriously and judiciously.
I believe that officiating should be, at all times, fair but firm. Just like my favorite referee in boxing Joe Cortez. Being fair doesn’t mean being indecisive. On the other hand, being firm does not also mean being too rigid and not allowing for some democratic considerations.
I remember one professional basketball player who said: “I asked a ref if he could give me a technical foul for thinking bad things about him. He said, of course not. I said, well, I think you stink. And he gave me a technical. You can't trust 'em.” Funny but true.
The point is, the refs are supposed to be the judges of the game. As judges, they must lay decisions only upon clear and valid grounds. And even when they call it, they should not be so oversensitive when players appeal their case.
By appealing their case, I am talking about a player asking why the call went that way. Is that wrong? Is that being disrespectful?
For example, you questioned a foul called by one referee. From what I learn, a flagrant foul is when a defensive player goes after the man instead of the ball with intent to harm or use parts of his body illegally to prevent the offensive player from scoring.
Instead, you get a technical foul in the process for mere appealing your case. Is that going overboard? Is mere asking for an explanation a ground for a technical foul? I wonder why.
Where even our courts of justice afford an appeal, why can’t these court judges accommodate an appeal?
I do not mean anything against the referees. I respect them highly for their profession. Without them, sports will not be complete. But they must understand that knowledge of the game should be shared. It should not make them more superior over players just because they are better schooled in officiating.
I thank Allan for making the very honest remark. Things like this only make us strive harder to improve our work. This should not be taken by the referees as an affront. Instead, they should take this as a lesson to learn. Sometimes, you may know the rules too well, but that is not enough. You need to know the game as well.
Afterall, sportsmen are eternal students of the game.
I was not around in the final gamedate of the Mayor Rody-Inday Sara All-Media basketball tournament last Sunday afternoon as I was waging a different battle in my Mock Bar Examination room. It was the second Sunday that I missed the tournament and it happened on those crucial games.
However, I am glad to know that my team, White, won third place in the tournament. The Reds went all the way to clinch the title beating Team Black.
ABS-CBN anchor Allan Abais, during the Maayong Buntag Mindanao program last Monday, expressed his thanks and personal sentiments about the tournament. Allan plays for Team Black and he is one of the team’s trusted standouts. Allan plays forward and has a good shooting touch.
But Allan’s most memorable shot was thrown Monday against the referees whom he thought were the only weak spot in the tournament.
In substance, Allan’s point is worth considering. In fact, I share the same sentiments with Allan.I have my own sad experience with these refs too.
In fairness to the referees, I pretty well understand the difficult task of officiating. In many occasions, referees are the easy scapegoats for losing. As they say, “kasama na sa trabaho yan.” However, I guess it is about time that we take refereeing seriously and judiciously.
I believe that officiating should be, at all times, fair but firm. Just like my favorite referee in boxing Joe Cortez. Being fair doesn’t mean being indecisive. On the other hand, being firm does not also mean being too rigid and not allowing for some democratic considerations.
I remember one professional basketball player who said: “I asked a ref if he could give me a technical foul for thinking bad things about him. He said, of course not. I said, well, I think you stink. And he gave me a technical. You can't trust 'em.” Funny but true.
The point is, the refs are supposed to be the judges of the game. As judges, they must lay decisions only upon clear and valid grounds. And even when they call it, they should not be so oversensitive when players appeal their case.
By appealing their case, I am talking about a player asking why the call went that way. Is that wrong? Is that being disrespectful?
For example, you questioned a foul called by one referee. From what I learn, a flagrant foul is when a defensive player goes after the man instead of the ball with intent to harm or use parts of his body illegally to prevent the offensive player from scoring.
Instead, you get a technical foul in the process for mere appealing your case. Is that going overboard? Is mere asking for an explanation a ground for a technical foul? I wonder why.
Where even our courts of justice afford an appeal, why can’t these court judges accommodate an appeal?
I do not mean anything against the referees. I respect them highly for their profession. Without them, sports will not be complete. But they must understand that knowledge of the game should be shared. It should not make them more superior over players just because they are better schooled in officiating.
I thank Allan for making the very honest remark. Things like this only make us strive harder to improve our work. This should not be taken by the referees as an affront. Instead, they should take this as a lesson to learn. Sometimes, you may know the rules too well, but that is not enough. You need to know the game as well.
Afterall, sportsmen are eternal students of the game.
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