Corruption in sports, too?

Shortly after they were beaten by the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP games, the Green Archers of De La Salle University filed a protest. The team claimed that the Eagles had violated a rule of the tournament by fielding two "imports" at the same time. The limit is supposed to be only one at a time. There was a report that a video clip of the game proved that, indeed, the coach had sent in two. However, the committee that looked into the complaint initially, said it had no merit, that the fielding did not affect the outcome of the game.

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And then another incident involving sports, particularly basketball, cropped up, this time a charge of game-fixing. A star player of St. Benilde's was accused of this by a businessman with whom he allegedly made an arrangement to place a bet on his game where he would limit his score to make him win. When the gambit did not work, the player and his cohorts reportedly threatened the bettor, from whom they also owed money. The man went to the cops and the National Bureau of Investigation, and the athletes were nabbed in an entrapment operation.

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What a time for sports in our country. This week, too, a commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission, a man whose name and face is always in the news as an authority on sports, especially basketball, was found guilty of adultery and disbarred by the Supreme Court. It seems we can no longer distinguish between the scams in sports and the scams in politics. The athletes violating, those protesting, and those game-fixing - they are the ones who will soon be running for public office, or getting appointed into them. If they get away with such acts now, how will they be as leaders and officials later?

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Delegates to the recent gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations must have been taken aback to find out that Russians do have a sense of humor, and are not the somber, unsmiling people they were believed to be before. They found this out when the Foreign Minister from that country twitted them, albeit in a joking way, about the gathering being all talk and talk. He even talked to his peers about the "transparency" of their meeting, referring to the gauzy barongs they were made to wear for their souvenir photo. His colleagues probably did not know whether they should laugh or take him seriously.

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President Arroyo must be regretting that she ever claimed during her latest State of the Nation Address that "A president can be as strong as she wants to be". Now that she is seeking emergency powers allegedly to deal with the looming water crisis, both Houses of Congress are not inclined to grant it, probably thinking she just has to prove that she can be strong and get what she wants without being given more powers. The powers are supposed to enable her to make decisions and approve expenditures in relation to the crisis without the usual red tape. But, with the recent appointments of her son as head of the Energy Committee, and her brother-in-law leading that on Environment in Congress, the solons must think that all the power is in them already.

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There appears to be a rash of ailments among some of our most powerful officials especially those close to Malacañang. Yesterday's reports said the head of the Political Affairs Office has to undergo a scoliosis operation, Justice Secretary Gonzalez has bleeding ulcers, acting Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales has diabetes, Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona also has ulcers, to say nothing about President spouse Mike Arroyo still recovering from a heart operation. Maybe the President did not remember to consult a feng shui expert before occupying the Palace?

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Today (tomorrow in the Philippines) Erik Morales is going to fight with American David Diaz in Chicago. In his pre-fight statement, Morales said he is hoping that Filipinos will pray for him because he already considers himself one of us after his reception here when he came for a business-pleasure trip last year. In fact, I think he came again later, and was very vocal about his pleasure at the welcome and friendliness shown to him. I think that is very touching, and, indeed, I think Pinoys will root more for him than for Diaz, who will have the advantage of playing among his people, since Chicago is also his hometown. Let's root for Erik Morales, maybe Manny Pacquiao will bring him to Bacolod sometime.*

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