EJ Obiena's participation in the Southeast Asian Games remains in limbo as far as the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) is concerned.
Patafa president Philip Ella Juico said that the Olympic pole vaulter remains out of the federation's national training pool list, although no doors have been closed yet as he can still be in consideration for a spot.
"EJ Obiena is not in the national training pool list. We have to discuss that with ourselves, the Patafa board, as for the new list that we submitted to the Philippine Sports Commission," he said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday.
Obiena and Patafa, particularly Juico, have been at odds for the better part of the past four months over allegations of embezzlement and falsification of documents against the athlete.
That has led Patafa to strike Obiena out of the national training pool and file cases against him, with the pole vaulter vehemently denying the accusations.
EJ Obiena, who has qualified for the World Athletics Championships and World Indoors, has been left out of the Southeast Asian Games team.
Still, Obiena has proudly carried the country's flag in international competitions and even ruled the Orlen Cup in Lodz, Poland earlier this month.
Juico, though, said that the case for Obiena to play in the SEA Games is still not a done deal with him indicating his desire to continue representing the country.
"He's not on the list right now, as we announced on Jan. 28, and we'd have to look at his case if he wants to participate cause he has said that he will ask for help of others. Let's see what works," he said.
Obiena is the reigning SEA Games pole vault champion, setting the games record of 5.45 meters to claim the gold medal in the 2019 offing at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium.
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