JAKARTA — PhilCycling and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) slammed officials of University of the East’s (UE) College of Dentistry for refusing to allow cyclist Marella Vania Salamat to take a leave of absence for the 18th Asian Games.
“The decision of the UE College of Dentistry not to allow cyclist Marella Salamat to take a leave of absence … is deplorable,” POC president Ricky Vargas said in a statement issued to members of the Philippine media here.
Efforts by PhilCycling president Rep. Abraham Tolentino and officials of the Philippine Sports Commission to persuade UE officials to give Salamat the green light to race in women’s road race fell on deaf ears.
“Salamat is a medal potential who wanted to compete for flag and country. This puts in question the sense of nationalism of an educational institution which has been known for its long history of Filipino sports heroes,” Vargas said.
“We are disappointed with this decision,” he stressed.
Salamat won gold in the women’s individual time trial in the 2015 Singapore Southeast Games but failed to defend her crown last year in Kuala Lumpur because her pet event was scrapped.
A dentistry student who quit one year of college to focus on cycling, Salamat also missed the Asian Cycling Championships for Road last February in Myanmar.
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