Judgment day for Under-23 Azkals, Malditas as POC reviews task force recommendations

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose `Peping’ Cojuangco Jr. on Tuesday said the sports body will evaluate the latest recommendations made by the Southeast Asian Games Task Force when it holds a special meeting on Wednesday.

Only after sitting down with members of the task force along with Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia can Cojuangco comment on the status of some teams included in the list, especially the men’s and women’s football teams.

SEA Games chef de mission Jeff Tamayo told Spin.ph on Monday that both the Under-23 Azkals and Malditas were included in the initial 'entry by name' list.

“We will review what their latest things are,” said Cojuangco, who appeared in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum together with daughter and newly-elected International Olympic Committee member Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski.

“We have to come up with a team that we can justify,” Cojuangco added. “Kasi pagkatapos nito, wala namang ibang bubugbugin kundi ako at si Richie na ‘bakit ganyan, bakit ganito?’”

The final decision on the composition of the delegation is expected to be submitted before the deadline on November 15.

Cojuangco said he will give importance on the ongoing physical tests done every six weeks on the candidates for inclusion in the team bound for the regional biennial competition.

“Maybe the others would give that a bit of consideration. Pero ako, I will give that a lot of attention, how the physical examinations are going on.”

“This, for me, is the key to the whole thing in the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics. If it works, then we have something to look at,” he added.

“After tomorrow then I can be more versed to answer questions,” Cojuangco concluded.