THE Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) has expelled Donald David Geiser in an offshoot of the two-time Olympian’s dispute with the association over his online Zoom classes that involved members of the national team last June.
In a 12-page notice addressed to Geisler and posted by the federation on its Facebook page on Monday, the PTA said it "forfeited and terminated" Geisler's membership and declared him persona non grata based on a decision made by the sanction committee chaired by Manolo Gabriel.
The PTA cited Geisler’s online Zoom training sessions for the Donald Geisler Taekwondo Training Center that involved national players without proper notice to the federation, his complaint against the association before the Philippine Competition Commission, and accusations against the federation on social media as reasons for his expulsion.
Geisler issued a statement on Tuesday, saying the PTA’s decision is baseless.
“Yesterday, the decision from the Association was instantly posted n its Facebook page with Notice to the Public that I was already expelled from the Association as an Accredited Instructor, which now prevents me from conducting and continuing my business in teaching the sport that I love. From the looks of it, these are all baseless and intended to create leverage against me.
“The truth is on my side and I will continue this uphill battle in such time that discriminatory actions are stopped and justice is served,” Geisler said.
The issue stemmed from Geisler organizing an online Zoom session with national athletes Samuel Morrison and Arven Alcantara without prior notice from the PTA. Pauline Lopez and Jeordan Dominguez were also invited in the same online classes but asked Geisler to seek permission from the PTA.
Geisler later blasted the PTA for not allowing the national players to take part in the online class which are offered free to his students, and elevated the issue to the Philippine Competition Commission.
After an investigation, the PTA concluded Geisler deceived Morrison and Alcantara into believing that they would only be delivering “inspirational messages” and not be part of an actual online class.
The PTA also said Geisler misled Lopez and Dominguez into believing that the online classes had the consent of the association, and lied by saying that the national athletes will not be receiving compensation, even though Morrison and Alcantara received P2,000 each as honorarium, which was later returned.
“All told, it is clear that Mr. Geisler committed numerous violations of the PTA’s long-standing rules, protocols, and traditions. Worse, when he was caught, Mr. Geisler, instead of apologizing and showing remorse, chose to attack and thus conducted a smear campaign against the PTA ," the sanction committee said.
"These actions of Mr. Geisler clearly constitute conduct unbecoming of a PTA coach and taekwondo practitioner, and thus, this committee finds him no longer worthy to remain in the PTA and enjoy the privileges reserved for its members."
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