Got it Right this Time

For once I can appreciate the words coming out of the mouth of new Senator Bong Go. His appeal that the public should stop gloating over the ineptitude and error prone hosting of the 30th South East Asian Games in the country and instead root for and clap for our own athletes is right on the money.

And for one Senator Bong Go has come out with a very sensible piece of advice that echoes the clamor of the majority who would want the country’s athletes to reap as many medals (gold if possible) during the games.

On the other side of the spectrum senior Senator Tito Sotto came out with quite different take on the hosting fiasco committed by the country in the games. He said that the country has been “too hospitable” adding that in the SEA and Asian Games where he participated in (as an athlete and later on as a coach) they were left by the host country to fend for themselves and that if possible they were made deliberately uncomfortable to insure that they lose in the games.

Now perhaps what Senator Sotto said was true during his time but is he implying that the country should do the same to the foreign athletes competing in the SEA games? Or is he implying that whatever error or fault that is attributable to the organizers of the games is too trivial and mundane to merit the attention of the public and the country?

Is he also implying that shabby treatment of competing foreign athletes is actually the standard operating procedure (SOP) of any host country to increase the chances of its athletes of winning medals?

From a sensible standpoint one has to think that the new Senator has more wisdom and intellect in making an appeal for calm and sobriety from those critical of the games than the insensitive and banal statement from the older and more senior Senator baring as it were the devious underlying motives behind previous SEA and Asian games where he participated.

And all the while it is thought that international sports competitions such as the SEA, Asian and Olympics games were honorable contests with winners and champions having won fair and square. Borrowing the view of Senator Sotto if we are to act and behave in the manner of a host that seeks only to undermine the integrity, sportsmanship, prestige and honor of the games then we should never, ever become a host to any such kind of competitions to avoid being branded as uncouth thugs.

There is a lot to be said about the way the country is going to manage the 30th South East Asian games but it should never earn the reputation as being an underhanded, manipulative, deceitful and dishonest host.

The Philippines should show that it is way better than all of those previous hosts to the South East Asian games and is a model to be emulated. Shame on those who would think otherwise.

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