Kickboxing’s Atty. Wharton Chan sits as the new secretary-general of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), an appointment that comes less than a year before the Paris Olympics and amid a tension between the organization and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
“Atty. Wharton has shown dedication and energy and his familiarity with the operations of the POC in relation to the International Olympic Committee and the national sports associations [NSAs] fits him to a ‘T,’” said POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Tuesday.
Chan is the secretary-general of the Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas and is the POC’s head of legal. He replaced Atty. Edwin Gastanes, whose resignation as secretary-general of the Philippine Football Federation automatically disqualified him from continuing his duty at the POC.
Chan’s appointment will be officially presented to the NSAs during the POC General Assembly next Friday at the East Ocean Restaurant in Paranaque City.
The POC is at odds with the Philippine Sports Commission on an unliquidated financial assistance worth P10 million that was given to the POC as financial assistance 25 years ago in the country’s campaign in the 10th Asian Games in Bangkok.
The POC, meanwhile, will discuss at the sidelines of the General Assembly the conduct of the Batang Pinoy and Philippine National Games, which the PSC simultaneously scheduled from December 17 to 23 in Metro Manila venues, Tagaytay City and Batangas.
The PNG and BP are the PSC’s flagship events with the PNG hailed as the combined national championships or opens for all NSAs while the BP is the certified national juniors program.
The POC believes holding both programs simultaneously raises questions on the overall integrity of the conduct of the programs with NSAs pressed to manage and supervise numerous competitions in several age brackets in each of the six days of the PNG and BP.