POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino affirmed that if Patafa will not be endorsing the pole vaulter in the delegation list then the institution will vouch for Obiena.

“There’s a provision in the IOC charter, nakalagay doon na the NOC is the sole authority which submits the delegation proposed by the NSA, whether NSA or what, as the final list on all Olympic, regional, continental, and all world tournaments patronized by the IOC not only on sports merits but based on if the athlete will be an inspiration of the youth,” Tolentino explained during the PSA Forum yesterday. 

Tolentino also shared that in the event that Obiena was not able to get government support then he would be funded privately.

Still, that’s not an issue for the POC.

“We will fight for it. The NOC will fight for it,” Tolentino said.

In the end, Tolentino  affirmed that Obiena’s situation will be a ‘test-case’ and turned the question to NSA saying that “ang tanong po dito sa NSA (I would ask the NSA), if that athlete really has a big potential, will you deprive the country of having a medal?”