POC Official : PH Dragon Boat team competed vs beginners

Source : Dennis Gasgonia, abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – A Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) official has again belittled the Philippine Dragon Boat squad, claiming that most of the events participated by the Filipino paddlers in the recent World Championships in Tampa, Florida were “merely for beginners.”
POC Director Jeff Tamayo downplayed the team's 5-gold medal haul by saying the Filipino paddlers competed against inferior teams.
“[Sa] sinalihan nilang competition, they're like big fish in a small pond…ang sinalihan nila ay sa beginner's competition. [It’s] for those who don't have 20-man teams,” Tamayo told ABS-CBN Studio 23’s Iba-Balita.
He said that unlike other teams, the Philippine team had already benefitted from years of training. He claimed that it was unfair competition.
“Kargado na sila from the years of PSC funding tapos hahataw sila sa mga bagong countries na bagong sali. Don't tell me that's fair. But I congratulate them [Dragon Boat team] for the gold,” said Tamayo.
He said the team members should instead test themselves against powerhouse competitors in the Southeast Asian region.
“Ang Myanmar at Indonesia in our own region are two strong teams,” he said.
The cash-strapped Philippine Dragon Boat team nearly failed to make it to this year’s International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) World Championship.
Its mother association, the Philippine Dragon Boat Association (PDBF), was stripped of its status as a national sports association by the POC, which cut a major source of funding for the paddlers.
Just to make it to the competition, they had to reduce the squad and were only able to join the 10-man short boat events.
Retire old paddlers
Tamayo also said that members of the winning Dragon Boat team should already consider retirement to give way to younger paddlers.
“For example, ‘yung athletes... tignan natin if you've been around for the PH team for the last 12 years or more for some of them? Baka naman it's time to move on,” he said.
He, however, was apologetic for calling the Dragon Boat team “ampaw” or “hollow”.
“Let me say sorry for that statement... but I was trying to explain that in a power game like this, as much as we can we would like to give the best. The best of the best.”
Tamayo’s statements drew violent reactions from the paddlers’ supporters.
“Jeff Tamayo of the Philippine Olympic Council, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!!” said @Brewbles (http://twitter.com/#!/Brewbles/status/101622223223275520)
“I hate this jeff tamayo director of POC mayabang ka!!! Nilalait mo nakagold na nga dapat magpasalamat ka.. Huwag ganun? Bastos ang bunganga mo!!!,” said @ngitingmaldita. (http://twitter.com/#!/ngitingmaldita/status/101647743537262592)
“@POC Jeff Tamayo The Philippine Ampaws made our country proud again without your help, so shut up!!!!!!!!!!!,” said @juvmvinas (http://twitter.com/#!/juvmvinas/status/101637890123112448)
“Jeff Tamayo needs a brain scan - let's see if there is a wang wang inside his head,“ said @ masterdroid. (http://twitter.com/#!/masterdroid/status/101490830140899328)
Even sports analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz was disappointed by Tamayo’s comments.
“Jeff Tamayo of POC claims that our Dragon Boat paddlers are old. They won 5 gold,2 silver medals at the World Championships.Come on Tamayo,” @ ronnathanielsz (http://twitter.com/#!/ronnathanielsz/status/101503949240156160)