With Super Grandmaster (GM) Wesley So winning his third US Chess Championship crown Tuesday (Wednesday Philippine Time), the Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-list is hoping the Philippines will never have to suffer a repeat of the way it lost the chess prodigy.
“We congratulate GM Wesley So on yet another feather in his cap. And while we will always be proud of him, his latest win only underscores the regrettable fact that one of our greatest athletes felt he had no other choice but to play for a different country because he didn’t get the support he needed here,” PBA Party-list spokersperson Atty. Migs Nograles said.
“Let us do away with the old system where only those with connections can thrive and easily make their way to the top.”
It can be recalled that So decided to play for the United States after he grew disillusioned with politics in the Philippine sports bodies, culminating in an incident in 2013 where he, in his own words, got caught in the middle of a feud between “the kings of the sports bodies.”
So won the gold medal in the World Universiade Games in Kazan, Russia, but was denied the P1 million incentive promised to athletes who bring home a gold medal in international events. In refusing to give the reward, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) explained the Universiade wasn’t among the international events where gold medalists are guaranteed monetary incentives from the government under the now-repealed Republic Act No. 9064, otherwise known as the Sports Benefits and Incentives Act of 2001.
The chess prodigy, who, at 14 became the ninth youngest GM in history, eventually bolted the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in 2014 and joined the United States Chess Federation (USCF), saying he “did not have the connections needed to succeed” in Philippine culture.
So became a US citizen in February this year, officially completing his break from the Philippines and ending the hopes of those who had wished to see him play for the Philippine flag again.
The Davaoeña lawyer said Philippines sports officials should always put athletes ahead of politics or any internal squabbles they may have.
“While it is depressing for us to watch a talented full-blooded Filipino bring recognition to a flag that isn’t our own knowing he will never play for us again, it is even more breaking to learn of the reason why that kababayan of ours chose to switch allegiances,” Nograles said.
The Davaoeña lawyer said Philippines sports officials should always put athletes ahead of politics or any internal squabbles they may have.
“We should all learn our lesson from the mistakes we committed on how we dealt with Wesley’s situation then. Let us do away with the old system where only those with connections can thrive and easily make their way to the top,” she said.
“Mere talent is not enough to become a world-class athlete, as we have seen in the case of Hidilyn Diaz. The athletes need adequate financial support and regular physical training using the proper equipment and under the tutelage of experienced coaches,” she stressed.
