Out of principle and despite the nation’s willingness to help EJ Obiena with his funding issues, the Olympian will not be taking any financial assistance from fans as it is not the right thing to do, as it is the obligation of state agencies in sports and Olympics to shell out funding for athletes.
Filipino Olympian EJ Obiena is grateful for the overwhelming support that he has been receiving for the past days due to his inability to join the Asian Indoor Athletics but humbly rejects financial donations from supporters.
Obiena, after writing a lengthy post regarding his troubles in the upcoming competition and his decision to skip the tournament, took again the time to address his fans that are willing to help him in the situation.
"Following my recent post concerning the Asian Indoor Championships in Kazakhstan, many have written amazingly supportive notes; and have volunteered donations from your personal pockets to help pay my team for their lack of salaries for the past year," Obiena wrote as reported by GMA News Online.
"After consideration, I must say to you that at this time I am unwilling to request of you any donations from your hard-earned money."
Obiena, who holds the Asian record, said the support from the Filipinos is already enough and by paying their taxes, he added that they have already done their part in funding his training and competitions in Europe.
"I am a national athlete and my expenses have been approved for payment by the PSC and funded from taxpayer revenues," wrote Obiena. " As all of you are taxpayers, I must respect that you have already paid for my training. It is just not the right thing to do to ask you to pay once via paying taxes, and then pay again privately. This is 'double dipping' and it’s not ethical."
"A team of people is working on the matter now and I must have faith they will resolve it soon. It hence would be questionable for me to accept donations and then having this resolve in the near future and 'double dipping'. I should allow some time for this to resolve," added Obiena.
Obiena then urged his supporters to be more vigilant and to not entertain anyone or any party who is trying to raise money on his behalf, and if it comes to worst, the fans will be made aware by the World No. 3 vaulter himself, reported Rappler.
Tags: #Olympics, #polevault, #financialissue