FINA withdraws recognition of the PSI, citing poor governance over the welfare of swimming as a sport in the country.
The International Swimming Federation, the world governing body for swimming known by its French acronym FINA, decided to withdraw recognition of the Philippine Swimming, Inc. (PSI) last Saturday due to allegations of poor governance.
The local swimming body strongly denied all claims of the poor leadership within the organization as the PSI Board of Trustees appealed immediately on Monday citing due process. It asked that its president, Lailani Velasco, "be given access to complaints that were filed and given the opportunity to respond to the same in accordance with the FINA Constitution".
"The Board of Trustees (BOT) has always respected and fully abided by the FINA Constitution and directives of FINA. However, with all due respect, the BOT views with grave concern the manner and conduct of the said investigation made by FINA. Requirements of due process, fairness and equity demand that, at the very least, PSI, through the Board of Trustees, should have first been informed and cause of complaints against it, and be given the opportunity to respond to the charges lodged before FINA. This principle is consistent with the FINA Constitution itself which states that before any sanction is meted out, the member federation must be given an opportunity to exercise the right to be heard (C.12.9)," the statement said as reported by the Philippine News Agency.
The mandate came from FINA Executive Director Brent Nowicki on December 3, saying that the governing body had withdrawn its recognition of the present PSI board then appointing a “stabilization committee” that would run the National Sports Association’s affairs.
FINA then appointed the members of the “stabilization committee” which included Philippine Olympic Committee legal chief Atty. Wharton Chan, who was named as a member of the “Philippine Sports Commission, Legal Department” in Nowicki’s memo; POC deputy secretary general Valeriano “Bones” Floro and Arrey Perez, Bases Conversion Development Authority senior vice president will temporarily run the day-to-day operations, according to Malaya Business Insight.
"We understand that FINA has the power to determine whether or not there is a basis to warrant the appointment of a stabilization committee. However, in light of the manner by which the supposed investigation was conducted, we believe that the report presented to the FINA was not an accurate picture of the true state of Philippine swimming," the PSI statement added.
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