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Indoor Games will help SEAG bets 'sharpen up’
“WE’RE NOT SUPPOSED to hide our athletes. They need exposure to learn more things about their sport and experience competing against athletes from other countries.”
This was the reaction of Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. yesterday to a proposal by the Philippine Sports Commission to exclude the Southeast Asian Games bets from the RP contingent to the Asian Indoor Games next month in Hanoi.
The POC president said that athletes should get the feel of international competition through the indoor games.
“Foreign exposure also comes as a reward for athletes who are sweating it out daily in training centers for flag and country,” he said.
“Our athletes need the indoor games for them to remove the uneasiness and help perk up their confidence going to the SEA Games,”' said POC deputy secretary general Mark Joseph, who was tasked to work things out with PSC Indoor Games officer-in-charge and sports commissioner Eric Loretizo.
The PSC has thumbed down the request of the POC to send 195 athletes and officials for the Oct. 30 to Nov. 8 Vietnam meet.
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