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Swimming: PSI still 'suspended' by World Aquatics

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Manolo Pedralvez

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Fil-Canadian swimmer Kayla Sanchez with former PSI President Lani Velasco. Handout photo." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/07/10/071023_kayla-sanchez-x-lailani-velasco-4.jpg"/><figcaption>Fil-Canadian swimmer Kayla Sanchez with former PSI President Lani Velasco. Handout photo.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- The Philippine Swimming Inc. remains “suspended” by World Aquatics, based on the world swimming body’s latest correspondence addressed to the Philippine Olympic Committee.This fact was contained in the letter of June 4 by World Aquatics legal counsel Loic Loutan notifying POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino of the transfer of nationality of former Canadian swimmer Kayla Sanchez to the Philippines in forthcoming international competitions.“On behalf of World Aquatics, and as the Philippine Swimming Inc. is currently suspended, by World Aquatics, we write you in in relation to your application for a change in sport nationality concerning Ms. Kayla Sanchez (the “Athlete”),” Loutan wrote.“After examining the documents you sent on 29 June 2023, as well as previous documents sent by Philippine Swimming Inc., we inform you (Tolentino) that World Aquatics has approved the request for the sport nationality change of the athlete, born on 7 April 2001, in the Aquatics sports of swimming from Canada (CAN) to Philippines (PHI).<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/23/23/world-aquatics-suspends-ph-swimming-orders-election">World Aquatics suspends PH Swimming, orders election of new directors</a></li></ul>“Therefore, the athlete (Sanchez) is entitled to represent Philippines (PHI) in international competitions from 6 July 2023 onwards,” the notice added.Loutan said that Swimming Canada had also been of the copy of letter to the POC “for its information.”Having completed the one-year residency rule, Sanchez would have been eligible to compete for the country in the 20th World Aquatics World Championships opening on Saturday in Fukuoka, Japan, but reports said that the swimmer had decided to forego competing in the meet.Instead, Sanchez, a silver medalist in the 200-meter freestyle relay for Canada in the last Tokyo Olympics two years ago, announced that she would focus instead on training for the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games in September where she looms as one of the country’s top gold prospects.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/05/23/kayla-sanchez-sets-sights-on-asian-games-in-hangzhou">Kayla Sanchez sets sights on Asian Games in Hangzhou</a></li></ul>Playing a pivotal role in Sanchez’s transfer of nationality was PSI president Lani Velasco, who wooed both swimmer and parents Noel and Susana, who were born in the Philippines, exactly in June last year to commit to swimming for the Philippines.Velasco, who allowed Sanchez to stay in her home while the swimmer adjusted to her new environment, was also responsible for hiring noted Swiss coach Luka Grabilo as the athlete’s coach in training her for future international meets under the Philippine flag.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/03/29/23/psi-appeal-dismissed-by-court-of-arbitration-for-sport">Suspended PH swimming body&#x27;s appeal dismissed by Court of Arbitration for Sport</a></li></ul>Velasco and the rest of the PSI board of directors were stripped of recognition by World Aquatics, known then by the French acronym FINA, in December 2022 for complaints regarding allegations of poor governance, which Velasco and the previous PSI board have not seen until today. This prompted the PSI under Velasco’s leadership to file an appeal with the Swiss-based Court Arbitration for Sports regarding the decision and whose case remains pending until now.World Aquatics suspended PSI last February for allegedly requesting the intervention of the Philippine Sports Commission in its issues with the world swimming body, instructing the POC to form an electoral committee to conduct elections for a new board.Under the supervision of the POC, new elections were held last June 8 with Michael Vargas elected as the “new” PSI president and Rep. Eric Buhain, a former national swimming standout, as secretary general. But the question raised by some quarters is how this new board and PSI officers could function properly given that the PSI remains “suspended” as the latest World Aquatics notice to the POC stated.

The Philippine Swimming Inc. remains “suspended” by World Aquatics, based on the world swimming body’s latest correspondence addressed to the Philippine Olympic Committee.