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PATAFA: Money paid to Obiena coach came from various sources, not from federation

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<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1839825" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>The head of the Philippine track and field governing body on Wednesday alleged the money paid to the coach of pole-vaulter EJ Obiena came from different sources, and not from the federation.“Nu’ng ibinayad na sa kanya (the coach), galing sa iba ibang sources, hindi galing sa ibinagay na pera ng PATAFA,” said Philip Juico, president of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, in an interview on ANC’s “Headstart” with Karen Davila.“Merong 2 galing Arab Bank in Dubai, which was also used in an earlier transaction. Meron 1 galing sa kanya, kay Mr. Obiena, sa isang bank sa Germany . . . Tapos merong 2 galing sa mother niya.”<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/23/21/obiena-late-payment-of-coachs-salary-not-a-crime">Obiena tells PATAFA late payment of coach&#x27;s salary &#x27;not a crime&#x27;</a></li></ul>Obiena, who trains in Italy and whose stay there is funded by the Philippine Sports Commission, has denied allegations leveled at him by the PATAFA that he “falsified the liquidations submitted” to the national sports body<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/21/21/obiena-denies-patafa-allegations-demands-apology">EJ Obiena denies PATAFA allegations, demands apology and retraction</a></li></ul>He said the dispute between him and the PATAFA was stressing him out.The matter is being investigated.“I just want this to be hashed out,” Obiena said in the same program.“At the very least, I want my name cleared. I want this to be gone. I want to be at peace. If this drags on, I’m the one losing.”According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, which broke the news Sunday, the PATAFA said it was ordering Obiena to return 85,000 euros (P4.8 million), and that the vaulter did not pay the sum to his coach, Vitaly Petrov.“I think the easiest way to hash it out is put me, my coach and the federation all in one table,” Obiena said.“Talk about it. Ask if Vitaly’s been paid. If Vitaly’s not been paid, ‘EJ where’s the money?’ There and then there is no lies, no any kind of hidden agenda can be done because the guy who’s supposed to receive the money, the guy who’s supposed to be the middle man, the guy who’s supposedly facilitating the matter, it’s there.“And somehow that didn’t happen.”Obiena said he has not talked directly with Juico, since the matter surfaced. The vaulter said he has had arguments with Juico, but did not elaborate.“It’s difficult to be under someone that is not giving me any benefit of the doubt in this kind of serious investigation,” Obiena said.“This is really stressing me out,” he added. “It’s counterproductive to what I believe is the goal of the federation which is to make me perform at my best and the best of my ability.”Juico, who suggested to Obiena and his family that he train in Italy because he showed promise, said the issue was not personal“This is part of good governance, accountability, transparency. A certain amount of money was entrusted to you, there was a board resolution stating dito mo gagamitin ’yan. Sa kwento nitong (Petrov and coach Sergey Bubka), mukhang hindi. “So we sent (Obiena) a letter asking him to explain. Prior to that, because of some other thing, si Petrov, the coach wrote an email and said binayaran na ako ni Mr. Obiena nung 85,000 euros. That’s about P5 million.”

Meanwhile, Obiena said the dispute between him and the PATAFA was stressing him out — ‘I just want this to be hashed out.’