GTK bows out

Controversial athletics chief Go Teng Kok decided Wednesday night that he will no longer seek a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop Friday’s Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) elections and also chose to drop all of his cases filed against the group of incumbent president Jose Cojuangco Jr.

Go, declared persona non grata by the POC that expelled him as a member of the country’s National Olympic Committee, made the surprise announcement as he will also step down as the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) president and will call an election in January next year.

“I have already proven enough. When Manny V. Pangilinan decided not to run, I decided to run and I was even ridiculed for my decision,” said Go. “(The TRO) is not good. I don’t want to stop the election, that’s why I decided to drop everything.”

Go, on Wednesday morning, filed a motion seeking to stop Friday’s POC elections at the Alabang Country Club after the three-man election committee—led by chairman former Rep. Victorico L. Chaves, Ateneo athletic director Ricky Palou and Bro. Bernie Oca of De La Salle University—disqualified him to run against Cojuangco, who is seeking a third and final four-year term.

He added that he has no plans of attending Friday’s elections and will let Patafa's voting members and the Philippine Karatedo Federation, two national sports associations where he is the head, support whoever they wanted to.

“Ever since they (election committee) disqualified me, I have received a lot of text messages and calls telling me to continue to fight. But, I think it is about time to quit,” said Go, who will also end his 23-year reign as Patafa president. “I don’t want to disappoint the people who want to support me, but I’m already getting old for this.”

“In January next year, I will call for an election at Patafa. I will step down and starting (Thursday), I will clean up everything,” added Go, who hinted that former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Philip Juico or Atty. Nicanor Sering is a possible candidate to replace him as Patafa chief.

Go said that Juico was also one of the factors in his decision to withdraw as they talked about the issue over dinner Tuesday night. He added that Manny Lopez’s “reform” group has a strong chance of winning on Friday.

Lopez is seeking re-election as first vice president and is leading a group that opted to shoot for all positions except the presidency. In his group are weightlifting’s Monico Puentevella (chairman), cycling’s Abraham Tolentino (second vice president), squash’s Romy Ribano (treasurer), golf’s Jun Galindez (auditor) and fencing’s Victor Africa, volleyball’s Gener Dungo and baseball’s Hector Navasero (board members).

In Cojuangco’s ticket are triathlon’s Tom Carrasco (chairman), Karatedo's Joey Romasanta (first vice president), soft tennis’s Antonio Tamayo (second vice president), wushu’s Julian Camacho (treasurer), chess’s Prospero Pichay (auditor) and gymnastics’ Cynthia Carrion, sailing’s Ernesto Echauz, canoe-kayak’s Jonnie Go and judo’s Dave Carter (directors).

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