Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena on Sunday hit back at Philippine track officials, who accused him of misusing funds, warning he would retire if they did not apologize.
The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) asked Obiena to return about P4.8 million in financial assistance after he supposedly “falsified the liquidations submitted to the Patafa,” according to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.
Obiena also allegedly failed to pay his coach Vitaly Petrov €85,000 (or roughly P4.8 million).
The 26-year-old Obiena said Patafa’s allegations were damaging to his reputation and demanded an apology from involved authorities and a “full and public withdrawal” of the sports association’s investigation.
“If this does not happen, I will consider my other options, being an immediate retirement from the sport that I love in the Philippines, and probably return to school,” he said.
He described Patafa’s allegations as “all false” and said would file complaints with the Philippine Olympic Committee, International Olympic Committee and the World Athletics “as we are now talking slander and defamation of character.”
Petrov, who was also at the press conference, said Obiena had paid all his coaching dues.
“I have no complaints against him. Ernest is [an] outstanding athlete of your country and my purpose is still to make an elite world-known athlete from EJ,” Petrov said.
“This entire incident has damaged my reputation. I welcome any court of law to shed light under the power of evidence and investigate this matter,” Obiena said.
Obiena holds the Asian pole vault record of 5.93 meters and finished 11th in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Mark Ernest V. Villeza
