Obiena, Patafa move on
EJ Obiena and the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association are moving on, leaving their bitter feud behind in a bid to gain more glory in the international arena.
In a social media post, Obiena thanked the federation for reinstating him to the national team following their lengthy and controversial dispute that even reached the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Senate, World Athletics and Court of Arbitration for Sports.
The 26-year-old Olympian said he is glad that their problem is finally over and he can now move on to focus on winning in major international meets, including the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and the 19th Asian Games next year.
He also thanked the PSC for stepping in and accepting the Patafa recommendation of reinstating him to the national squad.
"I am very thankful to the Patafa leadership and the PSC for reinstating me to the national team," said Obiena, who reset the Asian record with a leap of 5.94 meters during the World Athletics Championships in Oregon last July.
The feat earned him a bronze medal — the country's first in the world's most prestigious athletics conclave outside the Olympics.
"While I shall properly leave the past in the past, I believe the facts have spoken. The Commission on Audit has spoken. My fellow countrymen have spoken and my team and I have proven our dedication with our performances on the world stage and a first-ever World Championships medal."
Obiena's road back to the good graces of his federation has been very painful and controversial.
Their friction was sparked by an apostille affidavit executed by pole vault great Sergey Bubka that alleges that Obiena failed to pay the salary of his coach, Vitaly Petrov, amounting to 85,000 euros or roughly P4.8 million.
The federation quietly made an inquiry and found out that Obiena belatedly paid Petrov in tranches from banks from Dubai, Germany and Manila.
But Petrov strongly denied that he made the claim, even appearing in a press conference with Obiena to say that everything is going well between them.
