Torres seeks end to fencing row

Sports Commissioner Walter Torres is hoping against hope that the conflict between Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) president Rene Gacuma and Leyte 4th District representative Richard Gomez will be resolved sooner rather than later.

Speaking in an episode of “Off the Court,” the 58-year-old Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) official said they have been talking to Gacuma and Gomez separately and are optimistic that their feud will be settled before the 20th Asian Games starts on 19 September in Nagoya, Japan.

Gomez and Gacuma’s feud started last December when top fencer Alexa Larrazaba was replaced with Hanniel Abella in the women’s individual epee event of the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand.

The current second vice president of the Philippine Olympic Committee was then seen in a Closed-Circuit Television footage hitting Gacuma’s head.

“There have been dialogues between Mr. Rene Gacuma and Congressman Richard Gomez. We hope this can be fixed because it affects the fencing community and the progress of fencing — especially preparations for the Asian Games, renovation of fencing halls, and possible hosting of competitions,” Torres said in the weekly online sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE.