TOKYO OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST HIDILYN DIAZ

WE have your back.

Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn F. Diaz gave this message on Monday to fellow Olympian Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, who is currently embroiled in a controversy regarding Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) accusation of alleged falsification liquidations concerning Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov.

“Always think that you can win the gold medal in the Olympics and we believe in you,” said Ms. Diaz in Filipino during a recent interview with Radyo Katipunan’s Level Up.

“We’re here to support you, you can do it,” she added.

Ms. Diaz was the second Olympian to voice out her support to Mr. Obiena with the first being Tokyo Games boxing bronze medalist Eumir Felix D. Marcial.

The public support by some of his peers may have been emboldening Mr. Obiena to continue delaying the mediation process proposed by Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez.

So far, only PATAFA has officially agreed to the mediation with a letter sent to Mr. Ramirez last week.

“I haven’t received any feedback yet,” Mr. Ramirez told The STAR on Monday, or almost two weeks after making the call for the two parties to sit down and resolve the impasse that has tainted Philippine sports, when asked if Mr. Obiena has signed up for mediation.

Without Mr. Obiena’s nod, the talks will not happen.

And if Mr. Obiena will continue to snub calls for peace, the situation will end up from bad to worse. — Joey Villar

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