BEIJING OLYMPIC Games organizers have presented a compromise formula to the International Olympic Committee to include wushu in 2008, a move which the Philippines is supporting as it would enhance the country’s bid to end its gold medal drought in the Olympics.
The proposal has been submitted for consideration in the next IOC meeting, according to Julian Camacho, president of the Wushu Federation of the Philippines (WFP).
Under the plan backed by the Philippines and other Asian nations, wushu would be played as a special event in the Beijing Olympics with medals to be counted in the official tally. After the Beijing Games, the IOC can scrap wushu again. The sport is indigenous to China.
Previously, the IOC relented to include taekwondo as an Olympic event upon the request of South Korea which hosted the Olympics in 1988 in Seoul. The sport was invented in Korea.
The Philippines is regarded among a few nations with world-class wushu athletes. In the recent Southeast Asian Games, wushu won 11 of 22 gold medals.
The Philippines also boasts of three current world champions in Rene Catalan, Rexel Nganhayna, and Benjie Rivera.
Camacho said Chinese organizers have been trying to convince the IOC to reconsider its earlier decision rejecting the inclusion of wushu as a regular event.
Francis Chan, WFP lifetime honorary president, said that while wushu may not be a regular Olympic event, the winners will be recognized as Olympic champions.
‘’If they cannot make the sport a regular medal sport, mas mabuti nang special event na counted ang medals to be won rather than exhibition or demonstration event na hindi bibilangin and medalya,’’ Chan explained.
The Olympic Games will be staged in Asia only for the third time after Tokyo in 1964 followed by Seoul in 1988.
The WFP’s bid to give the country its first Olympic gold medal got the support Alvin Patrimonio, San Miguel Corp. project director for wushu.
Patrimonio, four-time PBA Most Valuable Player before accepting a key appointment at the country’s biggest conglomerate, pledged his full support during the thanksgiving party Thursday held in honor of athletes who won 11 gold medals in the recent 23rd Southeast Asian Games.
‘’I still don’t know what the decision of the SMC management with regard to its support to 14 sports, but because of wushu’s good results, I will definitely recommend that assistance to wushu be continued to the Asian Games next year and even the Olympic Games should the sport be included," said Patrimonio.
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