PFF may suspend teams joining in Bacolod tourney PDF Print E-mail
Saturday, 19 April 2008

PFF president Jose Mari MartinezBy Jack Biantan 
 
LONDON - THE Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has flexed its muscles and warned that teams competing in the coming National Inter-Collegiate football championship in Bacolod city would face severe punishment.
 
The tournament, which is slated on the week in which the Asian Challenge Cup will also kick off in Iloilo city in mid-May is organized by the Negros Occidental Football Association (Nofa).
 
PFF president Jose Mari Martinez, in an exclusive interview with Pinoysoccer.com said that they have already advised the local FA’s that no tournaments should be organized during this week to respect the ACC.
 
He then added that local FA’s and teams which will not follow this advise maybe punished through suspension.
 
“What Nofa is doing is disrespectful to the PFF and bad for Philippine football. They already know that we have the ACC during that time and then they still insist in holding their tournament”, he said.
 
“I am only protecting the interest of the PFF. As members they should also respect us’’, he added.



 
This is the second time that the PFF under Martinez and Nofa, under former Negros Representative Charlie Cojuangco have clashed.
 
Earlier this year, PFF got embarrassed when Cojuangco refused to host the Asian Challenge Cup forcing the football body to move the tournament to Iloilo city and Barotac Nuevo Iloilo.
 
This time, according to a report from the Bacolod Daily Visayan Daily times few days ago, Nofa has invited top collegiate teams from Manila San Beda, and Far Eastern University, Central Philippine University of Iloilo, Western Mindanao State University of Zamboanga city and Foundation University of Dumaguete city to compete in the tournament slated on May 11-15 at the Panaad stadium in Bacolod.
 
The report however, did not state if there are Bacolod and Cebu teams joining the tournament. Pinoysoccer.com sources revealed that Nofa will spend for the fare and the stay of the athletes in Bacolod and have also allocated a large sum as cash prizes.

The rift between Martinez and Cojuangco seems to have started last year during the PFF general election where both of them run for President. Both were strong contenders but Cojuangco eventually withdrew citing various reasons.
 
Martinez won the election by a controversial and slim margin against former PFF PR man Ed Formoso.


Comments (5) >>

Reddevil said: _

  I agree and disagree with ronaldo on a few issues. Both sides have blundered as you mentioned. However, PFF is well within their rights to do what they need to do. They will try to save face and cannot let this go. You cant go against the FA, imagine if the premier league decided to play their games on the same day England will be playing a European qualifier? The sport does not have the same magnitude here but the offense would be similar. Legally, they can bring up any previous rule that sanctions teams/associations who engage in actions detrimental to the PFF and that will stand up in court. Because this is as detrimental as you can get. I agree that the PFF shouldnt pass out suspensions, if ever, they should just sanction Cojuangco and NOFA. After all, these teams just want to play. As an athlete, thats all I would want to do too. What I believe is knee jerk, is Cojuangco's decision to hold the tournament at the same time. He just declared war on the FA by doing that. I am sure he knows the consequence of his actions but feels (which is probably the case) he has enough clout that goes with his surname. Its a big mess and hopefully, someone can intervene. If this has become personal, as I think purposely or not Martinez has slighted Cojuangco, then they should settle it outside of the business of the FA. Not make football the victim here because that is what is happening. PFF cannot let an FA do this, it will set a bad precedent. If he cant defend his mandate, any FA will have a go at him if they feel they havent been treated right.

Cojuangco has a great opportunity here to show some class and can upstage Martinez' leadership skills more effectively if he just continued to support the PFF even if he feels the PFF is at fault. He can point the finger at Martinez at the proper time when he has a weaker position. Right now, NOFA will be hard pressed to gather any sympathy because clearly what they did is detrimental to the PFF and in the bigger picture, detrimental to the development of football in the Philippines.

April 21, 2008

kiddo said: _

  I hope this is not all Bark and not Bite. Great move though in PFF's attempt to put all NOFA officials in it's place.
April 19, 2008

ronaldo said: _

  this i want to know - when did the PFF memo that instructed all the FA's not to hold (or sanction) tournaments on the same dates that the ACC will be played come out ?

everyone agrees, the NOFA tournament is meant to embarass PFF, but is the PFF reaction a legal one ?

if there was such a memo, then PFF has grounds for the sanction, but if not, and the only reason they will give is "they should respect the PFF" or "they should support football" then i don't think they have grounds.

this is an ill-advised move and a knee-jerk reaction on the part of PFF. they shouldn't go down to that level. with or without NOFA (and sadly, the consequent absence of the negrense crowd) im sure the ACC will be a success. I'm also certain that the Ilonggo crowd is itching to show the country, that spectatorwise, they can be as passionate or even more, than the negrense supporters. plus, if a large horde of negrenses will cross over to watch the games, then that will be considered a slap against NOFA.

one thing for certain, both parties have commited blunder after blunder. martinez is under pressure to make good on his "6 months or i'll retire" promise and charlie is surely hoping that he will keep that promise because he is waiting at the wings. if martinez does not present any substantial improvement or program and he doesn't resign, he will have an integrity problem. if martinez does resign and charlie moves in to challenge for the vacant presidency, he too will have an integrity problem.

my opinion would be for the PFF not to sanction NOFA and any team playing in their tournament, but to ask the teams not to participate in the tournament. i'm sure a phone call from the PFF president to the school sports administrator will carry more weight than that of an FA president.
April 19, 2008

Blinker said: _

  Let us see who will blink first.
April 19, 2008

ceburoo said: _

  well let's se if this saber rattling will have any effect. Cojuangco has already stuffed up the chance of the NT to play on Pana-ad which is the best in the country along with the most vociferous spectators as well.
Well done to the President for putting it all into perspective. For such an event as the ACC everyone should be given the opportunity to go and watch them play NOT to be involved in some honky tonk tournament for an egotistical **** who has had his nose put out of joint.
Now most probably the tournament wont go ahead but Cojuangco will reckon he has had a win in alienating the football community of Bacolod.
April 19, 2008
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