Thomasian pole vaulter EJ Obiena is set to be dropped from the national training pool of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA), the federation announced on Jan. 4, Tuesday.
This is after the body’s investigative committee released its results on the Olympian’s alleged falsification of liquidation documents and late payments to his coach, Vitaly Petrov.
The federation is also set to file criminal charges of estafa against Obiena after their investigative committee revealed that the Thomasian misappropriated the amount of 61,026.80 euros (P 3,661,608) which were released to him by the PATAFA and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) as payment to the coaching services of Petrov.
On Nov. 21, 2021, Obiena debunked the allegations of misuse of government funds to pay his coach.
“I have prided myself in embracing the values of discipline, competitiveness, honor, transparency and respect. This doesn’t change even in times of crisis,” Obiena said.
His mother, former PATAFA auditor Jeanette Obiena, also allegedly misappropriated the amount of P 624,116.76 which she claimed from the PSC as payment to Petrov but was not used as payment as of August 2021.
PATAFA will also file a complaint before the World Athletics against Petrov for violation of the Integrity Code of Conduct, and declare Obiena’s adviser, James Lafferty, as a persona non grata.
The PATAFA also intends to immediately terminate all engagements of Petrov as Obiena’s coach.
The recommendations have been approved by the PATAFA’s board of trustees and the full report will be sent to the PSC and the Commission on Audit.
Before 2021 ended, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) no longer recognized Philip Juico as the president of the PATAFA after he was declared as persona non grata by POC president Bambo Tolentino.
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