MANILA -- A four-man Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) delegation composed of President Ricky Vargas, Chairman Abraham Tolentino, Secretary-General Patrick Gregorio and Communications Director Ed Picson flew to Bangkok during the weekend to attend the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Congress at the Intercontinental Hotel.
Among the topics discussed in the Congress were amendments to the OCA Constitution, reports of the various vice presidents of the five Asian regions of East Asia, South East Asia, South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia.
Extensive reports were also made by representatives of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Committee, 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Committee, the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), World Anti-Doping Association (WADA), as well as several OCA Standing Committees such as Athletes Commission, Culture, Education, Ethics, Finance, Media, Medical, Rules, Sports, etc.
The Philippine delegation also took the opportunity to liaise with several Asian National Olympic Committees and to discuss with South East Asian delegates issues pertaining to the country’s hosting of the South East Asian Games in December this year.
Vargas, also president of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), had a brief chance meeting with International Boxing Association (AIBA) President Gofur Rakhimov of Uzbekistan.
The Congress, attended by over 500 delegates from 45 Asian countries, was presided over by OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al Fatah Al-Sabah of Kuwait. (PR)
