Philippine Olympic officials yesterday denied the reported 153-man delegation to the Laos Southeast Asian Games.

Philippine Olympic Committee special assistant to the Philippine Olympic Committee president Go Teng Kok, deputy secretary general Mark Joseph and chef de mission Gen. Mario Tanchanco, vehemently criticized the Philippine Sports Commission's announcement, emphasizing that the 153 officials and athletes list was not approved by the POC board.

The number was a far cry from the 200 plus athletes who passed the POC criteria which was ironically accepted by the PSC.

Go not only disagreed with the list but also with the distribution of slots to the 19 SEAG-bound National sports associations.

Go questioned the basis, particularly the nine and six athletes give to athletics and swimming which is much smaller than the 15 slots given to sepak takraw.

This created suspicion that Tanchanco is agreeable to the PSC's decision to cut down the delegation to size.

Joseph said that the PSC's discrimination of athletes' participation to the SEA Games and its utter disregard of national sports association's prerogatives in the formation of the national team are indication of government intervention and violation of the international Olympic Committee charter as well as the PSC's own law.

Team Philippines will still push through with its participation in the Oct. 30 - Nov. 8 Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam .

Chef de mission and POC treasurer Julian Camacho confirmed the non-support of the PSC but hinted that a token delegation will be sent as four NSAs will finance their own participation.

A huge disagreement between POC and PSC also arose in the RP's delegation to the AIG as PSC again insisted on its own selection to the games.

POC protested and even passed a resolution which considers non participation if the PSC insists in fielding its own selection--a resolution which failed to prosper as PSC formally withdrew financial support.*PNA

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