Ernest John Obiena, in motion right here final 12 months in Europe, manufacturers allegations as character assassination. —PHOTO COURTESY OF ERNEST OBIENA’S FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines—Pole vaulter EJ Obiena cried foul over the “shifting” allegations hurled at him by the Philippine Athletics Monitor and Subject Affiliation (Patafa)..
Obiena has been accused by Patafa of falsifying liquidation paperwork. The Tokyo Olympian was additionally ordered to return 85,000 euros (over P4.8 million) in monetary assist meant for the wage of his Ukrainian coach Vitaliy Petrov.
Patafa additionally desires Obiena to show that his coach was being paid on time his salaries relationship again to Might 2018.
In a press release launched Tuesday, Obiena admitted to paying Petrov late which, based on the pole vaulter, “will not be against the law.”
“I’m personally shocked on the latest assertion and shifting allegations of PATAFA. From their written letters of accusing me of embezzlement; to immediately altering it to timing of funds? the assertion learn. “PATAFA accused me, in writing, of committing severe crimes of embezzlement and outright “theft” of monies meant for my coach, Vitaliy Petrov.”
“After Vitaliy himself appeared reside within the press convention on November 20, refuting these allegations, now they immediately change the written accusations. As an alternative of admitting they have been unsuitable, they now change the topic: Now the difficulty is, apparently, I maybe didn’t pay Petrov ‘on time,’” Obiena stated. “That’s a good distance from embezzlement and theft that they accused me of. I’m not a lawyer, however so far as I do know, paying late isn’t against the law. I’ve already admitted I’m a pole vaulter—not an accountant.”
Obiena, who has been holed up in Fornia, Italy the place he’s coaching excessively for the final a number of years, stated his rigorous coaching made it troublesome for him to handle the additional load of dealing with the executive work that features caring for Petrov’s wage.
“I’ve admitted I wrestle with the massive quantity of paperwork I’m required to do to be a paymaster to my crew. I’m alone in Italy, I prepare 9 hours each day, and I’ve no assist. no different athlete right here within the Olympic Coaching Heart carries my burden or administration,” he stated. “I’ve repeatedly requested PATAFA to pay my coaches immediately and to cease requiring me to disperse all funds. First the additional work I must do, apart from competing for the nation, and to not point out the charges I must shoulder for these transfers. Someway it was refused.”
“Have I ever paid Vitaliy Petrov late? YES, I HAVE. I simply generally can not handle the workload and the coaching and get every part finished to PATAFA’s satisfaction,” he added. “They may assist me by merely paying folks immediately—however they refuse this quite simple resolution for some cause; and now they accuse me of wrongdoing after I by no means wished the job of paymaster to start with!”
The 26-year-old Obiena additionally made it clear that “I by no means took a single centavo of cash from my coach. Not even the charges for switch or change charges have been deducted to his wage. I paid these out of pocket.”
Obiena pressured on clearing his identify following the grave accusations even when it means taking the matter to court docket.
The second-generation athlete, although, stays open to coming to phrases with Patafa regardless of the ugly mess though, it seems that a reconciliation is unlikely at this level.
“I’m prepared to make peace on this case however I will need to have my good identify cleared. I don’t maintain out a lot hope. It’s clear I’m not wished by my federation in any form or type. I’m attacked with none due course of and now narrative and accusations have someway modified,” he stated. “I’m lower from funding and left figuring it out someway right here in Italy. I’m destroyed mentally and reputationally. And the assaults preserve coming. Clearly, I’m not wished.”
“I’m human like anybody else, These conditions can destroy folks and their motivation. Who wouldn’t be severely impacted by this case? I’ll full the PWC Audit, and I’ll finalize my authorized recurse avenues,” added the world No. 5 pole vaulter. “Simply say the phrase, and I’ll formally retire from Philippines Athletics and being any a part of PATAFA. Clearly, they or he don’t need me in this system based mostly on their actions now and earlier than. There might be no different goal to all these assaults. Let’s simply say it and all of us transfer on.”
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