THOUGHTS | PLAYING FAVORITES

A couple of hours ago, an incident broke out involving former matinee idol, current lawmaker, and SEA Games silver medalist Richard Gomez, who reportedly resorted to violence while trying to get his point across to Philippine Fencing Association president Rene Gacuma. Based on multiple online reports, the confrontation stemmed from the benching of the country’s supposed number one fencer, Alexa Larrazabal.

There had already been an earlier confrontation the night before the women’s individual epee event, when a player switch was made. The Philippines had two fencing slots for the event. One was occupied by Gomez’s daughter, Juliana Gomez. The other was initially believed to be for Larrazabal but was instead given to 32-year-old Hanniel Abella. According to accounts, the current modern pentathlon coach, who also happens to be a former fencing coach, relayed the situation to Gomez in a way that made it seem like the team was looking for a “backup.”

After hearing this, Gomez reportedly went scorched earth on Gacuma, unloading a mix of harsh words and physical actions. Both parties have since filed charges against each other, with claims that Larrazabal had been bullied for months by the fencing governing body.

The bigger issue here is the gangster-style manner in which Richard Gomez exposed what many believe is a “palakasan” system in the sport. I do not condone violence, and Gomez’s approach was clearly unacceptable. I have seen Gomez involved in multiple incidents over the years. Back when I was in high school, he was notoriously intense during the Star Olympics and was involved in fights that he may or may not have started.

There was also that well-known incident with Robin Padilla.

That said, if you strip away the threatening posture and the foul language, he does raise a point. I am not advocating harm, but an athlete’s purpose in joining competitions like this is to strive to be the best. Gomez is a proven sportsman. He is the embodiment of a multitasking athlete, having competed in fencing, the Goma Cup, rowing, the Star Olympics, and now as part of the country’s shooting team. If you are old enough to remember his Bench commercials in the 1990s, you know exactly what kind of sports figure he was.

While an athlete of his stature should never lay hands on an older official with serious medical issues, it is also the official’s responsibility to ensure that the country fields its strongest possible lineup to compete for medals. When you connect the two Spin.ph articles, it feels like Gomez lost his temper because he believed fencing sidelined the athlete with the best chance to win gold simply because she was not Gacuma’s preferred choice.

This could be a clash between an entitled personality and a man accused of playing favorites. The problem is that when people say the end justifies the means, they often forget that it is a double-edged sword. This is likely the part that Gomez himself will not like. He admitted to what he did, but that does not mean he is not part of the problem.

Do not get me wrong. I respect that he wanted the best player to compete. However, the palakasan system, or favoritism, has existed in sports since the very beginning. In Gilas Pilipinas, you either criticize MVP for continuously trusting Chot Reyes, or you criticize Tim Cone for having Alfrancis Chua in his corner. At the same time, you question why Chot Reyes keeps bringing RR Pogoy into Gilas lineups, just as you question why Tim Cone chose RJ Abarrientos over Juan Gomez De Liano.

The same logic applies elsewhere. Why Yeng Guiao always has Beau Belga. Why Jong Uichico keeps Siot Tanquingcen close. Favoritism is also, in many ways, about trust and system building. Even during his peak as a highly accomplished fencer, it is no secret that Philippine fencing benefited from Gomez’s name, which helped attract attention and secure international competition stints.

Still, this incident happened because Gomez believed that Gacuma made a disastrous decision. Gomez must be held accountable for his actions, but Philippine fencing also clearly needs an overhaul. The country finished fourth out of five nations with zero gold medals, one silver, and nine bronzes. In the women’s individual epee, Singapore had its own fencers fighting for gold, while Thailand and Vietnam settled for bronze.

I understand that basketball and other major sports take most of the sponsorship money, but with the recent successes of EJ Obiena, Hidilyn Diaz, and Carlos Yulo, you would expect fencing to push harder to raise its competitive level. Finding a world-class talent in a second or third-tier sport is like catching lightning in a bottle, but that is precisely why a governing body exists.

That said, looking at the world fencing rankings raises another question. Larrazabal’s “number one” label is unclear. Abella is ranked 193rd in the world, Juliana Gomez is 275th, and Larrazabal is ranked 354th. If Gomez was not aiming to replace his daughter, then the logical target would have been Abella.

And if you remove the age factor, with Abella at 32 and Larrazabal at 19, and focus strictly on the data, this may also be a case of both sides playing favorites in their own way.

Hmmm?