POC: 'No problem' with changing Olympic flag-bearers

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) said it sees “no problem" with changing the country’s flag-bearers after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced Friday that Manny Pacquiao will serve as special envoy to the Olympics. The President, through Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, said Pacquiao will carry the country’s colors in the Beijing Games. According to spokesman Joey Romasanta, the POC, the group solely in-charge of designating the flag-bearer, will convene its executive board “immediately" to talk about possible changes. “There’s really no problem with [changing flag-bearers]," Romasanta said. “The only setback I see is whether the Beijing organizers will still accommodate the change because the deadline for accrediting flag-bearers is already up." Swimmer Miguel Molina, who was named Best Male Athlete in the 2007 Southeast Asian Games, had been appointed by the POC as flag-bearer. Although there are no rules barring a non-participating athlete from being an Olympic flag-bearer, Pacquiao’s case will be unprecedented if his appointment is approved by the POC. GMANews.TV