Brilliant idea for elite athletesPATAFA president Terry Capistrano has proposed a measure that would revolutionize the widespread participation of athletes from developing countries during an Asian Athletics Federation meeting last year. Capistrano said developing countries such as the Philippines are faced with the challenge of securing visas for elite athletes who tour the world to pursue higher levels of competition. He said the fear of elite athletes “disappearing” and not returning home is unfounded. Countries should be made accountable for the actions of their elite athletes and if there are instances of “disappearances,” the privilege of one-year visas could be revoked. Perhaps, UNESCO could agree to this proposal starting with elite athletes recognized by World Athletics and certified by their regional and national federations.

Source: Philippine Star February 21, 2026 16:04 UTC