Cristina Ramos Azkals Sexual Harassment Complaint (Full Transcript)
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
, Posted by JED at 11:15:00 AM
Cristina Ramos Azkals Sexual Harassment Complaint (Full Transcript)
Former Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President and now Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Match Commissioner Cristina Ramos files sexual harassment complaint before the AFC against Philippine Azkals Angel Guirado and Lexton Moy.
The daughter of former President Fidel Ramos said the harassment happened shortly before the international friendly game between the Philippine Azkals and the Malayan Tigers inside the team's room at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila last February 29.
Read her detailed complaint below:
In a recent interview, Ramos said that only the punishment of Guirado and Moy will resolve her sex harassment complaint. She also said that apologies are not enough to end her battle with the two Philippine national football team players.
The daughter of former President Fidel Ramos said the harassment happened shortly before the international friendly game between the Philippine Azkals and the Malayan Tigers inside the team's room at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila last February 29.
Read her detailed complaint below:
ATTN: AFC DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE (Mr LIM KIA TONG, Chairman)
RE: SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINT AGAINST PHILIPPINE MEN’S TEAM PLAYERS LEXTON MOY AND ANGEL GUIRADO (PHILIPPINES VS MALAYSIA, 29 FEB 2012, MANILA, PHILIPPINES)
Dear Mr Lim:
This to file a formal complaint against Messrs LEXTON MOY (no. 25) and ANGEL GUIRADO (no. 12) of the Philippine men’s national football team, for SEXUAL HARASSMENT during the team check for the friendly match between the Philippines and Malaysia (both “A” teams) on 29 February 2012, 1900H, at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, Manila, Philippines.
During the Team Managers’ Meeting on 28 February 2012 at the Discovery Suites in Pasig City, Philippines, I mentioned to the representatives of both the Philippine team and the Malaysian team that I would be serving as the Match Commissioner for their match. As stated in the AFC’s regulations and Official Countdown, the Match Commissioner together with the Fourth Official check the teams before the match to verify their identification (accreditation) cards and ensure that their kits are in proper order. However, being a woman Match Commissioner doing a men’s match, I had to explain that I would give the teams sufficient warning and preparation time before I would come inside their changing rooms to do the team check together with the Fourth Official, Mr Wilfredo Bermejo.
Whenever I serve as the Match Commissioner, I always follow a standard procedure for the team check regardless of the type of match. At the time of the check I initially knock loudly at the door of the changing room as a sign of courtesy and warning to the team, and then let the Fourth Official first enter the changing room to check if the players are ready before I finally enter the room. Before doing the check itself, I properly introduce myself as the Match Commissioner and also introduce the Fourth Official. I also explain the procedure of how the check will be done. I always tell the players that I will be checking their accreditation cards first then their jerseys, and that the Fourth Official will thereafter check the rest of their kits and other items, e.g., jewellery, hair accessories, fingernails etc. I also tell them the sequence of the check, i.e., I check the starting 11 players first then proceed with the substitutes.
At the appointed time (1745H) on match day, I came to the changing room of the Philippine team for the team check. I was accompanied by Fourth Official Wilfredo Bermejo and my liaison officer, Mr Joseph Gensaya. I initially knocked loudly at the door to signal my arrival. A team official opened the door and said that the team would be ready in five (5) minutes. We then waited for five minutes presuming that the team was getting ready for the team check. When we entered the changing room of the Philippine team, I properly introduced ourselves and explained the procedure for the check. In spite of the introduction the players remained rowdy and noisy, apparently not taking the team check seriously and almost ignoring our presence. As I called the players individually so that we could check their accreditation cards and kits, Philippine player LEXTON MOY (no. 25) stood by my right side and said in a loud voice “Must be a B cup,” to which the players laughed loudly. As I was the only female in the room, he was apparently referring to my bra size. He could not have been talking about men’s athletic cups, as their sizes are specified as extra-small, small, medium, large, and extra-large vis-a-vis cup sizes of women’s brassieres, which are specified in letters. Additionally when I checked Philippine player ANGEL GUIRADO (no. 12) he stood in front of me purposely just wearing his briefs and made no attempts to wear shorts or cover his underwear. Again, the players loudly laughed while I was checking this player.
While all this was happening, none of the Philippine team officials present nor the team captain, JAMES JOSEPH YOUNGHUSBAND (no. 7), made any attempts to discipline the players and tell them to behave properly. In fact they were also laughing and seemed to be enjoying the revelry at my expense. Philippine Team Manager DAN STEPHEN PALAMI and Philippine Head Coach HANS MICHAEL WEISS were both not present in the changing room at the time of the team check.
Having been a Match Commissioner for girls’, women’s, boys’ and men’s matches since 2003 at both AFC and FIFA levels, I have not experienced this crude and totally shameful behaviour from a national team anywhere before this incident. I truly regret and feel very ashamed that this disrespect comes from the national team of my country, the Philippines. This kind of sexist and demeaning behaviour has no place in football, and should therefore be sanctioned.
Sincerely,
Cristina RAMOS
Past Member, Organising Committee for the FIFA U-20 and U-17 Women’s World Cups (2004-2011)
Past Member, AFC Women’s Committee (2003-2010)
Past President, Philippine Olympic Committee (1996-1999)
In a recent interview, Ramos said that only the punishment of Guirado and Moy will resolve her sex harassment complaint. She also said that apologies are not enough to end her battle with the two Philippine national football team players.
Ms. Cristina Ramos, what you should have done right then and there when things were happening was you (ikaw mismo) ang nag-reprimand sa kanila if you
feel mali ang kanilang ginagawa, and then went straight to Mr. Palami to inform him of the supposed wrong doings of these players and reprimand him also for not disciplining his players. You are a commissioner (THE BOSS, NOT THE SUBORDINATE) and you were the POC President, you have every right and AUTHORITY to reprimand
ALL players (football or other sports players) if you think they are not doing the right thing, instead of putting this on the media two days after and the accused party are away and can not defend themselves...It just
shows to me you just want attention and the publicity. Babae din ako and that would be
what I would have done.
Cmon, sa totoo lang., Wala naman napanalo na matino ang azkals eh. Ni hindi nga nila tayo mabigyan ng decente na medalya. Dinadaan lang sa mga itusura. Wala namang kalibre sa totoo lang. Funding should be directed to Philippine Volcanoes and Baseball National Team.
i dont think that cristina should make a scene by reprimanding the players right there and then. this just shows the kind of character these two players have! discipline starts from home. it tells so much of the kind of family they grew in. the kind of upbringing their parents have imposed on them.
this is not a question of authority because the players know that its standard procedure to check on them. they know that its an official who does this, yet, they behaved like dogs!
people have the right to know the truth because many young people look up to them. they dont have to hide their true colors coz of fame. if you're a good person, it should emanate on or off cam!
To Babaeng Anonymous
Ang dapat mung gawin ay mag-apply ka na sa posisyon ni Ms. Ramos at palitan mo na siya. Ang galing mo pala. Madaling magsabi ng kung ano-ano kung hindi ka involved. I admire Ms. Ramos on the way she handled herself- not stooping to the level of those askals by reprimanding them right then and there - ano ang gusto mong gawin niya? makipagsigawan sa mga asong ulol na iyon by reprimanding them. Kung ikaw- yon ang gagawin mo, i would say kalevel mo sa paguugali ng mga asong yon. Well, birds of the same feather flock together.
Hindi ba puwede sana sa labas na lang ng locker room? But if Moy was really directing what he said to Ramos, then he should be suspended. Para tapos na ang gulo. Our SEA rivals are just waiting to stop our progress in football. Let one person's mistake not sink the whole ship. Moy should have the sense not to say something that is already obvious. What was the point? Everyone knows Ramos is an "A" cup. But seriously, punish the offending party and let's move on. Don't let this fester. Spank him, give him time-out, let him wear a "B" cup..., whatever.
Let us take this incident for what it is-a player/players did something wrong. Punish them already. This is not showbiz. We do not have to drag this out for public display. Do not demonize the team. Have you been in PBA locker rooms? These can be even worse. Ramos was offended. The facts are out there. Let the players be punished. As for Ramos-please stop yapping na. This is no big deal-not enough to be a leading story in the Phil. Students have been murdered. Corrupt officials abound. Ramos you had your time in the limelight. Kawawa ka na nga. Tapos!
Well I think Cristina did the right thing. Those guys should be undergo in a disciplinary action.
They should behave and act like a professional specially that they are facing a pro and decent person.
Sana naman ayosin ng mga player yung attitude nila. Ni countable nga lang yung mga na ipanalo nila na laban. Sana naman KAHIT sa ATTITUDE as Athlete bumawi sila.
This just shows that they have selected a right name for their team- "AZKALS"- ASONG KALYE.
I wonder if anyone has even told Angel that it's a no-no in the Philippines for him to just be in his underwear. Even I was not aware of that.
@anon 8:21 The bulk of the funding for the Philippine Football Team is shouldered by Mr. Dan Palami. I don't think any of us have the right to tell him where to put his own money.
Let's not be so quick to judge when we haven't even heard the side of the players involved. Are you all so sure that Cristy Ramos' version of the story is 100% accurate? I'm not even saying she's lying or exaggerating but it's possible she misconstrued some of the details. I've read her complaint 3 times and I keep asking myself if her situation is even really, legally sexual harassment or just a very bad case of misconduct.
I think that if she's going to accuse 2 guys of being CRIMINALLY liable of something (as in, they can go to prison) as she's stated in her recent interview, we should all at least be fair and give them a chance to speak before we join her in calling for their heads.
If there really were derogatory words, then the guys should be reprimanded. However, not putting on pants over their underwear is another thing. They were in a locker room, a changing area. Just because she is female doesn't mean anything. It's the men's changing room for heavens sake... enter at your own risk. Sorry but Carles Puyol greeted Queen Sofia with just a towel wrapped around his waist after the WC and she didn't blink an eye. And yeah, I agree that she should have said something right then and there. it is not stooping to their level as one comment stated, it is an outright declaration that you found such actions objectionable. Why not say anything during the act... and then go to the media after?