MANILA, Philippines?Filipino archers are in danger of missing the Southeast Asian Games.

The International Archery Federation (FITA) has threatened to suspend the country from all its sanctioned tournaments unless the leadership row in the National Archery Association of the Philippines (NAAP) is settled.

FITA secretary-general Tom Dielen recently sent a letter to NAAP officials asking them to resolve the dispute between the factions of Leonora Brawner and Renato Bartolome, who both claim to be the legitimate president of the federation.

?If this matter is not resolved by the first of July this year, we will be forced to temporarily suspend the federation until further notice and the federation will not be allowed to participate in any event, including the FITA Congress,? said Dielen.

The two groups fielded their own entries in the first leg of the 2009 Asian Archery Grand Prix held in Bangkok on Feb. 18 to 24 with both factions claiming they were the legitimate Philippine bets.

Brawner brought along Earl Yap for the Grand Prix while the Bartolome group was represented by Dondon Sombrio.

Dielen has also instructed Asian Archery Federation secretary general Um Sung Ho to come up with a report on which group is the rightful representative of the NAAP.

?I ask both parties to submit by e-mail all proper documentations to Mr. Um Sung Ho, including the confirmation by the NOC (Philippine Olympic Committee) on which group is the right representative of the archery association,? said Dielen.

The POC continues to recognize the group of Brawner, but the Bartolome faction claims to have the majority of the original NAAP officials and national archers.

Although she has resigned, Brawner was still named temporary archery head for the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand and, last year, was elected to the POC board under Cojuangco?s ticket.