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Tuesday, August 23, 2005
POC stands firm on BAP ban
By Frank C. Calapre
Sun.Star Correspondent
MANILA – Even if it means there will be no basketball competition in the forthcoming 23rd Southeast Asian Games (Seag), the Philippine Olympic Committee said it will not reverse its earlier decision expelling the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) as a national sports association.
With only 96 days left, the newly-formed Philippine Basketball Federation, the new NSA recognized by the POC, has not yet received word from the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) regarding its application for recognition.
Unbending
“We will not bend. If we will do that then I’ll resign. I was elected to this position to do something for sports. We are not protecting anybody here but for the betterment of sports,” said POC president Jose Cojuangco.
He said he has given PBF president Moying Martelino instructions to start moving and go ahead with the plan to hold a collegiate basketball tournament.
“I told them to host a tournament and start moving. They should not wait,” added Cojuangco, also chief executive officer of the Philippine Sea Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc).
No foreigners
Cojuangco also said that according to the POC bylaws, a foreigner is not allowed to assume the post of secretary general, clearly referring to BAP secretary general Graham Lim, who was declared an alien by the Bureau of Immigration two months ago.
“Even under the POC rules, no foreigner can occupy that position. We have taken a position and this is our decision. If we are like that, what will happen to sports?” Cojuangco said.
POC secretary-general Steve Hontiveros also said that the 33 NSAs, which voted for the BAP’s expulsion last June, remain firm on their decision.
“What is difficult with the BAP is that it elected Joey Lina only a few months back. Can it hold elections just anytime they want to?” Hontiveros said.
Meantime, former POC president Celso Dayrit also said the other week that if the Fiba will not lift BAP’s suspension, the basketball competition in the SEA Games will be shelved because it will mean that the world basketball body continues to recognize the BAP.
“It will be the Fiba-recognized association here that will undertake organizing the basketball competition in the SEA Games.
So, if the BAP’s suspension will not be lifted, then no one is qualified to run the basketball tournament,” said Dayrit.
Cannot force
Dayrit said that even Malaysia and Thailand can’t force the Philippines to include basketball in the Seag if there is no NSA qualified to run the competition.
“All competitions in the Sea Games will be using the international federation rules, so the referees and table offices must be accredited by the IF,” Dayrit said.
(August 23, 2005 issue)
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