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Thursday, March 16, 2006
New body approved
By Frank C. Calapre
Sun.Star Correspondent
MANILA – The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) rushed yesterday the approval of the newly formed Pilipinas Basketball to beat the March 31 deadline set by the International Basketball (Fiba), the world governing body in basketball.
POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. said he may still amend some provisions in the new constitution and by-laws before transmitting to the Fiba within the month the country’s newest national sports association for basketball.
“I have been given full authority by the POC executive board to accept the application of the new organization as an NSA. Pilipinas Basketball is (now) a member of the POC,” said Cojuangco after the formal acceptance also attended by the four stakeholders led by Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Noli Eala at Cojuangco’s residence in Dasmariñas Village, Makati City.
MOU process
The creation of Pilipinas basketball is in accordance with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the POC and Fiba forged in September 2005 when Cojuangco visited Fiba secretary-general Patrick Baumann in Geneva, Switzerland.
Those who attended the PB acceptance by the POC were Jun-Jun Capistrano of the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), commissioner Chino Trinidad of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) and Bernie Atienza of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
But Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) president Joey Lina reiterated that the “surest and fastest way” the Fiba will lift the suspension on the Philippines from participating in any international competition is through the “return to status quo” or the “BAP return to the POC” process, and not through the MOU process, which he described as long and tedious.
Citing a letter from Baumann on Oct. 27, 2005, Lina said: “The MOU (process)…will therefore proceed in this manner: First, the BAP should first be expelled by Fiba because the BAP is an active member in good standing.
“Only when the BAP is expelled by Fiba that Fiba can recognize a new cage body in the Philippines. But the BAP can only be suspended or expelled by Fiba for cause. There exists no ground for Fiba to expel or even suspend the BAP.”
Unthinkable
Lina said he met four times with representatives of the PBA, UAAP, NCAA and PBL – stakeholders of Philippine basketball as mentioned in the MOU – at Cojaungco’s residence “with the understanding that we will just amend the constitution of the BAP.”
“It would have been unthinkable for me to attend meetings aimed at the destruction of the very organization I am president of,” he said. “Without even conferring with me, they literally abandoned our earlier agreement.”
Eala said the 15-person board of Pilipinas Basketball – six representatives from the Philippine Basketball Association and three each from the PBL, NCAA and the UAAP – will convene anytime to conduct the election of officers.
President
He also said the PBA board chaired by Ely Capacio yesterday had approved the new constitution of the Pilipinas Basketball, which is patterned after USA Basketball.
But Eala said he can’t be president of the new organization and at the same time commissioner of the PBA because the PBA board emphasizes that no one in the professional league will hold dual positions.
However, Cojuangco is uncertain the new organization will get the nod of the Fiba this time.
“We can only hope for the best,” said Cojuangco.
The Fiba had rejected the POC-supported Philippine Basketball Federation headed by Moying Martelino last year.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (March 16, 2006 issue)
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