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Wednesday, August 30, 2006
World hoops body won’t lift RP suspension by Sept. 30 unless unified local group is formed
By Frank Calapre Sun.Star Correspondent
MANILA - the suspension on the Philippines from participating in any international competition will remain for at least 30 days, unless basketball stakeholders can form a unified body within that period.
This was the stern warning of the Central Board of the Federation International de Basketball (Fiba), which decided yesterday not to lift the suspension on the Philippines until Sept. 30.
In its 10th Central Board Meeting held in Tokyo, Japan, the board made the decision after receiving the report from the five-man commission tasked to hear the sides of both the recognized Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and the POC-backed Pilipinas Basketball on Sunday.
With the commission’s encouragement, BAP and Pilipinas Basketball agreed to work together and form a body under one structure “for the good of Filipino basketball,” and signed a covenant.
But unless the agreement is fulfilled, the suspension won’t be lifted.
“The Central Board... unanimously rejects the request to lift the suspension immediately as of today without having the agreement fulfilled,” the Fiba communique stated.
Legitimate
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) first vice president Monico Puentevella, PB president Bernie Atienza, PBA Commissioner Noli Eala and BAP chairman Michel Lhuillier and BAP president Joey Lina signed the memorandum of agreement.
The agreement stated that BAP and PB should form a new organization that would be recognized by the POC as the country’s legitimate basketball body.
“The commission expressed its satisfaction that a solution is found for the good of Filipino basketball by which all sides have made important concessions to unify basketball under one structure,” the Fiba communique added.
For his part, POC president Jose Cojuangco said that the agreement is a breakthrough for RP basketball and a step toward the right decision.
Impasse
“I encouraged all parties to thresh out their covenant as soon as possible to break the impasse that has bedeviled the Filipino basketball fans, the POC and even Fiba,” Cojuangco said in a statement.
The commission also proposed to the Fiba board that the suspension should be lifted by Sept. 30 or earlier, once the agreement between the BAP and the Pilipinas Basketball is fulfilled.
The commission members are newly elected Fiba president Bob Elphinston of Australia, former president Carl Menky Ching of Hong Kong, secretary general Patrick Baumann of Switzerland, former secretary general Boris Stankovic and Fiba-Asia president Dato Yeoh Choo Hock.
BAP secretary general Graham Lim, Fritz Gaston, BAP vice president for the Visayas Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba, Egmidio Tanjuatco and Ramon Malinao also attended the covenant signing at the Prince Tower Park Hotel last Monday .
In July last year, Fiba suspended the Philippines from participating in any international competition, following BAP’s expulsion from the Philippine Olympic Committee on June 30.
The suspension resulted in the failure of the country to defend the Southeast Asian Basketball Association crown and the 23rd Southeast Asian Games last Nov. 27 to Dec. 5 here. (RCM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 30, 2006 issue)
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