Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Tiukinhoy comments draw flak from VAAA
VISAYAS Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA) commissioner Jose “Boy” Murillo took exception to comments Felix Tiukinhoy, commissioner of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi), made about the VAAA.
Tiukinhoy earlier said VAAA founder Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba made schools believe that the tournament was only meant for development, but in reality was for a different motive.
When sought for comment, Alcoseba brushed aside Tiukinhoy’s statement. Murillo, though, disputed this.
“In the first place, during the series of meetings before we opened VAAA, all the coaches, team managers, school athletic directors already knew that this tournament is sanctioned by BAP,” Murillo told Sun.Star Cebu.
Tiukinhoy issued the statement after Alcoseba announced that the VAAA champion will represent Cebu in BAP’s National Students Basketball Championships (NSBC) next month.
Cesafi allowed its member schools—the University of San Carlos, the University of San Jose-Recoletos and Southwestern University—to participate in the VAAA tournament for developmental reasons.
“What motive is he (Tiukinhoy) talking about? Being a representative in the NSBC is only a bonus, a prize for winning. The champion school may or may not take it. We are not pushing them to participate,” said Murillo, who is also the Visayas commissioner of the Basketball Referees’ Commission. (RCM)
