THE Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) commissioner, Felix Tiukonhoy Jr., has issued a “stern warning” to all coaches and players who are competing in the ongoing Moalboal inter-collegiate basketball tournament, reminding them to stay on their best behavior at all times.
Tiukinhoy sent the memo to all the coaches on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, in the wake of the violent brawl that happened after the game between the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) and the University of Cebu (UC). Footage of the free-for-all that occurred on Sunday night went viral on social media on Monday morning.
“Please be reminded that your team’s behavior on and off the court may reflect your reputation and the reputation of your prestigious institutions. As we all know, the ongoing basketball tournament in Moalboal, Cebu is sanctioned by the Cesafi, and the Cesafi rules will be applied in whatever incident that happens,” read the memo.
The incident resulted in injuries to several individuals who were involved in the brouhaha, which began when family members of a player from UC allegedly confronted a player and the coaching staff of CIT-U. Heated words were exchanged, which later sparked the melee.
Tiukinhoy warned all Cesafi teams that any more untoward incidents will be dealt with severely, with punishments ranging from suspensions to an outright ban from the league.
“Pending the result of the investigation that we are conducting, teams are STERNLY WARNED that any other untoward incident that may happen again in the ongoing Moalboal tournament and future Cesafi-sanctioned tournaments shall be dealt with accordingly, including but not limited to, banning the player or coach from the Cesafi or Cesafi-sanctioned tournaments.”