FIBA to POC: Respect BAP election results

Patrick Baumann, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Basketball Federation, recently wrote the Philippine Olympic Committee and said that it is "impossible" for the FIBA to change its decision regarding the results of the Basketball Association of the Philippines elections last Sept. 2 a the Century Park Hotel.

During the elections also witnessed by Asian Basketball Confederation president Carl Ching and his secretary-general Yeoh Choo Hock, Quintellano "Tiny" Literal was unanimously voted BAP president and was given a fresh four-year mandate. His chief rival, Gonzalo "Lito" Puyat, did not join the exercise together with the officials of the POC.

The FIBA sent the letter Sept. 13 ahead of the POC General Assembly scheduled next Wednesday. The FIBA feared that the POC might come up with the decision that would go against the results of the elections. Baumann stressed that the FIBA had respected the POC stand on the issue and expects the latter to do the same.

"It was certainly a painful moment for everybody involved and it’s a pity that people like Mr. Puyat who have been contributing to basketball for so long chose to go separate ways and did not even personally present their arguments. However, at the end of the day, Mr. Literal enjoyed the support of the majority of the basketball family in the Philippines," said Baumann in the letter.

After Literal was voted BAP president, the POC, led by its president Celso Dayrit, withheld its recognition of the results of the elections, saying that it would have to be the decision of the general assembly. The POC cited legal complications as their basis for their recent action.

The POC has recognized the Puyat faction since the controversy broke out last December, and unless it bestows its recognition on the Literal group, it will be almost impossible for the latter to get any financial assistance from the Philippine Sports Commission since it supports the NSAs recognized by the POC. — Abac Cordero