Japanese out of invitational due to SARS?

The SARS menace is starting to cast a dark cloud over the Asian Invitational tournament which the Philippine Basketball Association is set to stage in mid-year.

Yesterday officials of the Japanese Basketball League expressed apprehension on having a club team travel overseas at a time when the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak is at its meanest, dimming the chances of a Japanese squad competing in the Asian Invitationals.

In an official communication to PBA commissioner Noli Eala, Takehiro Senshu, manager of public relations and international affairs of the JBL, inquired on whether the league can postpone the staging of the tournament until the SARS outbreak in Asia has subsided.

"News of the SARS outbreak is always on Japanese television," the JBL official wrote. "Is there a possibility of postponing the tournament?"

But Dave Coros of the PBA media bureau said there is no way the league can grant JBL’s request since a postponement would disrupt the schedule for the rest of the season — something that would most likely scratch out a Japanese entry from the Asian Invitationals.