Aventajado confident new cage body to get FIBA nod

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chairman Robert Aventajado expressed confidence the new cage body being formed in lieu of the suspended Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) will eventually get the recognition from the world governing body in basketball.

Aventajado made the declaration before a special PSA Forum appearance yesterday at the Seafood Wharf Restaurant in Manila, where he boldly said Fiba (Federation Internationale de Basketball) will have no other recourse but to recognize the group, collectively known as the Philippine Basketball Federation Inc. (PBFI) since it has the backings of all major basketball stakeholders in the country.

"I could be wrong, but Fiba will have no choice but to recognize this group since this body truly represents basketball in the country," said the POC chair in the weekly session sponsored by Red Bull, Circure, Supermax, PAGCOR and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.

Currently putting the framework of the group in proper perspective, the PBFI, under interim chairman Buddy Encarnado of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), is set to hold its election of officers at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Tektite office of Chito Narvasa, representing the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP).

The meeting takes place a week before the POC tackles the possible expulsion of the BAP in a scheduled General Assembly on June 30 at the Milky Way Restaurant in Makati, where two-thirds out of the 39 votes are needed to approve the move.

In the event the BAP is expelled, the PBFI is set to apply for membership with the POC in the hope of taking over as the country’s new cage body.Yet even at the expense of the BAP getting expelled, Aventajado admitted the beleaguered association still has some personality left, it being the recognized group by FIBA in the country.

But that may change as well once a new party seeks a similar recognition from the world cage body.

"There is no party at the table other than the BAP.

But the situation might change once another body applies for recognition. By then FIBA will have to decide which body it has to recognize," said Aventajado.

The country’s head of the taekwondo association himself hinted the possibility of FIBA changing its stand, since before making a move, the POC held talks with the FIBA leadership led by its president Carl Menky Ching.

"We are guided by the principles of FIBA when we made this decision. And we have faith in the leadership of them (FIBA)," Aventajado, a former car rally champion honored by the PSA in the 80s, said.

At the moment as FIBA-recognized group, the BAP can freely participate in all of the tournaments sanctioned by the world body including the ongoing

Asian Basketball Championship for women in China.

"BAP is still the recognized body of FIBA here and the tournament in China is a FIBA-sponsored tournament. In so far as the POC is concerned, there is nothing wrong with that," Aventajado added.