Cojuangco assails BAP move to form SEAG team

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco yesterday rejected any call for him to initiate reconciliation talks with the expelled Basketball Association of the Philippines even as he slammed the BAP leadership for its dubious move to squeeze in a team of its choice in this year’s Southeast Asian Games here.

This came about after the BAP bared its plan to put in a new squad of its choice to represent the country in the 23rd SEA Games slated Nov. 27-Dec. 5 despite the fact that it was already expelled by the POC General Assembly and replaced by the Philippine Basketball Federation, Inc.

Cojuangco also assailed the BAP, headed by former interior and local government secretary Joey Lina, for peddling its interest to field in a team of highly-questionable credentials, one of the reasons why the BAP was suspended and eventually expelled from the POC last June 30, 2005.

"It’s not all about participating in tournaments, but playing to win and playing with the best team possible," said Cojuangco in a press statement. "I wish he (Lina) would stop appealing to me because I am not the POC, he should address his appeal to the 33 members of the General Assembly," said the former Tarlac congressman.

What the BAP should do, Cojuangco suggested, is to concentrate on appealing directly to FIBA (International Basketball Federation) for the lifting of the RP ban since the Lina group was the one being recognized by the world governing cage body.

The announcement also prompted PBFI president Mauricio "Moying" Martelino to announce their readiness of assembling its own team that will defend the crown in the biennial meet should the (FIBA) decide to lift the ban on RP from participating in tournaments abroad.

Martelino also indicated that despite the current basketball turmoil, the national training pool, composed of players from both the PBA and the PBL, is in high spirits following superb performances in Las Vegas and the Jones Cup in Taipei.

"We are very pleased with the development because they will only help our cause in seeking the recognition of the FIBA," said Martelino, who flew in to Hong Kong over the weekend to present the PBFI’s application directly to FIBA chief Carl Menky Ching.

"We appreciate the time given by the FIBA president, there were no discussions on the status of the BAP. We discussed only the items needed concerning our application for FIBA recognition," he added.