No Ching Dynasty

Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) president Carl Men Ky Ching of Hong Kong isn’t addicted to power. He heads the world governing body for the sport that Filipinos love with a passion and says when his term ends next year, that’s it.

"It’s always been my philosophy to give others a chance, the younger generation," says Ching who was born in Vietnam and migrated to Hong Kong in 1954. "I was president of the Hong Kong Basketball Association when I became president of the ABC (Asian Basketball Confederation). I didn’t hold on to my position in the Hong Kong Basketball Association because I wanted to give others the chance to take over. When I became FIBA president, I gave up my position in Asia."

Ching, 65, laughs off speculation that when he relinquishes the FIBA presidency next year, he will try to regain his ABC, now known as FIBA-Asia, position.

"That will never happen," adds Ching. "When you’ve been the president of the world, why will you agree to become the president of a region? It’s like former President Ramos running for mayor of Manila."

Ching, incidentally, has a framed portrait of himself with Ramos prominently hanging on a wall of the conference room in his office on the 16th floor of the Century Park Building in the Hong Kong district of Wanchai. Beside the portrait is another framed photograph of Ching and former Singapore prime minister Lee Kwan Yew.

Ching is now in Argentina for the World Junior Men’s Championships. As FIBA president, he is constantly traveling. His Hong Kong office employees say they’re lucky to see him once in a week.

Despite his busy schedule, Ching manages to find time to oversee a variety of ventures. He is a successful businessman with investments in real estate and movie theaters in Canada where his father-in-law lives. Ching is also engaged in several major projects in China.

In 2002, Ching was elected to a four-year term as FIBA president succeeding Abdoulaye Seye Moreau of Africa.

Last Saturday, Ching welcomed a visiting delegation made up of Philippine Basketball Federation (PBF) president Moying Martelino, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) spokesman Joey Romasanta and POC special assistant to the president Go Teng Kok in his Hong Kong office.

Ching arrived from Beijing where he attended the six-nation Stankovic Cup the night before. He would’ve flown directly to Argentina from Beijing if not for the meeting arranged by Go.

Martelino and Romasanta flew in from Manila and met Go in the Hong Kong airport. Go came in from attending the World Athletics Congress as president of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association in Helsinki.

Go scuttled plans of watching the centerpiece 100-meter run in Helsinki to fly to Hong Kong for the appointment with Ching.

Ching met the group for about an hour then hurriedly left for the airport to catch the afternoon flight for Buenos Aires.

Ching made time for the delegation because of his concern for the Philippines, now suspended by FIBA because of an internal crisis stemming from the POC expulsion of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) as the country’s National Sports Association for the sport.

The delegation turned over to Ching a formal request for FIBA to lift the suspension and recognize the PBF as its new country affiliate.

Ching said he would take up the matter with FIBA secretary-general Patrick Baumann when they see each other in Argentina.

Martelino submitted the PBF’s official recognition letter from the POC and its articles of incorporation and by-laws.

When Martelino said the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) had withdrawn its support to the BAP, Ching asked why the BAP continued to hold office at the Rizal Memorial complex. Obviously, Ching is aware of the latest developments in the leadership squabble.

Martelino said the BAP’s stay is temporary and mentioned the courts had rejected the BAP’s motion for a temporary restraining order to keep a space in the PSC building.

Ching advised Martelino to formally send the original application and appeal for the lifting of the suspension to the FIBA central office in Geneva, care of Baumann. He also said FIBA will surely accept the PBF if it is able to obtain government recognition.

At the time of the meeting, the PSC had withheld recognition of the PBF because it required prior FIBA affiliation, creating a chicken-and-egg situation, even as the government agency disowned the BAP.

The other day, the PSC granted the PBF conditional recognition, contingent on FIBA affiliation. It should satisfy FIBA’s requirement for government recognition.

When Ching looked over the names of the PBF members of the Board of Trustees, he saw two friends Pedro Lee of Bicol and former BAP secretary-general Nic Jorge. He asked if Philippine Basketball League commissioner Chino Trinidad is related to the noted Filipino stock broker Anselmo Trinidad.

The next day, Ching phoned Lee, an acquaintance from way back, in an overseas call.

Martelino said many years ago, Ching rode a bumpy bus for nine hours to witness a basketball game in Naga City. He was accompanied by long-time national women’s coach Modesto Teh. To make up for the rough trip, Lee rolled out the red carpet for Ching upon his arrival and they’ve been close friends ever since.

Now, Lee is the PBF’s vice president for the women’s program. He represents South Luzon in the PBF Board.

The Board was convened at the Makati Sports Club last July 25. Nine duly-authorized regional representatives compose the core of the Board which includes Martelino, Jorge, Trinidad, Fr. Victor Calvo of the NCAA and Fr. Max Rendon of the UAAP.

Once constituted, the Board elected its officers. Witnessing the proceedings were POC chairman Robert Aventajado, POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr., POC secretary-general Steve Hontiveros, Gen. Edgar Aglipay and lawyer Ding Tanjuatco.

Martelino said based on his past dealings with Ching, he is optimistic that FIBA will help the cause of Philippine basketball. Martelino was ABC secretary-general for seven years when Ching was president.

Ching has repeatedly said he is "a fan of Philippine basketball" and was elated when told by Martelino that the national team fared respectably in recent tournaments in Las Vegas and Taipei.