One step back, two steps forward

The decision of the POC to strike basketball out of the calendar of events for the SEA Games left me with mixed feelings. I took time out to reflect why such a drastic move was carried out. But since I have followed the events that had led to this, I now understand why such a decision had to be made.

A national association should be the unifying factor and rallying point of the sport it heads. It should gain the respect of the members from the way it manages itself.

Unfortunately, the way the BAP has been run these past few years leaves much to be desired. It has actually lost the respect of people who understand the game itself. It is being run by people with vested interest and now led by a newly appointed "crisis" president who is expected to "fix" the mess that has amassed through the years — if only to be reinstated in time for the SEA Games.

(In desperation, the BAP has gone to the courts and obtained a favorable ruling in three days. This once again shows the sad state of our justice system. In doing so, the BAP is also risking sanctions from the International Olympic Committee.)

And though reinstating the BAP would surely lift the country’s suspension from Fiba and clear the way for basketball’s return to the SEA Games, such a move will not ease the present predicament the BAP has found itself in. Surely a band-aid solution does not address this long festering problem.

The newly-formed association sanctioned by the POC has a better representation and seems to have the support of most basketball leagues in the country. However, it must not entrust its future and rely solely on its recycled leaders alone but must include the young and dynamic stakeholders from the different leagues as well.

Yes, there are those who feel that to put basketball back in the Games would serve the Philippines well. We will be almost assured of an additional gold medal to our overall count.

Nevertheless, despite all these, I still believe that in taking one step back and fixing our internal mess first and not including basketball in this year’s SEA Games, we are actually moving two steps forward in forming a basketball association which our top amateur players truly deserve.