RP team for Asiad not a priority

The formation of a Philippine team for the Asian Games is not the immediate concern of the Basketball Association of the Philippines and Pilipinas Basketball, which are rushing the paper work for the creation of a new basketball body.

In fact, the country must first get the suspension lifted before it could even think of sending a team to Doha, Qatar in December.

Pilipinas Basketball president Bernie Atienza said sending a team to the Doha Asian Games was not actually the biggest concern when unification talks between the two warring groups in the country started last month.

The BAP, under Joey Lina, and Pilipinas Basketball were both after forging unity in Philippine basketball, and eventually the lifting of the FIBA suspension that started last year.

The Philippines was given by FIBA until Sept. 30 to come up with a new association and call for an election of officers. Once approved by FIBA, the suspension will be lifted.

The Philippines can then plunge back into action and join FIBA-sanctioned tournaments like the Asian and World Championships, Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and even the Olympics.

Atienza said there is no specific condition set that FIBA will keep the Philippines under suspension if it decides not to field a team to Doha.

"I don’t think FIBA thinks that way. It doesn’t mean that we were given 30 days so we’ll have enough time to prepare and send a team to the Asian Games," said Atienza.

Reports came out last Friday that the Philippines might no longer send a team to Doha after the Philippine Basketball Association, where the best talents are, stressed that the quadrennial event is no longer part of its calendar.

"If we cannot send a competitive team to Doha, then we should not send a team at all, and prepare a competitive team to the next Asian Games, not to mention the qualifying games to the 2008 Beijing Olympics," said Lina.

"Why don’t we just concentrate on future battles? Why don’t we focus instead on the lifting of the suspension, then the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand next year, and then the FIBA events," Atienza said.

Businessman Manny V. Pangilinan plays a key role in the ongoing development. He heads the three-man panel, including Lina and Atienza, tasked to make sure that all the problems hounding the sport are solved.

The panel met for the second time Friday evening. For four hours they reviewed the draft of the new constitution and by-laws for the soon-to-be-formed group. The next meeting is set tomorrow.

"Significant progress has been made and it is anticipated that these draft constitutional documents will be finalized by early next week," said Atty. Marievic G. Ramos-Añonuevo who’s helping the panel draft the new charter.