FIBA rebukes BAP’s bid
In what had to be the strongest message ever to cut clean, FIBA president Bob Elphinston of
Elphinston was clearly surprised when Lim, who has been denied Filipino citizenship with finality (his appeal for reconsideration was rejected by the Supreme Court), wrote to invite him to
Two years ago, the BAP-SBP was established precisely to signal the fusion of opposing forces that govern the sport in the country. The understanding was when the organization got off the ground and was pointed to the right direction, the BAP initials were to be dropped, leaving SBP in the forefront.
But the BAP, which has existed for about 40 years, refused to be totally absorbed by the SBP and even conducted a recent election to vote in former Rep. Prospero (Butch) Pichay as president.
The turn of events caught the local basketball community by surprise. From a discredited governing body on the way to extinction, the BAP has suddenly reawakened – whether the SBP likes it or not – with politicians like Pichay and Luis Villafuerte in the fold.
The BAP’s reemergence goes against the letter and spirit of the agreement approved by FIBA. The question is – who’s enforcing the law and policing the ranks? And shouldn’t someone go out to mothball or dismantle the BAP once and for all?
Now that Lim has been ordered out of the country, the BAP should just die a natural death. But Lim is still plugging away for survival and doesn’t seem to care about the rule of law by inviting schools to participate in his City League tour-despite his status as an illegal alien.
Why the BAP stubbornly holds on for dear life under “illegal” conditions should be a priority for review by authorities. If the BAP gets away with murder because of political connections, what will prevent others from trying their luck as “independent breakaways?”
There is talk that Pichay will oppose PLDT chairman Manny Pangilinan, who is also SBP president, in the next elections. If that’s the case, then all the more, there should be a firm basis upon which to pick the better man.
The City League Invitational Championships will be held on April 20-26 with eight foreign and two local teams in action. The BAP and the League of Cities are locking arms to promote the project. Foreign teams expected to join include
The host sponsor will shoulder the hotel and food accommodations for 17 persons per team and local transportation. The tournament format will split 10 teams divided into two groups with the top two qualifying for the crossover semifinals then both winners racing to the finals.
In his reply to Lim, Elphinston affirmed that the BAP is a thing of the past as the BAP-SBP is now the NSA for basketball.
“FIBA expects that all basketball organizations in the
“FIBA is pleased with the progress being made by the newly-created Federation and the desire of most people within the
Elphinston’s declaration has put a damper on preparations for the tournament, which is now in limbo.
Instead of banging his head against a brick wall, Lim should understand that as a virtual fugitive, he has lost not only the moral authority to call the shots in the BAP but also control of a dying organization that he once turned into a personal domain. How crude that to compensate for his deportation, Lim is hoping to organize an invitational tournament in the spirit of unity.
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