FIBA affirms SBP's authority

MANILA, Philippines - After three days of deliberations, the FIBA special committee – formed to assess compliance of the so-called Bangkok Agreement in the wake of charges from the BAP that the SBP has been remiss – announced yesterday its continued recognition of the SBP as country affiliate at the Hotel Movenpik in Geneva.

“It’s over,” said SBP executive director Noli Eala in a brief text message. “The SBP has won. Mabuhay.”

SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan, reacting in Manila, said the decision vindicates the organization that took over from the BAP as the NSA for basketball two years ago.

“I am just happy for the country,” he said.

Despite a solid track record of progress, the SBP was summoned by FIBA to Geneva as the special commission sought to find out if the BAP’s contention that Philippine basketball is in disarray held water.

Officials of both the SBP and BAP were invited to attend the meetings, which started last Monday but only the SBP representatives showed up. Last Tuesday, the BAP sent an e-mail to FIBA saying its officials failed to obtain Swiss visas but submitted a list of demands, including a 12-12 split in the SBP Board between the SBP and BAP, ceding the positions of chairman and treasurer to the BAP, two vice chairmen (one internal, the other external), taking over the SBP’s grassroots program and joint agreement in the selection of executive director.

POC chairman Rep. Monico Puentevella, who attended the deliberations, said what convinced the special commission of the SBP’s legitimacy was Eala’s hour-long, power-point presentation that proved beyond doubt compliance with the Bangkok Agreement. Eala’s comprehensive presentation detailed what the SBP has done so far in terms of developing an elite program to be competitive internationally, a grassroots program, a referees program and a membership expansion program.

The fact that the country’s major leagues – the PBA, PBL, Liga Pilipinas, UAAP and NCAA – support the SBP was another boost.

Puentevella noted that the commission – made up of FIBA secretary-general emeritus Borislav Stankovic, former FIBA president Dr. Carl Men Ky Ching and legal counsel Ken Madsen – was visibly irked by the BAP’s no-show.

In a one-page decision, the commission said it reaffirms the SBP as FIBA’s recognized country affiliate, upholding the Central Board’s previous decision made in March 2007.

The committee also said the Central Board will closely monitor developments in the Philippines, in particular the progress of compliance with the terms of the Bangkok Agreement where basketball stakeholders are given the chance to be adequately and appropriately represented in the SBP. The committee gave the SBP a deadline of Nov. 30 to submit a written report on the progress of the compliance.

Anticipating a protest from the BAP, the committee said that its decision may only be appealed through the Council of Arbitration for Sport which is based in Lausanne. No other forum or court will be recognized by FIBA in the event of an appeal or protest.

Eala said the commission gave a lot of weight to the Philippine court’s decision affirming the SBP’s recognition.

Puentevella said the clincher was when the BAP failed to show up, clearly an expression of disrespect for FIBA. The commission took special notice of the BAP’s absence, pointed out Eala.

Attending the deliberations for the SBP were chairman Gov. Oscar Moreno, vice chairman Ricky Vargas, Eala and lawyer Marievic Anonuevo.

“We’re all very tired,” said Puentevella whose luggage – along with Moreno’s and Anonuevo’s – got stuck in Hong Kong during a stopover and arrived in Geneva 24 hours late. “We’re excited to go home to share this news. With this victory, the SBP can be magnanimous and reach out to all legitimate stakeholders who want to join. As for the POC, I attended the meetings to serve our mandate to support our 41 recognized NSAs, one of which is the SBP.”

Puentevella said as a parting shot, the SBP told FIBA it will make a strong bid to host the FIBA-Asia Championships in 2011, the regional qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics.

The SBP will hold a press conference late tomorrow morning at PLDT in Pangilinan’s presence to explain the ramifications of the special commission’s decision.